Using technology in the classroom to support all students

The focus of the project is to increase knowledge among students, teachers, and other involved professionals on how the use of innovative technology in the classroom can facilitate participation and performance. 215 students with disabilities also received individual support. An accompanying study confirmed significant improvements.

Problems Targeted

Students can have functional limitations that affect their academic achievement due to a variety of neuropsychological, cognitive, physical, psychiatric, and neurological conditions. It is not uncommon that students advance in school without their functional limitations being identified or addressed. It is also not uncommon that these functional limitations can also cause problems outside of the school environment.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

Training materials were developed and knowledge acquired on how various disabilities can affect classroom performance and how innovative technologies can support students with functional limitations to improve. The use of technology in the classroom (e.g., microphones, interactive whiteboards, computers, web-based platforms, MP3, smartphones with apps) enhances the academic environment for everyone involved while providing the opportunity to give specific non-stigmatizing support to individual students as needed. The project worked both on an overall organizational level and on a more concrete, practical level with individual students, as the aim was to ease the transition from school to work or further study. The collaboration has resulted in the students being enrolled in activities such as employment internships relatively quickly after graduation.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

The University of Linkoping will follow a large number of the students who received individual interventions and who have consented to be included in a follow-up study. A website dedicated to increasing technology support for students with learning difficulties in order to create equal opportunities to education and future work has been established, and offers information and teaching materials developed in this project. The Swedish Agency for Participation has received many requests concerning the project, and studies on the use of technology in schools and the dissemination of results of the work carried out continue even after completion of the project.