Access and empowerment in digital language learning, maintenance, and revival: a critical literature review

Abstract

ABSTRACT Technology has paved the way for new modalities in language learning; however, indigenous populations often lack access to these tools. This critical literature review examines how researchers have tried to overcome this hurdle by reaching out to marginalized indigenous populations and providing access to emerging technologies. We used 63 texts from 1990 to 2019 to explore how technologies have been used to empower marginalized indigenous language learners. Each article was coded using a list of descriptors created from general themes discovered by a cursory reading of ten articles. Based on our analysis, indigenous populations’ often lack access to these tools, making it difficult for them to utilize these tools for language maintenance, growth, and preservation. Moving forward, we recommend that additional initiatives – further inclusion of indigenous languages within, and increased funding for, mainstream linguistics research – are taken to further develop technology and marginalized populations’ access to them.