Students with Cognitive Difficulties

Cognitive disabilities include autism, Down Syndrome, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Less severe (and more common) conditions include attention deficit disorder (ADD), dyslexia (difficulty reading), dyscalculia (difficulty with math), and learning disabilities in general. Difficulties include: Memory; Problem-solving; Attention; Reading, linguistic, and verbal comprehension; Math comprehension; and Visual comprehension (WebAIM, 2018). 
NaturalReader is a free website that can help students with reading difficulties access learning. Users can upload any document to be read online or converted to mp3 for learning on-the-go.
Speechnotes is a free text to speech online notepad that can help students with writing difficulties. Users activate the microphone and dictate or they can upload audio recordings to be transcribed. 

Students with Physical Difficulties

Physical difficulty can refer to the inability of a person to use one or more of their extremities, or a lack of strength to walk, grasp, or lift objects. Difficulties may be caused by a number of factors, such as disease, an accident, or a congenital disorder and may be the result from neuro-muscular and orthopedic impairments, and physical aids such as wheelchairs may be needed to assist with mobility (The ACCESS Project, 2010).
The AbleNet TrackerPro 2 is a hands-free mouse that allows uses small head movements to move the pointer making it a great option for students with limited mobility.
Large format keyboards like the black on yellow XL Print American English Bluetooth 3.0 Mini Keyboard from LogicKeyboard is designed for visually impaired computer and mobile device users.

Students with Sensory Difficulties

Students with sensory processing issues may experience difficulties with organizing and responding to information that comes in through the senses and may be oversensitive to sensory input, undersensitive, or both (The Understood Team, 2019).
Using a color contrast checker can help ensure that the content you are creating is more accessible to students with low-vision. 
Designing your content like websites or presentations with screen reader compatibility is key for accessibility compliance. Using resources like WebAIM on the topic can help ensure success. 

At-Risk Students

At-risk students may face personal challenges (such as pregnancy, necessary employment, mobility, and homelessness) and/or academic challenges (such as special education needs, credit deficiencies, and lack of supports for learning English) that may contribute to failing courses and exit examinations or dropping out (Darling-Hammond et al., 2014).
Many at-risk students do not have adequate access to digital devices and/or reliable internet. Implementing a 1:1 device initiative can help close the digital divide and increase learning opportunities.
Increasing engagement through digital content creation can help retain at-risk students. Creating ePortfolios or project-based websites using platforms like Weebly encourages students to take ownership of their learning.

Gifted and Talented Students

By definition, people who are gifted have above-average intelligence and/or superior talent for something, such as music, art, or math. Most public-school programs for the gifted select students who have superior intellectual skills and academic aptitude (Braaten, 2018).
Choice is a great way to keep gifted (and all other) students engaged and motivated. Technology like Nepris can help connect these students to peers and experts around the globe; digital media tools encourage creativity and hone presentation skills. 
Differentiation can be a powerful tool to keep gifted students engaged. Instead of keeping a daily journal, consider using a blogging platform like Blogger for advanced students to share their writing with a global audience.

References

Braaten, E. (2018, December 27). What Does It Mean to Be “Gifted?” | Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds. MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds. https://www.mghclaycenter.org/parenting-concerns/what-does-it-mean-to-be-gifted/
CAST. (2015, January 19). CAST: About universal design for learning. Cast.Org. http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.Xvaj7ZNKjOQ
D. Frank Smith. (2014). 5 Strategies to Reach At-Risk Students with Technology. Technology Solutions That Drive Education. https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2014/09/5-strategies-reach-risk-students-technology
Darling-Hammond, L., Zielezinski, M., & Goldman, S. (2014). Using Technology to Support At-Risk Students’ Learning. https://mk0all4edorgjxiy8xf9.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/UsingTechnology.pdf
Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J. E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching : transforming learning across disciplines. Pearson.
TEAL Center staff. (2010). Universal Design for Learning. Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy (TEAL) Center. https://lincs.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2_TEAL_UDL.pdf
The ACCESS Project. (2010). Mobility impairments - The ACCESS Project - Colorado State University. Colostate.Edu. http://accessproject.colostate.edu/disability/modules/MI/tut_MI.php#:~:text=Mobility%20impairment%20refers%20to%20the,utilized%20to%20aid%20in%20mobility.
The Understood Team. (2019, August 5). Understanding Sensory Processing Issues. Understood.Org; Understood. https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/child-learning-disabilities/sensory-processing-issues/understanding-sensory-processing-issues#
Using Tech With Gifted Students | Education World. (2012). Educationworld.Com. https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/technology-gifted-students.shtml
WebAIM. (2018, November 26). WebAIM: Cognitive. Webaim.Org; Utah State University. https://webaim.org/articles/cognitive/#:~:text=Clinical%20diagnoses%20of%20cognitive%20disabilities,and%20learning%20disabilities%20in%20general.

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