Assistive technology for higher education students with disabilities: Knowledge and skills of teaching staff.

Abstract

The use of assistive technology in education has been shown to enhance academic performance, increase educational engagement, and improve both academic self-efficacy and the social and psychological well-being of students with disabilities. Despite these proven benefits, assistive technology is not always utilized systematically or effectively. Many educators report feeling insufficiently competent in using assistive technology in the classroom, with their knowledge often being limited. This study aimed to assess higher education teaching staff's knowledge of the features of both assistive and mainstream technology (including devices, software, and apps), as well as their experience in using them. A total of 131 teaching staff members from Italy, Germany, Spain, and Greece participated in the study by completing a questionnaire that included items related to both types of technology. The results indicated that staff members were far more familiar with mainstream technology than with assistive technology, and their knowledge and experience with the latter were limited. Age and prior training emerged as significant predictors of both knowledge and use of assistive technology. Notably, the study highlighted specific types of assistive technology that were more familiar to higher education teaching staff.