Knowledge of university teaching staff on the use of digital resources to assist people with disabilities. The case of the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha

Abstract

The integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Higher Education, and within the framework of inclusive education, requires teaching staff trained in digital competences. In this context, and with the aim of finding out the level of training and technological knowledge that university lecturers possess, this article analyses the perception that university lecturers in the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha have of their training in the use of technologies to support students with disabilities. For this purpose, a cross-sectional research design with a descriptive and predictive approach was used. The final sample reached was 104 university teachers from the Faculties of Education Sciences of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, Guadalajara and Toledo. An ad-hoc questionnaire was used as a data collection instrument. The results obtained revealed the low level of digital competences of university teaching staff with regard to the use of ICT with students with disabilities. This lack of teacher training has an impact on the inclusion process in the respective university education centres. For this reason, Higher Education institutions should promote the training of teachers in the use of ICT for the attention to diversity.