At Bett Asia 2025, a panel session chaired by Madame Jamila Kadir, Director of SEAMEO SEN, brought clarity and urgency to a question education leaders grapple with worldwide: how do we move assistive technology (AT) from the cupboard to the core of teaching and learning?

The session’s provocation came from Dr Husniza Husni, Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation) at Universiti Utara Malaysia, whose research spans human–computer interaction and AI for dyslexia. She asked the audience a disarming question: how many of us have seen laptops and tablets locked away, gathering dust? Many hands went up. That image set the tone. Assistive technology, she argued, is too often treated like a silver bullet, as if purchasing a device resolves inequity. Classrooms aren’t fairy tales, and technology alone won’t resolve complex ‘wicked’ problems, such as uneven infrastructure, inequitable funding, limited training, unclear governance and the practical realities faced by rural and under-resourced schools.

Dr. Hussain’s lab builds tangible user interfaces and dyslexia-friendly tools, including augmented reality (AR) reading apps, customisable graphical user interfaces (GUIs), and eye-tracking platforms. Yet her core message was strikingly non-technical: the value of assistive technology is unlocked not by novelty but by meaningful, contextual use. That demands policies that make sense on the ground, robust implementation plans, and professional development that equips teachers to adapt tools to real learners in real classrooms.

Professional development: the critical missing link

Echoing that theme, Siti Ainulmursyida Binto Shamsudin, a multi-award-winning special educational needs (SEN) teacher, reminded us that “assistive technology doesn’t teach; teachers do”. Early in her school’s journey, the challenge wasn’t simply a lack of devices, it was the absence of an ecosystem. There was no dedicated SEN digital space, little training and few shared resources. Her response was to build a Digital Resource Centre and a staff culture that treats AT as everyday practice rather than occasional intervention.

From these efforts, her students have gained national and international recognition. More importantly, they’ve gained agency. For leaders, the lesson is practical: start with what you have, invest in teacher confidence, and share practice relentlessly so pilot successes ripple across the whole school.

Beyond access: building digital literacy and ethical frameworks

Dr Mohd Syazwan Zainal, a Lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Co-ordinator at an Autism Research Centre and a former SEN teacher, shifted the lens to transition and Higher Education. As more students with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other needs progress to university and polytechnic pathways, institutions must attend to two pillars:

ICT (information, communication and technology) literacy across the learner journey. Orientation and bridging programmes, targeted training and peer mentoring help students navigate independent learning environments and complex digital systems. Micro-credentials and short certifications can smooth the leap from campus to workforce, ensuring assistive technology skills translate into employability.
Ethical, inclusive digital policy. Analytics and AI can illuminate barriers (but can also entrench bias if misapplied). Universities need inclusive technology councils, clear guidance on accessibility and sensory considerations, and safeguards that ensure data is used to support, not penalise, students with disabilities. Policy must reflect the diversity within disability; “one size fits all” is neither ethical nor effective.

From devices to ecosystem: what leaders can do now

Across the session, a consensus emerged: assistive technology is not about procuring hardware; it’s about cultivating a resilient ecosystem. For education leaders, that translates into five strategic moves:

Anchor AT in policy and resourcing. Embed AT within SEND, digital and teaching & learning strategies; budget not only for devices but also for connectivity, maintenance, accessibility audits and classroom-ready content.
Prioritise professional development. Design PD that is continuous, job-embedded and coached. Pair early adopters with colleagues; use learning walks and micro-credential pathways so AT practice is visible, supported and recognised.
Adopt human-centred design. Co-create with teachers, therapists, families and learners. Measure success as progress for pupils, not the number of licences purchased.
Create pathways beyond school. Partner with local employers, colleges and services so AT competencies contribute to independence and employment, not just classroom performance.
Monitor ethically. Use data to identify barriers and improve support. Establish governance that prevents surveillance or discriminatory use of analytics.

The mindset shift

Perhaps the session’s most important takeaway is a mindset shift. Technology is part of a wider tapestry of equity, connection, humanity, navigation, opportunity, learning, outreach and growth. Devices are components; people, culture and policy are the system. When leaders invest in that system through coherent strategy, targeted professional development and ethical guardrails, assistive technology stops being an occasional add-on and becomes the infrastructure of inclusion.

The work ahead is practical and principled: to ensure that every classroom can deploy the right tools, with trained teachers, within an ecosystem designed for dignity and progress. Do that and assistive technology won’t sit in a cupboard. It will sit at the centre of learning, where it belongs.