Investigation into the effectiveness of wearable technology as assistive tools for Saudi students with special needs

Mohammad Mahmoud Al-Gaseem, Subhi Ibrhahim Sharqawi, Ghaith Ali Mahmoud Al-Barakat, Yusra jadallah abed Khasawneh, Mohamad Ahmad Saleem Khasawneh

Article ID: 10539
Vol 8, Issue 15, 2024


Abstract


This study fills a significant need in the literature by exploring the efficacy of wearable technologies as helpful aids for special needs students in Saudi Arabia. This 12-month quantitative study used a purposive sample of 150 kids representing a range of disability classifications. This study examines the effects of wearable technology, such as smartwatches and augmented reality goggles, on students’ concentration and performance in the classroom. Wearable technology offers great promise, as descriptive statistics show that the experimental group had better involvement and academic achievement. The experimental and control groups vary significantly in terms of academic performance and engagement, as shown by independent samples t-tests. Wearable technology’s distinct benefits are further shown by regression analysis, which shows a favorable correlation with academic achievement after the intervention. According to the results, wearable tech has great promise for inclusive education in Saudi Arabia. Strategic integration, teacher professional development, ongoing research, better accessibility, and wearable gadget customization are some of the suggestions. Stakeholders may use these recommendations as a road map to build a welcoming and technologically sophisticated classroom. This study adds to the growing body of knowledge on assistive technology, especially in Saudi Arabia, and has important implications for academics, politicians, and educators.


Keywords


wearable technology; special education; inclusive education; assistive tools; Saudi Arabia

Full Text:

PDF


References


Alghamdi, A. (2021). Saudi Special Education Teachers’ Perspectives on the Use of iPads to Enhance Communication Skills for Students with Autism (Doctoral dissertation, University of South Florida).

Alghamdi, J., & Holland, C. (2020). A comparative analysis of policies, strategies and programmes for information and communication technology integration in education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the republic of Ireland. Education and Information Technologies, 25(6), 4721-4745. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10169-5

Almusawi, H. A., Durugbo, C. M., & Bugawa, A. M. (2021). Wearable technology in education: A systematic review. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 14(4), 540-554. https://doi.org/10.1109/TLT.2021.3107459

Black, M. H., Milbourn, B., Chen, N. T., McGarry, S., Wali, F., Ho, A. S., ... & Girdler, S. (2020). The use of wearable technology to measure and support abilities, disabilities and functional skills in autistic youth: a scoping review. Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, 8(1), 48-69. https://doi.org/10.21307/sjcapp-2020-006

Boot, F. H., Owuor, J., Dinsmore, J., & MacLachlan, M. (2018). Access to assistive technology for people with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review to identify barriers and facilitators. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 62(10), 900-921. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12532

Buchem, I., Klamma, R., & Wild, F. (2019). Introduction to wearable enhanced learning (WELL): trends, opportunities, and challenges. Perspectives on Wearable Enhanced Learning (WELL) Current Trends, Research, and Practice, 3-32. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64301-4_1

Bustos-López, M., Cruz-Ramírez, N., Guerra-Hernández, A., Sánchez-Morales, L. N., Cruz- Chambers, D. (2020). Assistive technology supporting inclusive education: Existing and emerging trends. Assistive technology to support inclusive education, 1-16.

Huda, M. (2019). Empowering application strategy in the technology adoption: insights from professional and ethical engagement. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, 10(1), 172-192. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-09-2017-0044

Karki, J., Rushton, S., Bhattarai, S., & De Witte, L. (2023). Access to assistive technology for persons with disabilities: a critical review from Nepal, India and Bangladesh. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 18(1), 8-16.

Kimmons, R., Graham, C. R., & West, R. E. (2020). The PICRAT model for technology integration in teacher preparation. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 20(1), 176-198.

Lee, E., & Hannafin, M. J. (2016). A design framework for enhancing engagement in student-centered learning: Own it, learn it, and share it. Educational technology research and development, 64, 707-734. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-015-9422-5

Moon, N. W., Baker, P. M., & Goughnour, K. (2019). Designing wearable technologies for users with disabilities: Accessibility, usability, and connectivity factors. Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering, 6, 2055668319862137. https://doi.org/10.1177/2055668319862137

Ramos, N. A., & Alor-Hernández, G. (2022). Wearables for Engagement Detection in Learning Environments: A Review. Biosensors, 12(7), 509. https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12070509

Smith, R. O., Scherer, M. J., Cooper, R., Bell, D., Hobbs, D. A., Pettersson, C., ... & Bauer, S. (2018). Assistive technology products: a position paper from the first global research, innovation, and education on assistive technology (GREAT) summit. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 13(5), 473-485. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2018.1473895

Svensson, I., Nordström, T., Lindeblad, E., Gustafson, S., Björn, M., Sand, C., ... & Nilsson, S. (2021). Effects of assistive technology for students with reading and writing disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 16(2), 196-208.

Thevin, L., Briant, C., & Brock, A. M. (2020). X-road: virtual reality glasses for orientation and mobility training of people with visual impairments. ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS), 13(2), 1-47. https://doi.org/10.1145/3377879




DOI: https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd10539

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2024 Mohammad Mahmoud Al-Gaseem, Subhi Ibrhahim Sharqawi, Ghaith Ali Mahmoud Al-Barakat, Yusra jadallah abed Khasawneh, Mohamad Ahmad Saleem Khasawneh

License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.