Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a persistent and pervasive neurological disorder affecting approximately 5% of students 1. The symptoms include inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity which may result in academic underachievement or failure 234. Interventions that may promote academic achievement among students with ADHD include assistive technologies (ATs). ATs is defined as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially or off the shelf, modified or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability” 5 (pp. 1-2).

ATs do not replace accommodations or interventions implemented to support students with ADHD, rather they compliment them. For instance, Bussing et al. (2016) and Evans, Langberg, Egan & Molitor (2014) highlight common accommodations and supports for students with ADHD, these include allowing for movement in the classroom, facilitating methods to ensure students are kept busy, limiting distractions, using reminders, re-formatting tasks perceived to be difficult, extending time allotted for tests and assignments, reducing the length of assignments, and providing teacher or peer prepared notes 67.

Richardson et al. (2015) reviewed non-pharmacological interventions for students with ADHD and identified two domains of interventions: reward and punishment (e.g., contingency management) and skills training and self-management. Skills training and self-management involves facilitating motivational beliefs (e.g., the notion that working hard and putting forth effort will lead to academic success) 8. On the other hand, academic and study skills training involves learning and practicing strategies that promote academic success in specific areas such as, reading or writing. Importantly, many of the interventions and supports provided to students with ADHD that do not explicitly call for an AT can be supported by ATs and vice versa. For instance, academic and study skills are supported using ATs. Therefore, having open discussion about their use is essential, particularly in the current technology driven era. This can equalize the access to the curriculum between students with ADHD and their typically developing peers 910111213. Unfortunately, while there has been research support for the usefulness of ATs for individuals learning disabilities there has been limited research on the usefulness of ATs for students with ADHD 141516. Thus, the overarching goal of this paper is to explore the usefulness of ATs for students with ADHD specifically.

First, eligibility for ATs among students with ADHD is discussed. Second, the research on the ATs that have been demonstrated to benefit students with ADHD will be reviewed. Third, directions for future research in ATs and ADHD will be investigated. Finally, through a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework the ways in which ATs can maintain their efficacy over time for students with ADHD will be outlined.