Information and Communication Technologies and functional diversity: knowledge and training of teachers in Navarra

Abstract

In recent years, considerable progress has been made in analyzing ICTs as significant instruments that favor the inclusion of people with different types of cognitive, sensory, or motor diversity. Although there are quality practices linked to the use of ICT, and an increasing interest in the educational use of these technological tools, there is still a great concern as how to solve the different difficulties in digital competence that teachers present, and even more in contexts of diversity. Therefore, teachers are configured as a key element to achieve full inclusion of ICT in the classroom. In this framework, it is intended to make a diagnosis in relation to the training and knowledge of active Primary Education teachers, in relation to ICT applied to people with functional diversity. Under the methodological aspect, a qualitative research design has been carried out, developed from the Grounded Theory approach. The information has been obtained from the analysis of 52 interviews with professionals in the education sector of the Spanish state of Navarra (members of management teams, ICT coordinators, directors and technological advisors of training centers). Among the conclusions we place a stress on the low training of teachers, the low development of training activities, and also note that the main barriers that hinder such completion of ICT training activities and functional diversity in the Community of Navarra are determined primarily by economic factors and the lack of time.