Beyond Assistive and Educational Technologies: The Emergence of Educational Assistive Technology

Abstract

This paper analyzes the actions developed within the scope of the New Research and Innovation Arrangement in Assistive Technology (NAPI-TA), with emphasis on the initiatives of Working Group 02 – Assistive Technology at the Interface with Education. The study aims to examine the development of Educational Assistive Technologies (EAT) conceived from an inclusive perspective, oriented toward the elimination of barriers in teaching and the expansion of equitable access to the school curriculum, with particular attention to the needs of students with visual impairment and blindness. The research is characterized as qualitative and descriptive-analytical, grounded in documentary analysis of projects, institutional reports, and pedagogical materials produced by WG02, largely through the actions of the Educational Assistive Technologies Laboratory (LabTAE). The results indicate that the developed EAT incorporate principles of Universal Design (UD) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by anticipating sensory, communicational, and cognitive barriers and enabling the shared use of resources by students with and without disabilities. It is concluded that the actions of NAPI-TA in the educational field demonstrate the potential of applied research and collaborative innovation in promoting inclusive, equitable, and socially engaged pedagogical practices, particularly in addressing the barriers historically imposed on blind students and those with low vision.

Keywords: Educational Assistive Technology, Universal Design For Learning, Inclusive Education, Human Variability, Pedagogical Accessibility.

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007301