Challenge 1: Assistive Technology
What are Assistive Technologies?
When we think about accessibility, many of us immediately think about accommodations or specialized equipment. In reality, assistive technologies are much broader than that.
Assistive technology is any item, device, software, or product that helps a person with a disability increase, maintain, or improve their ability to perform tasks (Assistive Technology Industry Association). Different disabilities require different assistive technologies.
Some assistive technologies are highly specialized, such as custom wheelchairs or braille displays. For this challenge, we will be focusing on the assistive technologies that are built into tools that many of us already use. You can these accessibility technologies in tools such as Microsoft Word, Zoom, Google Docs, web browsers, and smartphones.
For educators, understanding digital assistive technologies is an important first step toward creating learning materials that are accessible to everyone.
Why Does This Matter?
Students use assistive technologies for many different reasons. For example, a student with dyslexia may use text-to-speech software to listen to course readings instead of reading them on screen. A student with ADHD might adjust the spacing or font of digital text to make it easier to focus. A student with a temporary wrist injury or cast may rely on speech-to-text tools to complete written assignments without typing. In many cases, these technologies are not used because a student has formal accommodations, but simply because they make learning more effective or reduce barriers. When educators create accessible course materials, students have the flexibility to use the tools that best support the way they learn. Assistive technologies provide different ways to access the same content. While the learning objectives stay the same, the pathway to the learning changes.
Examples
Click each plus sign to read more about common assistive technologies students might use:
Try It Yourself!
Open a document or webpage that you use as teaching material for your course.
Use a text-to-speech feature such as:
- Microsoft Word Read Aloud
- Microsoft Immersive Reader
- Firefox or Chrome Reader View
- Another read-aloud tool available on your device
As you listen, notice:
- Does everything get read correctly?
- Are headings announced clearly?
- Are tables understandable?
- Does the document flow naturally?
Use the comment section below to share your reflections!
Further Resources
Up Next
Our next challenge will be on plain language and how small changes to your writing can improve accessibility for all learners.
Adapted from “BCcampus Accessibility Bites Series: Assistive Technologies” by Josie Gray, used under CCBY 4.0
keith Tyler
I had to download a few different language packs before I found a Chrome text-to-speech voice I could work with. They all did reasonably well with basic text but struggled a bit with technical/medical terminology. I was suprised that the Chrome reader took away some of the page functionality i.e. I could no longer access the accordian block
Linda O'Donoghue
I opened an article I share when providing a workshop about teaching and learning with students in online courses. I noticed that overall, the text was read correctly; however, the sound of the voice is very robotic. I would personally find it more distracting to listen to it!
Sound is also an accessibility issue, so I wonder if there is a way around it? Can the voice reading the document be adjusted to sound more natural?
Julia Lane
Yes! i found that I could adjust the voice in Chrome (and it was pretty easy to do). The first/default voice was very robotic, but the one that I settled one (voice 4, for me) sounded much better 🙂
Linda O'Donoghue
I also went to a webpage on UDL guidelines and this time, the read a-loud feature was so much better. I would imagine it is because the website is all about UDL and accessibility? The website had their own accessibility feature, which has a more natural sounding voice.
Greg Visco
A former colleague would use the read aloud function in word when reviewing documents due to a sight impairment. He would often find small errors in documents, such as the use of a correct word in the wrong place, something that spell check/grammar doesn’t catch. I now use it when doing a final review of documents I’m creating and it really helps find errors.
For instance, I used it when reviewing this page and found there was a missing word. The sentence: “You can these accessibility technologies in tools such as Microsoft Word, Zoom, Google Docs, web browsers, and smartphones” appears to be missing the word ‘use’ between ‘You can’ and ‘these’ at the start. When the read aloud read it to me, I noticed the error right away.
Very useful tool, even for the sighted, able reader!
Leanne Reitan
Are there any Canadian resources similar to the Assistive Technology Industry Association? That organization’s website is USA-centric & much of the information there does not apply to Canadians.
Caterina
Good day,
This was an interesting exercise. I used Gemini Flash.
Category Specific Item Evaluated Text-to-SpeHTML
Category
Specific Item Evaluated
Text-to-Speech (TTS) Behavior & Findings
Correctness & Formatting
Acronyms & Product Names
Reads general terms clearly (OpenAI), but technical version names (e.g., GPT-5.6 Sol) sound robotic (“G-P-T five point six Sol”).
