| Though assistive technology (AT) can provide increased educational access to students with mild disabilities, prior research indicates that it is often underutilized. Using mixed methods, this study investigates the prevalence of AT use, examines factors that contribute to AT use, and explores teacher perceptions of AT use by students with mild disabilities in inclusive classrooms. This study incorporates secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) and qualitative inquiry into eight general and special education teacher perspectives. Sequential binary logistic regression was used to examine the NLTS2 data to determine the probability of AT use as predicted by student, contextual, and teacher blocks of factors selected from AT consideration and implementation models.;It was found that about a quarter of the students in the analytic sample used AT. Students in mathematics classes were almost four times more likely to use AT than students in other subject area classes. Students in classes that incorporated whole class computer-based activities were more than twice as likely to use AT than students in classes that rarely incorporated such activities. Students taught by general education teachers who perceived themselves to be adequately prepared to teach students with disabilities included in their classes were half as likely to use AT than students taught by general education teachers who felt they were not adequately prepared.;The negative relationship between teacher perceptions of training adequacy and AT use may be due to a lack of AT awareness and a false sense of adequacy in knowledge and skill on this topic. It is hoped that this study can provide insights for increasing current and future teacher AT awareness and for the development of policy initiatives that promote AT consideration and support appropriate AT implementation for secondary students with mild disabilities. |
