Factors influencing the intention of trainee special education teachers to integrate assistive technology into teaching students with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates
Technology has been incorporated into the educational systems of many countries as a teaching and learning tool. Contemporary discourse has focused on how to prepare teachers to utilise technology in their teaching practice. Although most pre-service elementary school teachers in the United Arab Emi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023099449 |
| _version_ | 1797383916471975936 |
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| author | Maxwell Peprah Opoku Hala Elhoweris Najwa Alhosani Ashraf Mustafa Thara Alkhateri William Nketsia |
| author_facet | Maxwell Peprah Opoku Hala Elhoweris Najwa Alhosani Ashraf Mustafa Thara Alkhateri William Nketsia |
| author_sort | Maxwell Peprah Opoku |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Technology has been incorporated into the educational systems of many countries as a teaching and learning tool. Contemporary discourse has focused on how to prepare teachers to utilise technology in their teaching practice. Although most pre-service elementary school teachers in the United Arab Emirates are women, studies have not yet investigated their acceptance of or preparedness to use technology in the classroom. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate whether the training provided to pre-service special education teachers equips them with sufficient skills to support students with disabilities. The present study used the technology acceptance model (TAM) as a theoretical lens to examine the factors that impact female pre-service special education teachers' intention to incorporate assistive technology (AT) in teaching students with disabilities. A survey based on TAM was used to collect data from 138 participants and test four study hypotheses. Regarding data analysis, SPSS and AMOS version 28 software were used to conduct exploratory factor, confirmatory factor and path analyses. Two of the four hypotheses were supported. The results provide support for the four-factor TAM structure, with two predictors – perceived ease of use and computer self-efficacy – supporting pre-service teachers’ intention to use AT to teach students with disabilities in the classroom. Teacher educators and policymakers should consider the TAM construct when preparing pre-service teachers to effectively support all students. Specifically, teacher development and stakeholder engagement with AT resources are needed to optimise the learning of children with disabilities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:27:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-30c27c3c997c41c39f8ff138f04df3d3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:27:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-30c27c3c997c41c39f8ff138f04df3d32023-12-21T07:34:28ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-12-01912e22736Factors influencing the intention of trainee special education teachers to integrate assistive technology into teaching students with disabilities in the United Arab EmiratesMaxwell Peprah Opoku0Hala Elhoweris1Najwa Alhosani2Ashraf Mustafa3Thara Alkhateri4William Nketsia5College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates; Corresponding author. Special Education Department, College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, P. O. Box P.O. Box No. 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesCollege of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesCollege of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesCollege of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesSchool of Education, Western Sydney University, AustraliaTechnology has been incorporated into the educational systems of many countries as a teaching and learning tool. Contemporary discourse has focused on how to prepare teachers to utilise technology in their teaching practice. Although most pre-service elementary school teachers in the United Arab Emirates are women, studies have not yet investigated their acceptance of or preparedness to use technology in the classroom. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate whether the training provided to pre-service special education teachers equips them with sufficient skills to support students with disabilities. The present study used the technology acceptance model (TAM) as a theoretical lens to examine the factors that impact female pre-service special education teachers' intention to incorporate assistive technology (AT) in teaching students with disabilities. A survey based on TAM was used to collect data from 138 participants and test four study hypotheses. Regarding data analysis, SPSS and AMOS version 28 software were used to conduct exploratory factor, confirmatory factor and path analyses. Two of the four hypotheses were supported. The results provide support for the four-factor TAM structure, with two predictors – perceived ease of use and computer self-efficacy – supporting pre-service teachers’ intention to use AT to teach students with disabilities in the classroom. Teacher educators and policymakers should consider the TAM construct when preparing pre-service teachers to effectively support all students. Specifically, teacher development and stakeholder engagement with AT resources are needed to optimise the learning of children with disabilities.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023099449Assistive technologyPre-service trainingFemale teachersPolicymakersTeachersUnited Arab Emirates |
| spellingShingle | Maxwell Peprah Opoku Hala Elhoweris Najwa Alhosani Ashraf Mustafa Thara Alkhateri William Nketsia Factors influencing the intention of trainee special education teachers to integrate assistive technology into teaching students with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates Heliyon Assistive technology Pre-service training Female teachers Policymakers Teachers United Arab Emirates |
| title | Factors influencing the intention of trainee special education teachers to integrate assistive technology into teaching students with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_full | Factors influencing the intention of trainee special education teachers to integrate assistive technology into teaching students with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_fullStr | Factors influencing the intention of trainee special education teachers to integrate assistive technology into teaching students with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors influencing the intention of trainee special education teachers to integrate assistive technology into teaching students with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_short | Factors influencing the intention of trainee special education teachers to integrate assistive technology into teaching students with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_sort | factors influencing the intention of trainee special education teachers to integrate assistive technology into teaching students with disabilities in the united arab emirates |
| topic | Assistive technology Pre-service training Female teachers Policymakers Teachers United Arab Emirates |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023099449 |
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