Assistive Technology and Rural Settings: A Scoping Review of the Literature

The purpose of this review was to scope the existing research literature that describes educational interventions using mid- and high-tech assistive technology (AT) for students with disabilities in rural settings. The authors conducted a systematic literature search and then analyzed the included studies to develop descriptions of current conceptualizations of rurality in the research literature that report on educational interventions using AT, types of AT-supported educational interventions used in rural settings, and characteristics of participants and interveners. Results from 22 studies suggested that intervention research studies using AT in rural settings were primarily focused on students with similar demographics, grade levels, and disability category. Further, the studies evaluated lacked a robust focus on the unique characteristics of rural educational settings, their teachers, or their students with disabilities. The findings of this scoping review may inform the purpose and methods of future research activities, such as systematic reviews of the literature, that target specific instructional interventions using mid- and high-tech AT in rural U.S. schools.