Serving students with special needs better: How digital technology can help

This chapter explores the role of technology in supporting students with special needs. The support ranges from helping disabled students to access the curriculum to providing disability specific support so that students can participate in inclusive school settings. After highlighting the importance of supporting students with special needs, the chapter shows how technology can support a variety of special needs. It then focusses on three cutting-edge technologies which aim to: 1) support the development of autistic children’s social skills, 2) diagnose and support students with dysgraphia and 3) provide access to graphical materials for blind and visually impaired students. The examples highlight the importance of involving students and stakeholders in the design of the solutions and the need for developers to consider affordability as a key element of their development.