Disabled children and young people’s uses and experiences of digital technologies for learning

This report presents findings from a participatory, in-depth qualitative study to explore disabled children and young people’s formal and informal learning practices. Interviews and observations in classrooms took place with seven disabled young people and nine teachers to gain their perspectives about disabled young people’s uses of digital technologies at school. Visually impaired children and young people were chosen as an illustrative case for the project and to overcome claims that treating disabled children as a homogenous group was unhelpful for understanding the differences between disabled children. The findings showed that children and young people use and are positive about digital technologies to support formal and informal learning. Digital literacy skills were well developed and enabled the young people to use digital technologies effectively and safely. Mobile devices such as tablets were found to be particularly useful both for learning generally and for accessibility in order to access the curriculum. Nevertheless, digital technologies could sometimes make young people feel self-conscious and stigmatised. Some subject teachers were more on-board than others in supporting disabled young people and this meant that there was sometimes a lack of inclusive pedagogical design which resulted in an extra workload for disabled children. Follow-up interviews carried out two-three years after initial data collection showed that changes were minimal despite the introduction of policy change such as the introduction of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans

Disabled children and young people’s uses and experiences of digital technologies for learning

This report presents findings from a participatory, in-depth qualitative study to explore disabled children and young people’s formal and informal learning practices. Interviews and observations in classrooms took place with seven disabled young people and nine teachers to gain their perspectives about disabled young people’s uses of digital technologies at school. Visually impaired children and young people were chosen as an illustrative case for the project and to overcome claims that treating disabled children as a homogenous group was unhelpful for understanding the differences between disabled children. The findings showed that children and young people use and are positive about digital technologies to support formal and informal learning. Digital literacy skills were well developed and enabled the young people to use digital technologies effectively and safely. Mobile devices such as tablets were found to be particularly useful both for learning generally and for accessibility in order to access the curriculum. Nevertheless, digital technologies could sometimes make young people feel self-conscious and stigmatised. Some subject teachers were more on-board than others in supporting disabled young people and this meant that there was sometimes a lack of inclusive pedagogical design which resulted in an extra workload for disabled children. Follow-up interviews carried out two-three years after initial data collection showed that changes were minimal despite the introduction of policy change such as the introduction of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans

Fostering social connections through internet use: visually impaired older people’s use of computer mediated communications

In today’s ICT dynamic society, questions continue on how internet use affects social relationships and well being. By building upon past work and conceptualising visually impaired older adults as a distinct user group, this research explored the perceptions of visually impaired older people concerning how they build and maintain social ties via Computer Mediated Communication (CMC). The research attempts to create an understanding of how internet use could be of benefit to visually impaired older adults and what implications it has for their social well being. The study employed tools of ethnography [observations in an internet café specifically for visually impaired people and semi structured interviews]. One to one and focus group interviews were conducted with 23 visually impaired older adults between the ages of 60 87 years. All participants were registered visually impaired members of a Voluntary organisation in Newcastle, UK. Findings show that participants mainly perceived the internet as a means to establish and maintain social relationships rather than a substitute for social contacts in the face of myriad challenges with socialisation offline. It also enabled them to challenge popular stereotypes about older people and use of new technologies. Many participants regarded internet use as a means to enhance social connectedness and overcome feeling isolated. Findings showed how internet use fits into the communication styles of visually impaired older people and enable them to cope with the challenges of vision loss. Some participants regarded the absence of visual cues in CMC as a communication advantage which afforded them a platform to socialise with others on an equal footing. The implication of findings for existing theoretical concepts of CMC and the need for a more inclusive theoretical stance which integrates the position of visually impaired users were discussed. The study concludes that the internet is a vital tool for social integration of visually impaired groups. It has potential for positive impact on their well being if accessibility is further enhanced