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-to-severe 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.