Inclusive Digital Tools for the Integration of Second-Grade Students with Special Educational Needs
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Abstract
This study examines the role of digital accessibility and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in promoting inclusive education for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Ecuador. Using a mixed, descriptive–exploratory, and participatory action approach, data were collected from eight teachers and sixty second-grade students at the “Ranulfo Aureliano Rodríguez” School in Guayaquil. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations were employed, and data triangulation ensured analytical consistency. Findings reveal that digital inclusion improves when teachers combine techno-pedagogical competence with a critical understanding of functional diversity. Nevertheless, structural barriers persist, including insufficient resources, workload overload, and limited professional training. The study concludes that digital accessibility, integrated with critical pedagogy, enhances student participation, self-regulation, and educational equity, offering a replicable model for Latin American contexts. It recommends continuous teacher training, cooperative methodologies, and didactic resources grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
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Milton Antonio Zea-Hernández, Clemencia Yolanda Vargas-Solis
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Educational Sciences with a specialization in “Foreign Trade.” I am a tenured teacher in the subject of Mathematics, teaching mathematics to high school students. I worked as an administrator at a religiously affiliated educational institution for more than two years, and I am currently employed at a public school.
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