Getting Started with Assistive Technology

For a long time, people with disabilities—both invisible and visible—had to make do with what was available to them, largely because society’s ability to make accommodations for them was limited. 

Those days are thankfully long past! In today’s world, there are devices, apps, and technologies out there that can make life easier for those who need a little bit more assistance to participate in everyday life. In fact, there’s so much technology that even those without such needs often find it helpful to learn what’s out there because it makes both their lives and the lives of everyone around them easier, something referred to as the Curb Cut Effect. But this same wealth of resources means it can be hard to get a basic understanding of and information about what kinds of technologies are out there and which of them could work for you. 

Don’t worry, though. CRRL has you covered. If you’re among those trying to learn more about these types of technologies to use them in your own life or just want to know how you can make things more accessible to people with assistive needs, you can check out these streaming videos and eBooks in our collection to help you get started!


Assistive and Augmentive Communication for the Disabled


Breaking Through


Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Office


Acrobat DC: Creating Accessible PDFs


E-health, Assistive Technologies and Applications for Assisted Living


The Illustrated Guide to Assistive Technology and Devices


Keep It Simple


Technology Enhanced Learning for People With Disabilities


Wireless Technologies for Ambient Assisted Living and Healthcare


And, these are just the tip of the iceberg. As you learn more, you may want to see how we've made things accessible here at the library. You can do that by checking out the Access Services page. So, here's to an excellent start at living the accessible life: may these resources help make things for you and yours a little easier!