The impact of teachers’ iPad use on supporting functional abilities in children with special needs

The integration of technology in education has progressed significantly, with iPads becoming a
popular tool, particularly in classrooms for children with special needs. This study explores the
impact of teachers’ pedagogical iPad use on the functional abilities of children with mild-tosevere
special needs, focusing on language, cognition, motor, emotional development, and life
skills, as well as overall functioning. The study included 1137 participants: 139 teachers (M age =
41.77, SD = 9.78) and 998 children (M age = 9.28, SD = 4.46) with mild-to-severe disabilities.
Participants were divided into two groups: (1) an experimental group where teachers used iPads
in class (57 teachers; 465 children), and (2) a control group without iPads use (82 teachers; 533
children). Teachers completed six questionnaires at the beginning of the school year, before the
experimental group received iPads (T1), and again after an iPad training course and six months of
use (T2). Results showed that functional abilities improved significantly across all areas at T2,
with greater gains in the experimental group, particularly in language, cognition, emotional, life
skills, and general functioning. Multilevel modeling analyses indicated that the time-by-group
interactions remained robust even after controlling for teachers’ and children’s background
characteristics. Specific background factors—teachers’ years of experience, teachers’ iPad use,
children’s gender, and disability level—also contributed to variations in children’s functional
levels. The study highlights digital tools’ role in bridging educational gaps and fostering equal
opportunities for children with special needs.