Other assistive technology is available that works with, or in a similar fashion to, computers. Not all assistive technology is right for an individual within a particular area of special need. Work with the staff at your child's school or a representative from a supply company to try out and assess whether or not an item will work before making an expensive purchase.

Wireless keyboards are available for students with learning disabilities and those with minimal handwriting difficulty. The keyboards allow students to input notes, written assignments, or spelling test answers that can later be printed through a computer. For some students, a wireless keyboard offers a way to keep up with the physical requirements of writing for a class. Others find the smaller display screen difficult to use and prefer to use a laptop, computer terminal, or other arrangement.

Some children and teens benefit from auditory input. Reading a textbook or shuffling through notes and informational handouts can be overwhelming. Recording a lesson or lecture can be helpful so that the student can replay it later. However, listening to the recording is time-consuming, and it's difficult to find a particular place in the lecture.

Several types of electronic pens are available to assist the older student with a reading or learning disability. One kind will “read” the words on a page, functioning as a hand-held scanner. This kind of pen will also define a word that is targeted on the page of print.

Another kind of pen will record the words of a speaker while being used to take notes. The notes can later be sent to a computer and accessed and searched for key words just like a computer document. The success of using either of these pens depends on the student's maturity and fine motor skills.