Technical Terms
Jargon like “zero-day” or “package-registry proxy” is read verbatim without pauses, making it harder for listeners to digest.
URLs & Tracking Links
Raw link parameters (e.g.,
utm_medium=email...) create a jarring experience if read aloud instead of skipped.Structure & Headings
Section Headers
Headings are announced clearly (e.g., “Heading Level 2: What Happened?”), providing helpful structural pauses throughout the narrative.
Data & Tables
Chronological Timelines
Standard screen readers announce coordinates (“Row 2, Column 1”), but basic TTS tools collapse the formatting into run-on, out-of-order sentences.
Flow & Continuity
Narrative Arc
The main story flows naturally as audio, though mid-page pull-quotes and sidebars can disrupt the chronological sequence.
Caterina Valentino
Good day,
This challenge taught me a number of tricks I had not known about the abilities of applications and their accessibility features.
Regards,
Caterina
Char
This was an interesting exercise. Today I used “Read Aloud” in Microsoft Word. I find that it has gotten better and sounds more natural than it did when I used it in the past. I was sending an email and found I couldn’t get Outlook to read the message aloud, despite a quick search on the subject. It makes me reflect on how technology is advancing and will hopefully become more ubiquitous.
Janet
I used Read Aloud on a SharePoint page that I use to manage projects with faculty. As mentioned, the voice was a bit choppy, but overall I was satisfied with the experience. One limitation was that it did not indicate which content was clickable for more information, making it difficult to distinguish between headings, links, and regular text. This could make navigating the page more challenging for users who rely on the Read Aloud feature.
Heather Mitchell
Creating an accessible version of the Accessibility Plan highlighted that accessibility is not always achieved simply by applying accessibility features during document creation. Testing and remediation are essential, particularly when a document is converted into a different format or viewed using different accessibility tools.
The Plan was initially developed in Word, where accessibility features such as heading structure, alternative text for images, and the Read Aloud function worked as expected. However, after converting the document to PDF for public posting, additional issues emerged. The PDF did not always maintain the same accessibility structure as the original Word document, and further adjustments were required to ensure the reading order was logical for users relying on screen readers. For example, the index required remediation because the order in which content was read did not match the intended visual order.
Testing also demonstrated that accessibility can vary depending on the software used to access a document. In this case, the PDF performed differently when tested in Adobe Reader compared with Microsoft Edge. Features that appeared to work in one environment did not always produce the same experience in another, reinforcing the importance of testing documents using more than one tool.
Images presented another area requiring careful consideration. Captions and alternative text serve different purposes, but both can be read aloud by assistive technology. When both contain similar descriptions, users may experience unnecessary repetition or confusion. Adjustments were needed to ensure that captions provided useful context for all readers while alternative text provided an appropriate description of the image without duplicating information.
This experience reinforced that creating accessible documents is an ongoing process of design, testing, and refinement. A document may appear accessible in its original format but still require additional work after conversion, publication, or review with different assistive technologies.
Lisa
I reviewed a Microsoft Word document and an email using the Read Aloud and Immersive Reader functions. This was a helpful exercise that I will use going forward. One challenge I’m finding is that the both functions skipped over screenshots with alt text, so I will need to incorporate text descriptions of that content as well.
Tracy
This was an eye-opening read as I learned about some new applications that I was unaware of. With online learning or when classes occasionally go online due to weather, I can see some of these functions being particularly useful. While I have full hearing capabilities, I find that both listening to someone speak and reading their words at the same time helps with my comprehension. I suspect other students may have this preference too and that could be advantageous when holding a Teams Meeting class.
Linda O'Donoghue
I just finished trying out speech to text using dictation in microsoft word. It is really effective and easy to use; however, I noticed that I do need to ensure I am speaking very clearly to ensure accuracy. Otherwise, I will be sure to utilize and share with others about this function in word.
Julia Lane
I enjoyed using the speech-to-text function in Word, though I had lots of questions about the choices it made regarding my punctuation!
I tried, but failed, to find the “read aloud” function in Word (any tips?), but did play with that in Chrome and found that interesting too.