News Brief
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 — 8:33 am
U.S. school districts are falling short in providing essential assistive technology to students with disabilities, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that students with disabilities receive access to assistive technology, such as swivel chairs, pencil grips, button switches, large mobile touch screens and eye-gaze communication devices, that are critical for students to participate in school. The GAO report studied eight school districts across four states, surveyed centers that provide technical assistance to parents and interviewed officials at federal and state education agencies.
School staff reported having limited awareness of assistive technology, inadequate training to stay current on the latest technology, and staffing and budget constraints in providing assistive technology to students. In a survey of parent assistance centers, 67% said that families always or often reported challenges accessing information about what assistive technology may be best for their child.
“Unfortunately, the Trump Administration’s actions to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) will exacerbate challenges students with disabilities, parents, and schools are already experiencing,” U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott said in a news release. “School districts rely on a robust, well-funded ED to implement IDEA and ensure that students with disabilities and their families are informed of the resources available to them.”
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