Tools that help Tools help people work around their learning disabilities Learning disabilities can't be cured or fixed. But with the help of tools, a child with a learning disability can work around his or her difficulties with reading, writing, numbers, spelling, organization or memory. The purpose of tools and assistive technology is to help people work around specific deficits rather than fixing them. Tools help people of all ages with learning disabilities reach their full potential, giving them greater freedom and independence along the way. Just as a person in a wheelchair needs a ramp to go around stairs, people with learning disabilities need tools to help them work around their difficulties with reading, writing, spelling, numbers or memory.
Tools can be simple or complex Everyone uses tools.
Tools are devices and equipment designed to make everyday tasks easier. Color highlighters help people pick out important sentences in long pieces of writing. People with learning disabilities also need tools. Tools for people with learning disabilities can be as simple as highlighters, color coding files or drawers, books on tape, tape recorders, calculators or a different paper color or background color on a computer screen. The following stories show how children with typical learning disabilities can use assistive technology to perform learning tasks with greater confidence and independence.