Insights from Gayl Bowser on Assistive Technology tools for special education classrooms 

Gayl Bowser has spent her career helping schools get assistive technology right. As the state of Oregon’s AT specialist for 20 years - and now a national consultant and facilitator for state AT leaders - she’s seen plenty of tools come and go. 

“I’ve been in the assistive technology field since 1988, which makes me a historian,” Gayl laughs. Clicker is a supportive writing tool that combines word prediction, speech feedback, and customizable scaffolds. And is, as Gayl says, “the one that’s stood the test of time.” 

Gayl has watched Clicker evolve with classrooms for decades. “I believe I used the very first version of Clicker with some elementary school students I was working with - and I immediately found it useful and helpful in lots of ways.” 

An early Clicker success story

In those early years, pairing pictures with words was still a groundbreaking idea. Clicker’s unique scaffolds gave Gayl and her students something they hadn’t had before: independence. She remembers one student in particular - a young boy who was just learning to read and write but desperately wanted to email his friends right away. 

“We used some of Clicker’s features to make that possible,” Gayl recalls. “That was one of my favorite success stories early on.” 

Why Clicker remains a go-to assistive technology for student writing support 

Over the years, Gayl has watched many educational tools become so loaded with features that teachers are intimidated before they even start. 

“Clicker has resisted adding so many bells and whistles that teachers can’t actually figure out what it does. That continues to be true - and that’s a good thing.” 

Because it’s user-friendly, she recommends Clicker’s supportive word processor for: 

• Elementary classrooms 

• Self-contained classrooms 

• Resource rooms focused on literacy 

But for Gayl, Clicker’s biggest strength is how it fits into a continuum of support for students. 

“I like the word ‘differentiation,’ so that schools don’t become totally focused on a particular product. I think having the idea of a continuum of options, and knowing where something like Clicker fits in, is really important.” 

So often in classrooms, it’s not a single tool, curriculum, or solution that does it all. Gayl points out that when districts treat Clicker as one piece of a larger puzzle, teachers are empowered to choose the best supports for each learner - and student independence becomes a natural outcome. By positioning Clicker within a thoughtful, tiered approach - rather than as a one-size-fits-all solution - districts can match tools to students’ needs at the right time. 

This makes Clicker a strong fit for MTSS or any tiered support model. It meets students where they are, and can grow with them towards their path to independence. 

Will this AT tool stay, or will it go? Lessons on AT implementation 

Gayl cautions that purchasing assistive technology software isn’t enough. Citing that if you don’t pair it with training, follow-up, and clear goals, it ends up being another product that nobody accesses. “I’ve watched districts buy a great tool, then cancel the contract two years later because no one was using it,” Gayl says. “If you don’t build in training and support, even the best tools won’t stick.” 

That’s why she encourages districts to look for solution providers who act as true partners - ones who can share success stories, provide ongoing support, and collaborate on a plan to measure impact. When vendors bring evidence and work side-by-side with educators, the results are far more likely to last. 

Equity in education: why rural schools need tools like Clicker 

Today, Gayl is particularly passionate about getting the right tools into small and rural districts. 

“There are some small districts that genuinely don’t know what assistive technology is. I’d love to see more focus on products like Clicker in those rural schools.” 

With almost 200 districts in Oregon - many of them small, rural, and under-resourced - Gayl sees Clicker as part of the solution for helping students everywhere access literacy and communication. 

The big takeaway: writing independence starts with the right tools 

From Oregon to the Midwest, from state policy to classroom practice, Gayl sums it up simply: 

“Clicker has stood the test of time for a reason. It helps kids write for themselves at early stages of literacy - and that’s what matters most.” 

Her challenge to schools: if independence is your goal, put a range of tools like Clicker in your students’ hands - and watch them take it from there. 

See how Clicker fits into your district’s continuum of supports. Explore our case studies or test out a risk-free, 90-day pilot to experience it in action.