Provide an example of assistive technology a TA can support a student with.

• A. A standard pencil.
• B. A standard keyboard for all students.
• C. Text-to-speech software.
• D. A classroom projector.

Answer: (C)

Assistive technology helps students access learning when standard methods don’t fully meet their needs. A TA can support a student with text-to-speech software, which reads written text aloud and can highlight words as they’re spoken. This tool reduces decoding effort, supports reading comprehension, and allows the student to participate more independently in assignments and activities. The TA can help choose the right program, install and customize it (voice, speed, highlighting), teach the student how to use it, and troubleshoot during class.

By contrast, a standard pencil, a general keyboard for all students, or a classroom projector are not targeted accommodations for a specific learning barrier. The key point is that text-to-speech software directly provides access to text for students who benefit from auditory support.