Research Article
Sultan Aldehami
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep353
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted in the central region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to investigate levels of teachers’ assistive technology (AT) knowledge and skills use in classrooms for students with intellectual disability (ID). A total of 98 special education teachers of students with ID completed an online survey. Results indicate that the teachers’ levels of knowledge and skills related to AT use in classrooms for students with ID were reaching proficiency. Teachers’ levels of AT knowledge and skills statistically significantly differed based on gender, training, level of education, teaching experience, and school location but not on grade level. However, there were statistically significant differences in teachers’ professional development based on gender and teaching experience but not based on training, level of education, grade level, and school location. Furthermore, results indicate that teachers’ perceptions of AT significantly predicted teachers’ knowledge and skills related to AT use in educational environments.
Keywords: special education, intellectual disability, assistive technology, attitudes, special education teachers
Research Article
Emeka Joshua Chukwuemeka, Dominic Samaila
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 11, Issue 1, pp. 99-109
ABSTRACT
The study investigated teachers’ perception and factors limiting the use of high-tech assistive technologies resources in special education schools in North-West Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design using a questionnaire to sought data from 120 respondents who were drawn using a multi-stage sampling technique from special education schools within the region. Three research questions were raised to guide the study. The questionnaire was subjected to expert validation and reliability was established through a pilot study using 20 teachers from two special education schools within the study area, but not part of the sampled schools. The reliability coefficient of 0.81 was obtained for the questionnaire using the Cronbach Alpha formula. The data collected were analyzed using percentage, mean and standard deviation. Findings revealed that teachers do not use high-tech assistive devices regularly to teach students with physical disabilities. However, teachers perceived positively that there are great benefits to the use of these resources. It was recommended among others that both government and other stakeholders should organize workshop, seminars and other capacity building training regularly for teachers as means of updating their knowledge and skills in the use of assistive devices considering the dynamic nature of special education technology.
Keywords: assistive technology, high-tech, utilization, perception, special education, limiting factors