Rapid literature review on assistive technology in education

Rapid literature review on assistive technology in education

Research report

July 2020

Dave L. Edyburn, Ph.D.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Contents

List of Figures

4

List of Tables

5

Executive Summary

6

1.0 Introduction

8

1.1 Context: Realising the Potential

8

1.2 Why are Pupils and Students with Special Educational Needs

and Difficulties (SEND) at a Disadvantage?

9

1.3 What is Assistive Technology (AT)?

9

1.4 Why is AT Important?

10

2.0 Methodology

12

2.1 Theoretical Framework

12

2.2 Research Questions

13

2.3 Scope

13

2.4 Data Sources

14

2.5 Search Constructs

14

2.6 Search Processes

16

2.7 Limitations of the Study

17

3.0 What are the Characteristics of the AT Evidence Base?

18

3.1 Size of the Knowledge Base

18

3.2 Characteristics of the Corpus

21

3.3 Literature Scatter

23

3.4 Quality of Evidence Supporting AT Use

24

3.5 Conclusions: AT Evidence Base

27

4.0 What is Presently Known about AT Use in Educational Settings?

29

4.1 Universal Screening: AT Child Find

29

4.2 Prevalence of AT Use in Education

30

4.3 What Types of AT Help Which Kinds of Disabilities?

31

4.4 What is Known about AT Use by Pupils and Students

with Autism?

34

4.5 What is Known about AT Use by Pupils and Students who are

Blind and Deaf?

34

2

4.6 What is Known about AT Use by Pupils and Students with

Hearing Impairments?

34

4.7 What is Known about AT Use by Pupils and Students with

Emotional/Behavioral Disturbance?

35

4.8 What is Known about AT Use by Pupils and Students with

Intellectual Disabilities?

35

4.9 What is Known about AT Use by Pupils and Students with

Physical Disabilities?

35

4.10 What is Known about AT Use by Pupils and Students with

Specific Learning Disabilities?

36

4.11 What is Known about AT Use by Pupils and Students

with Speech, Language, and Communication Needs?

36

4.12 What is Known about AT Use by Pupils and Students with

Traumatic Brain Injury?

37

4.13 What is Known about AT Use by Pupils and Students with

Visual Impairments?

37

4.14 Are There Differences in AT Use Across Grade Levels?

37

4.15 Conclusions: AT Use in Educational Settings

38

5.0 What is Most Effective When it Comes to AT Implementation and Use?

40

5.1 System Level Variables Impacting Efficacy

40

5.2 What is Known about the Efficacy of Various AT Service Delivery Models? 42

5.3 Components Necessary for Successful AT Implementation

44

5.4 How Does the Availability, or Lack Thereof, of Accessible Educational

Materials (AEM) Influence the Use of AT and Impact Academic Outcomes? 46

5.5 Mapping a Path Forward

47

3

List of Figures

Figure 1 Understanding assistive technology in the context of technology

used in education and society

13

Figure 2 Comparison of disciplinary relationships and integration

18

Figure 3 70 Variables identified as influencing the effectiveness of

educational technology

41

4

List of Tables

Table 1 Project Parameters

14

Table 2 Search Constructs

15

Table 3 Search Results of Key Terms Within the Article Title

19

Table 4 Articles found by disability category

19

Table 5 Articles found by AT construct

20

Table 6 Documents Included in the Corpus by Country

21

Table 7 Types of Documents in the Corpus

22

Table 8 Types of Literature Reviews in the Corpus

23

Table 9 Publications that Form a Core of AT Literature

24

Table 10 Evidence Quality

25

Table 11 Quality of Evidence as Described in Educational Policy

26

Table 12 Descriptive Evidence Level

27

Table 13 Golden's AT Expectancy Figures

31

Table 14 Number of Documents by Domain

32

Table 15 Relevant Domains of Potential AT Application by Disability

33

Table 16 AT Use by Grade Level

38

5

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