Technological accessibility and Autism. Level of Training of Secondary Education, Baccalaureate and Vocational Training Teachers

Abstract

Digital accessibility is a key factor for the educational inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Al-though digital technologies have the potential to improve teaching and promote more equitable learning, the lack of teacher training in accessibility remains a significant barrier. The main objective of this study is to find out the level of training and technological knowledge that Secondary Education, Baccalaureate and Vocational Training teachers have regarding Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the field of accessibility and students with ASD. It also explores the influence of ordinal variables (age, years of teaching experience and educational level) and nominal variables (gender, ownership of the centre and autonomous community) on this training. In order to carry out this research, a cross-sectional design with a descriptive and predictive quantitative approach was used. The final sample consisted of 3353 Spanish teachers. An ad-hoc questionnaire was used to collect information. The results of the study showed that the teachers surveyed have a low level of digital competence in technological accessibility for students with ASD, with teachers at higher educational levels (Baccalaureate and Vocational Training) being the least qualified. Likewise, significant differences in digital competence are identified according to gender, autonomous community and ownership of the centre. These findings highlight the need for specific training programmes that address digital accessibility and care for students with ASD at all levels of the education system.