Mobile technologies, including apps, have become increasingly popular, and are being used to support daily activities among a variety of individuals. While the use of mobile technologies will not eliminate barriers often faced by individuals with disabilities, these systems have the potential to help minimize some of these barriers. As the…

In this study, we examine preschool storybook apps to identify the types of characters represented in these stories and how they relate to design quality and opportunities for children to build their vocabularies -- a significant predictor of later success in learning to read. Specifically, we sought to understand (a) how storybook apps portray…

Background: The pathologisation of people with disability1 has long affected the educational quality of the sexuality education they receive. Whilst concern for people with disability has been growing in some comprehensive sexuality education settings, the quality of education in these spaces is variable and typically accommodations for people…

Children's literature has historically been rife with implicit biases and underlying themes, and few scholars have investigated the impact technology has had on those elements appearing in children's literature. In response, this study used a content analysis methodology to evaluate 38 storybook applications (apps) for containing implicit biases…

Background: In education, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has gone from being a convenient option to a permanent necessity. For students and people with functional diversity, it is of seminal importance. It is therefore worth learning how professionals perceive digital tools and apps for people and students with functional diversity…

Advocating for deaf or hard of hearing child can be a daunting task … and intimidating. So many professionals around a table and the parent. What can parents do to advocate for deaf or hard of hearing children? Why is advocating for these child at school meetings important? As Apple says (2009), "There's an app for that!" The Laurent…

Over the past decades, technology has been considered an essential tool for providing equal accessibility and opportunities for students with disabilities. As technology has evolved, a new type of technology, mobile devices, emerged in the late 2000s. Specifically, iPads have quickly gained attention and popularity in special education settings.…

Understanding mathematical concepts is important for all students, although often challenging for many students with disabilities. Historically, educators have used concrete manipulatives to support and build conceptual understanding. Mobile devices provide a valuable option to support students with disabilities in mathematics through app-based…

With the number of apps available today, browsing the iTunes store can become overwhelming for any teacher. A teacher can quickly try free apps, but to have full access, cost is often involved. Purchasing numerous apps can be expensive and time consuming and, most important, may not produce an outcome of acquiring tools that are well aligned with…

Manipulatives support students with and without disabilities in mathematics. However, as students age, concrete manipulatives can be limiting and potentially not age appropriate (Satsangi, 2015). An alternative is virtual manipulatives, including app-based manipulatives. This study compared the use of app-based manipulatives to concrete…

The success of Pokémon Go is demonstrating that augmented reality (AR) is reaching the masses quickly and can be a robust tool to enhance student engagement and learning. Leveraging AR for instructional purposes has the potential to become a powerful medium for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by providing new tools for multiple means of…

Parents of young children with disabilities are discovering that carefully selected computer software and mobile apps can provide many benefits such as improved self-esteem, a longer attention span, and inclusion among family and other children that help their children succeed at home and in school. PACER's Simon Technology Center (STC) can help…

The most salient aspect of independent living and successful post-high school transition to employment is having the ability to independently use transportation. Adolescents and young adults with disabilities continue to experience significantly lower employment rates than their peers without disabilities (Wagner et al., 2003). One way to support…

Educational research will likely never be able to keep pace with technological innovation. It therefore will become increasingly important that early childhood professionals rely on existing knowledge to effectively evaluate and integrate emerging technology in the natural environment rather than waiting for a broad platform of research to inform…

Mobile devices, including iPads, tablets, and so on, are common in high schools across the country. Unfortunately, many secondary teachers see these devices as distractions rather than tools for scaffolding instruction. This article highlights current research related to the use of video games as a means to increase the cognitive and social…