Instructional Technology That Works: From Access to Learning

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Moving Beyond Accommodations

In today’s classrooms, technology plays an increasingly central role in supporting student learning. While Assistive Technology (AT) remains essential for removing barriers to access and participation—for example, by providing text-to-speech or speech-to-text support—it is not designed to directly teach or develop foundational academic skills like decoding, spelling, or number sense. Instructional Technology (IT), on the other hand, consists of tools specifically created to build academic skills through structured, skill-based practice. These tools hold unique promise for helping students, including those with learning disabilities (LDs), ADHD, and other struggling learners, build meaningful independence. This article explores how IT can be used alongside effective, evidence-based instruction to strengthen foundational skills in reading and numeracy, and offers guidance on how to implement these tools with fidelity to ensure meaningful results.

The Case for Instructional Technology

Across Ontario, educators have increasingly used Assistive Technology (AT) to support student access and participation. Tools like text-to-speech, word prediction, and graphic organizers help students engage with content and demonstrate their understanding. However, as emphasized in the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Right to Read report, accommodations like AT—while essential—cannot replace effective instruction and intervention in foundational skills such as decoding, spelling, and number sense (OHRC, 2022). At LDAO, we advocate for a blended approach: using AT to reduce barriers, while integrating instructional technology (IT) within evidence-based teaching to help students build the skills needed for academic independence.

Findings from the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) highlight the ongoing challenges of relying solely on accommodations to support student learning. The Right to Read inquiry showed that many students with special education needs continue to struggle with independent reading, even when provided with accommodations such as assistive technology or scribing on standardized assessments like EQAO. These supports may help students complete tasks, but they do not necessarily reflect a student's underlying reading ability or address foundational skill gaps. The OHRC emphasizes that accommodations must be paired with explicit, evidence-based instruction to help students build lasting skills—and in its 2024 update, rated progress on this benchmark as “little to no progress,” assigning it a score of 1 out of 10.

Instructional Technology (IT) offers a powerful complement to traditional instruction, especially when used with intention, structure, and consistency. To be effective, these tools must be implemented with fidelity—delivered as intended, at the right dosage and frequency, and with adequate monitoring. Educators need time, training, and support to interpret student data and adjust instruction accordingly. By combining the accessibility of AT with the skill-building potential of IT, schools can create inclusive, responsive classrooms where all students—including those with LDs, ADHD, or who are struggling—have the opportunity to develop both confidence and competence.

Instructional Technology

Instructional Technology (IT) plays an important role in helping educators deliver effective, evidence-based instruction that promotes both skill development and learner independence. By integrating digital tools that offer individualized, adaptive, and guided practice, educators can better respond to the diverse needs of their students. This is especially important for students with LDs, who often benefit from direct, specific instruction delivered with greater frequency and sustained support. When used strategically, IT can enrich foundational instruction by providing students with opportunities to practice skills in ways that are personalized, responsive, and aligned with their learning goals.

Modern instructional technology programs in core subject areas provide students with tailored, data-informed practice that adjusts to their individual learning needs. These tools are designed to respond in real time—when students encounter difficulty or make repeated errors, the program adapts by revisiting key concepts to reinforce understanding before moving forward. With consistent and structured use, students can make meaningful progress, even while working independently, which helps reduce their reliance on ongoing individualized support..

Instructional technology is not a replacement for high-quality, inclusive teaching. Students—especially those with learning disabilities or other learning needs—still benefit most from responsive guidance, encouragement, and monitoring by educators who understand their individual strengths. What instructional technology offers is a wealth of actionable information—such as time on task, completion rates, and progress data—that educators and families can use to inform instruction, adjust support, and help ensure all learners have what they need to succeed.

When used intentionally and alongside effective instruction, instructional technology can play a powerful role in supporting student learning. It allows for targeted, personalized practice that benefits all students—while giving educators the space to focus on responsive, small-group teaching and Tier 2 interventions. For students with learning disabilities and ADHD, this balanced approach can help bridge the gap between access and achievement. By combining inclusive teaching, thoughtful monitoring, and the strategic use of technology, educators can create learning environments where every student has the opportunity to build skills, confidence, and independence. This approach reflects the vision outlined in Learning for All (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2013), which emphasizes universal design for learning, differentiated instruction, and tiered supports as essential components of inclusive education.

Making Instructional Technology Work

Fidelity refers to how closely an instructional program or teaching method is implemented as it was designed. High fidelity means that key components—such as strategies, pacing, materials, and assessments—are delivered consistently and as intended. This consistency is critical when evaluating how well a program works. Evidence-based programs depend on fidelity so that their outcomes are reliable, replicable, and can inform future instruction.

The Iowa Reading Research Center (2024) identifies four dimensions of fidelity:

For instructional technology tools to have their intended impact, they must be implemented with this same level of consistency. Educators need clarity on how often students should use a program, what support should be in place, and how to monitor progress. When these elements are in place, schools are better positioned to evaluate what’s working, make informed adjustments, and ensure that the technology is truly supporting student learning.

When educators understand and maintain fidelity, improvements in student outcomes can be more confidently linked to the intervention—reducing variability and strengthening program evaluation.

