Assistive Technology for the Social Inclusion at School: A Portrait of Italy

Abstract

A modern and inclusive school has the primary goal of accepting and enhancing differences, ensuring that every student is fully involved in the learning process and social dynamics. New technologies, and in particular the so-called “Assistive Technologies”, can provide a valuable contribution to responding appropriately to these needs. In particular, they can support and assist the full participation of students with disabilities in the learning process, either by allowing them to overcome the damage or impairment, and by overcoming the barriers created by traditional educational methods. Thus, Assistive Technologies are, or may become, one of the most important elements for the realization of truly inclusive pedagogy. This paper focuses on two main objectives: to present the main aids for the various types of disabilities (cognitive, sensory, motoric) offered by the computer and multimedia technologies in the field of didactics; analyse the use of technology in Italian schools to foster the integration process of students with disabilities.