Learning technology and disability-overcoming barriers to inclusion: evidence from a multicountry study

Citation

Hersh M & Mouroutsou S (2019) Learning technology and disability-overcoming barriers to inclusion: evidence from a multicountry study. British Journal of Educational Technology, 50 (6), pp. 3329-3344. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12737

Abstract
The paper uses data from a 15-country study to discuss the factors which affect the use of Information and communication technologies (ICT) learning technologies by disabled people and consequently their access to education. Significant differences were found both between and within countries: income and language were the main factors affecting availability. Thus the greatest availability was in the higher income English speaking countries and the richer European countries. The main barriers to technology use included cost, lack of funding and lack of information. A particular disparity in technology access was found between the English speaking European population and Aboriginal speakers of indigenous languages in Australia, with considerably greater access by the former than the latter group. A number of recommendations are presented to increase access to learning and assistive technologies by disabled people. They include encouragement for developers to produce free of charge (minority language) technologies, research on more effective provision of technologies and personal assistance, assistive technology centres in all learning institutions, simple funding mechanisms and a fund to support technology provision in the poorer countries.

Keywords
learning technologies; assistive technologies; inclusion; barriers; language; income; information;

Journal
British Journal of Educational Technology: Volume 50, Issue 6

People

Dr Stella Mouroutsou

Lecturer in Education, Education