Innovative Theories and Practices for Designing and Evaluating Inclusive Educational Technology and Online Learning

Dear Colleagues,

Over the years, institutions of learning worldwide have been adopting and incorporating educational technology and components of online learning into their instruction.  In recent years, this adoption has significantly increased with the rapid advancement of technology, which has significantly transformed the landscape of education. Institutions suddenly found themselves having to accelerate the adoption of online learning and its associated technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now imperative for educators and institutions to ensure that they promote inclusivity, accessibility, and equity for all learners in virtual learning environments. However, although educational technology and online learning have gained momentum, any new technologies used in educational settings must be supported by effective instructional strategies. Therefore, we are interested in research that examines and assesses the essential changes and adaptations made to traditional teaching and learning techniques, as well as research that explores innovative theories and inclusive practices that foster usable and inclusive learning. This Special Issue aims to investigate cutting-edge approaches, methodologies, and technologies that promote inclusive educational technology and online learning, ensuring the success, engagement, and equitable and effective educational experiences for all learners.

This Special Issue will focus on soliciting original research and contributions that delve into theoretical foundations, models, empirical studies, and best practices related to enhancing educational technology and online learning. It will encompass a diverse range of topics, including pedagogical approaches, technology integration, learner engagement, accessibility, and cultural responsiveness. The primary goal is to contribute to a deeper understanding of inclusive educational technology and to provide practical insights and strategies for educators and institutions.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Tactile/Haptic interfaces;
• Assistive technology in education;
• Technology-enhanced learning;
• Innovative learning environments;
• Design and evaluation of learning environments;
• Accessibility and usability of digital learning environments;
• Virtual learning environments;
• Disability-aware learning environments;
• Adaptive learning environments;
• Social media integration into learning environments;
• User experience of learning environments;
• Accessibility evaluation of learning environments;
• Mobile learning environments;
• Collaborative and inclusive learning in virtual spaces.

Please feel free to forward this Special Issue call for papers to others who may be interested. 

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Julius Nganji
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• educational technology
• assistive technology
• accessible learning
• innovative theories
• inclusive teaching and learning practices
• online education
• mobile learning technology
• enhanced learning
• universal design for learning (UDL)
• learner engagement
• tactile/haptic interfaces
• learning analytics