Evaluating technology services: perspectives of parents and teachers of individuals with disabilities through an importance-performance analysis.

Abstract

Purpose: Parents and teachers of individuals with disabilities have a critical role in the effectiveness of students' assistive technology (AT) services. However, research on their perceptions of AT and satisfaction with it is limited. The current study fills this gap by exploring the importance and performance of AT services as perceived by parents and teachers of individuals with disabilities, also examining the differences between their perceptions.

Materials and methods: Participants in this study included parents and teachers of children with disabilities. The data were collected using a quantitative research method and a questionnaire administered to 196 teachers and 204 parents. Descriptive statistics and importance of performance analysis were used to analyse the data.

Results: (1) Among parents, the perceived performance of AT services generally exceeded their perceived importance on the overall scale, except for the "application procedures" dimension, where perceived importance outweighed perceived performance. The opposite trend was observed for teachers: perceived importance surpassed perceived performance on the overall scale, except for the "application procedures" dimension, where perceived performance exceeded perceived importance. (2) Both parents and teachers considered the "application procedures" dimension important. However, their satisfaction levels differed: Parents found this dimension unsatisfactory. Teachers, in contrast, found it satisfactory. (3) Five specific service items were identified as requiring prioritisation for improvement: "total hours of service received," "scheduled time slots," "designated locations," "AT device applicability," and "transition program services."

Conclusion: The paper presents suggestions for enhancing AT services based on these findings.