Avoiding Pitfalls in Using Instructional Technology

Even the most well-designed instructional technology programs can fall short if not implemented as intended. This is where fidelity matters most. When educators or school boards invest in programs that promise results, but those results aren’t realized at the classroom level, it can be frustrating and disheartening. Students may not make expected gains, educators lose confidence, and programs are sometimes abandoned prematurely. In many cases, these challenges stem not from the program itself, but from how it was used. Understanding the most common implementation pitfalls can help ensure technology supports—not stalls—student learning.

These common missteps can limit a program’s effectiveness, even when the tool itself is evidence-based and well-designed:

• Incorrect dosage - too much or too little instruction
• Incorrect frequency - sessions scheduled too often or too rarely
• Interruptions - assemblies, special events, or holidays breaking the program cycle
• Incorrect placement - students started at the wrong level and left unmonitored
• Supplementary lessons skipped - supports that reinforce learning not delivered
• Insufficient supervision - students left on their own, leading to stalled progress
  (Iowa Reading Research Center, 2024)

Being aware of these pitfalls allows educators to plan proactively and monitor implementation more effectively. Whether it's ensuring consistent scheduling, confirming students are placed at the right level, or providing support alongside independent practice, small adjustments can make a big difference. By approaching instructional technology with intention and ongoing reflection, educators can create the conditions that lead to stronger outcomes for all learners.

Professional Learning and Implementation Support

Effective use of instructional technology depends not only on selecting the right tools, but also on building educator capacity and confidence through intentional professional learning and support. These programs often require educators to interpret student data, adjust instruction in real time, and monitor progress toward skill development. Educators benefit from ongoing, job-embedded professional learning opportunities—such as collaborative planning, peer observation, coaching, and guided implementation during professional activity (PA) days or release time. These supports are most effective when they are sustained, collaborative, and directly connected to classroom realities, providing “just-in-time” learning that is immediately applicable to practice (Beach et al., 2021). Strengthening professional learning in this way allows educators to better implement instructional technology with consistency, adapt when needed without compromising program effectiveness, and ultimately support more equitable student outcomes.

At the same time, educators work in diverse and dynamic settings, where competing priorities, staffing changes, or resource constraints may impact how programs are implemented. While flexibility is often necessary, straying too far from a program’s essential components can reduce its effectiveness. A key part of professional learning is helping educators understand which elements are foundational and where thoughtful adaptations can be made. When professional learning is responsive and ongoing, educators are better positioned to use instructional technology in ways that strengthen instruction, promote equity, and support all learners—especially students with learning disabilities and ADHD.

Final Thoughts

Assistive Technology remains essential for removing barriers to access and participation. But to truly support student learning and long-term success, it must be paired with strong, evidence-based instruction that actively builds foundational academic skills. Instructional technology can play a key role in this effort—offering personalized, skill-focused practice that complements classroom teaching.

Its impact, however, depends on more than just availability. To be effective, instructional technology must be selected thoughtfully, implemented with consistency, and supported by ongoing professional learning. Educators need time, clarity, and tools to use these programs as they were intended, while also adapting to the realities of their classrooms.

When used with intention and fidelity, instructional technology doesn’t just support access—it advances equity. It helps create learning environments where students with identified and unidentified learning needs can grow in skills, confidence, and independence. The goal is not just to use technology—but to use it well, in service of all learners.

About the Author

This article was prepared for publication with support from the LD@school team, based on an article written by Martin Smit.

Martin Smit is the English Language Educational Consultant for LDAO, supporting its LD@school resources. He has over 30 years of experience as a classroom teacher, music teacher, administrator, and system principal for the Hastings and Prince Edward and Greater Essex district school boards as well as the Provincial and Demonstration Schools branch. Martin is an experienced workshop facilitator and has presented at a number of education conferences including Quest, Educators’ Institute, and ASET. He is a strong advocate for all students and supports school-wide, data-driven strategies for addressing learning needs.

Powered by LDAO

This resource is brought to you by LD@school, a signature initiative of the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario (LDAO), a registered charity and provincial leader in inclusive and accessible education.

For over 60 years, LDAO has supported children, youth, and adults with learning disabilities (LDs) and related conditions such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Designed for educators, LD@school provides evidence-based and practice-informed resources, along with classroom-ready strategies to help Ontario teachers create equitable, accessible learning environments for students with LDs, ADHD, and other learning differences.

LDAO also offers other signature platforms, including TA@l’école (for French-language educators), LD@home (for families), and LD@work for adults and employers), supporting the LD community across the lifespan.

References

Beach, P., Willows, D., & Colgan, L. (2021). Online teacher professional development in Canada: A review of the research. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 47(2). https://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/27948

Iowa Reading Research Center. (2024). Fidelity in school settings: How it works and why it matters. https://irrc.education.uiowa.edu/blog/2024/11/fidelity-school-settings-how-it-works-and-why-it-matters

Ontario Human Rights Commission. (2022). Right to read inquiry report. https://www3.ohrc.on.ca/en/right-read-inquiry-report-0

Ontario Human Rights Commission. (2024). 2-year update to the Right to Read inquiry report. https://www3.ohrc.on.ca/en/2-year-update-right-read-inquiry-report

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2013). Learning for all: A guide to effective assessment and instruction for all students, kindergarten to grade 12. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-learning-for-all-2013-en-2022-01-28.pdf