Functional diversity: Needs for technological accessibility for learning

Abstract

Since the pandemic beginning, the students’ problems became visible, particularly those who have a disability when changing their way of working; in the same way, teachers do not know about technological tools to work through the virtual modality. This lived reality has positive and negative results. Among the negatives are: the disengagement from the educational system, the withdrawal of new knowledge and the breakdown of their relationship with classmates and teachers. On the positive side, it can be mentioned that this pandemic has been an opportunity for both teachers and students, it has made it possible to search for learning and teaching strategies and methodologies based mainly on the virtual modality. This article describes an investigation carried out in Ecuador, in which the techno-logical accessibility conditions, the required competencies and the needs from the functional diversity of 212 children and adolescents with disabilities were identified. Subsequently, a Technological Accessibility Plan for Students with Disabilities (TAPSD) was developed, based on person-centered planning (PCP) and universal design for learning (UDL), in which the use of different technological applications is proposed depending on the students’ needs and skills).

Keywords: Functional Diversity, Assistive Technologies, Intellectual Disability, Cerebral Palsy, Pated.

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001041