Teacher Training in the Use of ICT for Inclusion: Differences between Early Childhood and Primary Education

Abstract

Abstract The Spanish education system considers the principle of educational equity and inclusion as a way of ensuring equal opportunities for students, serving as a compensatory approach that addresses personal, cultural, economic and social inequalities. Moreover, the impact of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has led to changes in the teaching-learning process, taking into account the principles of universal design and accessibility; this plays a key role in moving towards methodologies that enable improvements in educational quality. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the perceptions that prospective Early Childhood and primary teachers have about using ICT for inclusion in the ordinary classroom. An ad-hoc questionnaire was administered to a sample of fourth-year students reading undergraduate degrees in Early Childhood and Primary Education at the Catholic University of Murcia (n=231). Results demonstrated positive attitudes by university students towards the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs using these types of learning resources. However, significant differences were observed in the “Professional teacher development in ICT” dimension depending on the degree programme (Early Childhood or Primary), with more favourable assessments reported by the first group. This has helped identify the teachers’ attitudes and teaching needs in the field of ICT in order to improve training by making curriculum changes and by adapting the teaching-learning process to higher education students.