Perspectives of Special Education Teachers on Infusing ICT in Special Education Classrooms: A Mixed-Methods Investigation

Abstract

The primary motivation behind this mixed-methods study was to learn how Pakistani special education teachers feel about integrating technology into the classroom. A total of 428 Pakistani teachers working in special education institutions were included in the study. There were 250 teachers in charge of kids with hearing impairment, 90 for those with intellectual disabilities, and 88 for those who were visually impaired. The survey takers were asked to share their thoughts on computers by completing an in-depth questionnaire. The special education teachers who participated in the qualitative portion of this study were interviewed in a series of semi-structured focus groups. The group included 15 teachers with expertise in teaching students with hearing impairments, 15 teachers with expertise in teaching students with intellectual disabilities, and 15 teachers with expertise in teaching students with visual impairments. In addition, the teachers answered seven questions centered on computers and other digital tools utilized in the classroom. The survey showed that special education teachers had a generally positive outlook on using computers. Positive responses were most frequently found in the areas of "special education," "staff development," "computer use in society," and "computers and the quality of instruction" on the subscales. The findings from the analysis of variance revealed that there was no statistically significant impact of experience and kind of impairment on instructors' attitudes towards technology.