Assistive technology
Also known as: AT
Assistive technology is any tool that helps a person with a disability use a device — screen readers, magnifiers, voice control, switches and Braille displays all count.
In plain terms
Different people use different tools. Someone blind uses a screen reader; someone with low vision uses a magnifier; someone who can't use a mouse might use voice commands or a single switch. Your job is to build pages that work smoothly with all of them, not just a mouse and a monitor.
Why it matters
Accessibility problems usually show up as a breakdown between your code and someone's assistive technology. If a button has no label, voice control can't click it and a screen reader can't name it — the same bug, two blocked users.
A person with a motor disability navigates your whole checkout by speaking "click Add to cart" — which only works if the button's visible label matches its accessible name.
Related terms
Want your website checked against every WCAG requirement, not just the jargon? We run IAAP-certified audits with plain-English reports.
Request an Audit