Use of e-Books in Special Education: What Use?

The paper presents the results that emerged from quali-quantitative research involving 180 first-cycle school support teachers who participated in a questionnaire and focus groups regarding the following research questions: Does the use of Information and Com munication Technologies (ICTs) increase the communicative ability of pupils with language difficulties? What are the most suitable technological applications, which allow facilitating the inclusion and relationality of pupils with communication difficulties? What is the degree of competence in the creation and use of interactive e-Books by support teachers? They also shared in a specially created repository their experiments in using e-Books in the teaching/learning of pupils with BES. The research found that teachers still make little use of ICT, and e-Books in particular, as compensatory tools and facilitators of learning and communication, as other studies have also shown. At the same time, the survey shows that when books in digital and interactive formats were used, good results were obtained in the learning and communication of pupils with Special Educational Needs (BES). In addition, the teachers involved in the study emphasize the need for ad hoc training for teaching that makes greater use of technology and, specifically, highlight the need for a repository of best practices related to the use of e-Books to enable more inclusive and effective teaching, especially for students with language and/or communication disorders.