TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON MOBILE TECHNOLOGY AS AN INCLUSIVE STRATEGY FOR STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA

Abstract

There are different forms of support for students with dyslexia. Technology such as the use of iPads is one such. Limited literature exists on teachers’ perspectives on the effectiveness of the use of mobile technology to support and include students with dyslexia. The study aimed to investigate teachers’ perspectives on the use of mobile technology like iPads as a support and inclusion mechanism for dyslexic students in selected South African schools. The study was a qualitative multiple case study design involving one remedial and two main stream schools and 11 teachers that were purposively sampled. The data collection strategies included focus group discussions, non-participatory lesson observations and semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis. The findings revealed that teachers perceive mobile technology like the iPads as a useful support tool that creates interactive inclusive learning and increases the confidence of students with dyslexia. The findings also indicate the challenges, which include the inability to align applications to the required curriculum, unstable Wi-Fi connections and theft of devices. Additionally, teachers raised the concern that many applications designed for mobile devices are currently intended for younger students under the age of nine. To be more useful to students with dyslexia, mobile technology software needs to be aligned with the curriculum and designed for an older demographic.