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Pedagogy and Psychology

Digital Tools to Support Children with Special Educational Needs in Inclusive Education: A Mixed-Methods Study: Digital Tools to Support Children with Special Educational Needs in Inclusive Education: A Mixed-Methods Study

Published June 2026

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Tashenev University
Tashenev University
Tashenev University
Tashenev University
Teacher of General Secondary School
Abstract

Introduction. Digital transformation in education creates new opportunities to support children with special educational needs (SEN/SEND) in inclusive classrooms, but the effectiveness of digital tools depends on purposeful pedagogical integration, accessibility, and collaboration with families. Methodology and Methods. A mixed-methods study (sequential explanatory design) with a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest non-equivalent groups design was conducted in inclusive primary school settings. Participants included 84 children with SEN (7–11 years), 24 educators, and 52 parents. The 12-week intervention implemented a structured toolset (AAC, reading/writing supports such as text-to-speech and speech-to-text, visual schedules and timers, multimodal interactive tasks, and teacher monitoring tools). Outcomes included learning engagement, task completion, independence, communication participation, teacher re-instruction time, and parent-rated home learning independence; qualitative data were gathered via interviews and thematic analysis. Results. Compared with the comparison group, the experimental group demonstrated higher posttest outcomes (ANCOVA, p < .05): engagement (+13.9 vs +4.2), task completion (+17.6% vs +5.1%), and independence (+2.6 vs +0.8 steps). Teacher re-instruction time decreased more substantially (−8.8 vs −1.9 min/lesson). Subgroup gains were notable for AAC users (median initiatives 2→6 vs 2→3) and learners with reading/writing difficulties (reading speed +14.2 vs +5.1 words/min; writing accuracy +16.8 vs +7.4 p.p.). Implementation fidelity averaged 82%; interviews highlighted improved accessibility and independence alongside infrastructure constraints. Scientific novelty. The study provides an evidence-based, school-embedded evaluation of a function-oriented digital support toolkit for SEN learners, combining effectiveness outcomes with implementation fidelity, teacher workload indicators, and home-independence data. Practical significance. Findings justify a scalable model for selecting and integrating digital tools by functional needs, embedding them into lesson structure and remedial support, and organising teacher–specialist–parent collaboration to enhance participation, accessibility, and independence in inclusive education.

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Language

English

Keywords
How to Cite

Oralbekova A., Arzymbetova S., Abdullayeva .Z., Zhapbarova G., Kasymbekova G. Digital Tools to Support Children with Special Educational Needs in Inclusive Education: A Mixed-Methods Study: Digital Tools to Support Children with Special Educational Needs in Inclusive Education: A Mixed-Methods Study // Pedagogy and Psychology. – 2026. – № 2(67). – С.40–49: DOI: 10.51889/2960-1649.2026.67.2.004 [Электронный ресурс]: URL: https://journal-pedpsy.kaznpu.kz/index.php/ped/article/view/2264 (дата обращения: 16.07.2026)