An Investigation of Educational Technologies for Children with Down Syndrome

Abstract

Educational technology provides a personalized and motivational learning environment for students with Down syndrome (DS). It supports and facilitates the teaching and learning process along with inclusive acceptance among society . Several prior studies have examined the use of educational technology in the form of applications, software, and tools as support for teaching DS students. However, the majority of these studies were carried out in various educational and social contexts, which is not the same as what exists in the context of Bangladesh, Afghanistan, or other underdeveloped countries where the use of educational technology at the school level has not been well-placed in practice. This research aimed to determine the teaching strategies used in a

developing region with a sample size of 4 schools, 10 educators, and 4 principals in Chittagong- Bangladesh, to examine the use of technology and its impacts on the teaching and learning

processes of DS students. A thematic analysis was accomplished to find out the tools, applications, and teaching strategies that can support and accelerate learning in DS children.It was found that computer-based learning through the use of interactive games, exercises, and self-paced learning supports learners with DS since it provides them with more personalized learning and includes visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile modalities. Not only it improves the learning process but the teaching process as well. This research can act as guidance for educators and families of DS children. The learning methods and types of educational technologies discussed in this paper can help special educators get the support of those teaching strategies while at the same time helping DS students learn more effectively