Technology-Enhanced Learning for People with Disabilities

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, everybody uses electronic devices in their daily life, including people with disabilities. The education field is no exception. Schools and universities include different devices to support the accomplishment of learning activities. In the few last years, the number of studies related to the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for people with disabilities has increased. These studies support that technology can help people with disabilities since applications can be adapted to the needs of users. However, knowledge of how ICTs have influenced them is limited. Therefore, it is necessary to make an effort both to obtain this group of users’ characteristics and to understand how we could incorporate this knowledge to adapt the technology to their needs.

Technology-enhanced learning (TEL) research focuses on how technologies can add value to learning and teaching processes. Today's learners have access to increasingly powerful and affordable handheld computing devices, including smartphones, games, consoles and tablets. They can share, interact and immerse themselves online with others through the use of social networks and virtual worlds. They can also create identities and user-generated resources that potentially have a virtual worldwide audience enabled by the Internet. Learners’ activities can be captured in real time and feedback processes can be automated with increasing precision through learning analytics.

The inclusion of technology in the classroom has been useful in the field of education. Specifically, technology offers great opportunities for learning, sharing information and acquiring independence for users with special needs. Technology can help to improve confidence and to motivate. Moreover, some advantages include the promotion of errorless learning without mistakes, offering an immediate and personalized assessment, and adapting the rhythm of learning to each student, among others. Although the use of technologies in the classroom is beneficial, sometimes the educational objectives are not achieved since the multimedia content provided is not suitable. For this reason, it is not only important that the application is accessible and well designed, but it is a key aspect that content is adapted to the users’ features.

The goal of this Special Issue is to bring together the most recent research in the area of technology-enhanced learning for people with disabilities. We welcome contributions from international researchers working with people with disabilities through technology support. These contributions can range from the design and development of applications aimed at a specific group of people with disabilities to the use of existing technological tools to improve the teaching–learning process for people with disabilities. Learning can be both formal and informal as long as it has an inclusive approach, highlighting the benefits for people with disabilities. Modeling users’ capabilities, limitations and needs (in the context of this Special Issue) is another essential task as well.

Dr. Estefanía Martín
Dr. David Roldán Álvarez
Guest Editors

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• technology-enhanced learning
• disabilities
• inclusive learning
• education
• inclusion
• special education
• accessibility