This small scale study, in a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) setting, intended to
identify how effective tablet technology can be when used in a focused pedagogy-centred manner,
sometimes referred to as Assistive Technologies (AT) to enhance teaching and learning. In particular,
autistic children offer struggle with social skills, finding it difficult to express themselves or engage in
lessons. Also, children with behavioural issues often require additional strategies to those used in
mainstream settings to engage them and enhance outcomes, often requiring additional staff.
A mixed method approach was undertaken, involving the use of questionnaires for staff and children
and semi-structured interviews with key members of staff. Baseline data was gathered to enable a
comparison; although not numerical, with such a small ratio of staff:pupil in the setting, the
qualitative data was considered to be of value, as staff were able to give their expert perspective on
children’s development.
The setting was graded as outstanding by Ofsted in 2014 and has technology firmly in the centre of
its curriculum, considering itself to have an ‘unprecedented level of innovation’. This supported the
delivery of this project as staff have received high quality training and understand the pedagogy in
addition to having the subject knowledge to make best use of tablets.
The use of tablets are relatively new in education and consequently there is little longitudinal
research to review; in fact, Maor et al (2011) suggest in their review of the effectiveness of ATs for
children with SEND, that:
‘Considering the high level of investment that educational authorities around the world are
making in ATs, the small number of studies that had adequate research design features was
quite surprising.’
However, as they state, there is a real focus on using technology in education and a significant
expansion in the use of tablets in classrooms, (BESA, 2013: page 4, Beauchamp and Hillier, 2014:
page 2). Whilst there are many smaller scale projects which were reviewed, there were some useful
views offered by broadsheets and news broadcasters about the rise in popularity of tablet
computers in educational settings (Coughlan, 2014: no page). Further, more specific, research was
carried out into the impact of tablets on pupils with SEND, as this SAP project was carried out in a
SEND setting; this research informed the questionnaires in particular as it became apparent just how
tablets can be deployed in the SEND setting, as opposed to desktop computers (Shah, 2011: no
page).
An ethics form was completed, as the research required interaction with vulnerable children as well
as adults. The Head teacher was consulted to ensure school gave their consent for this study. Staff
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were asked by myself to take part if willing. Parents were informed via a letter to acquire informed
consent for the children involved and finally, the children themselves were asked to give consent. I
discussed with staff which children were considered suitable by the school, in terms of them having
the ability to give informed consent.
The focus of the questionnaires for the teachers was on what affect they believe tablets have on
developing personal and inter-personal skills, particularly independence, problem solving,
collaboration, in children with SEND and if they feel tablets accelerate or can hinder the
development of these skills.
Unfortunately, only 2 questionnaires were returned by the pupils. This was considered and it may be
possible the parents themselves had other priorities or felt unwilling to put their child under
perceived pressure. It was agreed not to use these 2 submissions as there was insufficient data to
provide useful analysis.
In addition, due to illness, timings and the pressure of competing an SE2 placement, the interviews
have not yet taken place. However, 8 members of staff, with a range of roles in school, returned the
teacher questionnaires (see Appendix 1):

Class teacher x 3

Cover teacher x 1

Learning Support Worker (LSW) x 3

One-to-one LSW x 1
The age range covered is from year 1 to year 11, in this Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
(SEND) setting. The respondents have been using tablets in the classroom for between 1 and 3 years
and all but one have received specific training on the use of the tablets. Responses indicate varying
implementation of the tablets in teaching and learning, although 3 of the respondents said they used
them every day. Uses of the tablets were identified and analysed:
Table 1
Uses
% of staff
Internet searches
100.0%
Game apps
75.0%
Use of camera/video
100.0%
Productivity apps e.g. Book Creator
62.5%
In conjunction with the IWB to share pupils’ work
50.0%
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Staff were asked what they used tablets for in lessons. All staff responded that they used internet
searches and also camera/video. Most staff used game apps in some way. Most staff used Book
Creator, an app used to present information during lessons. Half of the staff had used tablets with
the IWB to display and assess children’s work.
Staff were asked if the use of the tablet differed according to the special educational need and
disability which the pupil has. 6 of the 8 respondents said yes, providing qualitative comments which
specified the use of sound buttons (hearing impaired) and differentiation within apps (lower
attaining).
Table 2
Skills developed
% of Staff
Facts
100%
Independence
100%
Collaborative Learning
12.5%
Resilience
12.5%
Problem Solving
62.5%
Logic
50%
Synthesis of new knowledge
62.5%
Staff were also asked analyse the skills that the use of tablets developed in the children they worked
with. In Table 2, it is obvious that one of the main skills developed was the learning of facts and
information. It is also clear that staff believed that tablets were good at developing children’s ability
to work independently.
Few teachers believed the tablets have developed collaborative learning and and/or resilience and
only half believed that tablets developed children’s logic. This could be down to different reasons
such as the apps used, the activities done and also the setting.
100% of staff believed that the use of tablets motivated participation for children.
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The results demonstrate that teachers were making regular use of tablets in lessons and that
research was a key feature of the planning. Staff also found that children would use apps which
required problem solving skills, which is a crucial life skill.
Also, it is clear that the tablets were being used effectively for differentiation, to enable children
with difficulties to access teaching and learning using AT, similar to those put forward by the
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (2010), provide an excellent list of the
ways in which AT can be used to overcome barriers:
Table 3:
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N.b. - categories for types of SEND:
• HI - Hearing Impairment
• ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• LS - Low Support Needs
• HS - High Support Needs
However, although the staff had received training/information on how to use the tablets to connect
to the Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) to facilitate Assessment for Learning (AfL), the tablets were
rarely for this. It may be, that if the tablets were used for children to share their understanding,
allowing peer and self-assessment to be embedded, the higher order skills which were identified as
poorly addressed by tablets, (collaborative learning and resilience), could have been developed.
Collaborative learning is a key feature of peer-assessment and as children on the autistic spectrum
often have difficulties in social interaction and collaboration, this would be an ideal method to
engage children in this type of activity, particularly as 100% of staff questioned believe that
technology enhances motivation. Peer and self-assessment also encourages children to be reflective
and develop resilience, a key requirement for self-efficacy; these skills are critical for life and
necessary for all children but surely crucial for children with SEND.
It is particularly useful that this research was undertaken with tutors from the Institute of Education
at the University of Worcester, as it will inform their planning for taught sessions and enable them to
support teacher trainees by raising their understanding of the pedagogy involved in using tablets in
the most effective manner, in all settings but with an added awareness of SEND settings.
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REFERENCES
Beauchamp, G and Hillier, E (2014) An Evaluation of tablet Implementation Across A Network of
Primary Schools in Cardiff
Available from:
http://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/education/research/Documents/tabletImplementation2014.pdf
Last accessed 3.7.15
British Educational Suppliers Association (2013) Tablets and apps in schools 2013
Available from: http://www.besa.org.uk/sites/default/files/tab2013_0.pdf
Last accessed 30.6.15
Coughlan, S (2014) Tablet computers in '70% of schools'
Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-30216408
Last accessed 20.5.15
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (2010) iPads in Special Education
Suggested applications and activities
http://www.ipadsforeducation.vic.edu.au/userfiles/files/DEECD%20iPad%20support%20booklet%20
for%20special%20education.pdf
Last accessed 4.7.15
Maor, D, Currie, J and Drewry, R (2011) The effectiveness of assistive technologies for children with
special needs: a review of research-based studies
Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08856257.2011.593821
Last accessed 6.7.15
Shah, N (2011) Special Education Pupils Find Learning Tool in iPad Applications
Available from: http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ918238
Last accessed 13.6.15
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