Assistive describes tools, devices, or technologies designed to help people with disabilities or challenges do things more easily or independently. An assistive device might be a wheelchair that helps someone move around, a hearing aid that makes sounds louder and clearer, or special computer software that reads text aloud for someone who has trouble seeing.

Assistive tools bridge the gap between what someone wants to do and what their body or mind makes difficult. A student with dyslexia might use assistive technology like text-to-speech software to listen to books instead of struggling to read them. Someone with limited hand mobility might use an assistive keyboard with larger keys or voice-recognition software to write.

These tools don't do the work for someone: they remove barriers so the person can do the work themselves. Just as eyeglasses are assistive devices that help millions of people see clearly, many assistive technologies simply level the playing field, allowing people to learn, work, create, and participate fully in daily life. Schools, workplaces, and public spaces increasingly provide assistive options because they recognize that good design helps everyone do more.