Using a systems thinking approach to understand teachers perceptions and use of assistive technology in the republic of Ireland

Figures & data

Table 1. Questions in the quantitative survey, assessing AT teacher training needs.

What type of teacher are you? (Primary, Secondary, Special Needs Assistant

How many years have you been teaching? (1–5 years, 6–10 years, 10 years +)

How knowledgeable are you about assistive technology? (No knowledge at all, Small amount of knowledge, Quite knowledgeable, Knowledgeable, Extremely knowledgeable)

Have you ever worked with a student(s) who used assistive technology? (Yes, No)

If yes to question 4, please list the types of assistive technology used and what they were used for?

If yes, please select the disability(i.e.s) that the student(s) had. (Select all that apply): (Immersive Reader/ Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)/ Other Health Impaired (OHI)/ Intellectual Disabilities/ Emotional Disturbance/ Deafness/ Hearing Impairment/ Visual Impairment/ Deaf-Blindness/ Specific Learning Disability (LD)/ Multiple Disabilities/ Orthopaedic Impairment/ Speech or Language Impairment/ Traumatic Brain Injury/ Physical disability/ Other.)

How comfortable do you feel assisting a student using assistive technology? (Very comfortable, Somewhat comfortable, Neither comfortable nor uncomfortable, Somewhat uncomfortable, Very uncomfortable)

Would you like support/training in assistive technology? (Yes, No, Maybe)

Are there specific areas that you would like support with assistive technology?

Please select the disability(i.e.s) that you would particularly like to learn about the assistive technologies

available for them (Select all that apply): (Immersive Reader/ Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)/ Other Health Impaired (OHI)/ Intellectual Disabilities/ Emotional Disturbance/ Deafness/ Hearing Impairment/ Visual Impairment/ Deaf-Blindness/ Specific Learning Disability (LD)/ Multiple Disabilities/ Orthopaedic Impairment/ Speech or Language Impairment/ Traumatic Brain Injury/ Physical Disability/ Other.)

If we were to offer a teacher professional development or postgraduate certificate on assistive technology, would you participate in this? (Yes, No, Maybe)

If we created a certificate for teaching in assistive technology, when would you like it to run? (Evenings and weekends/ During school time (CPD), Online (with community element)/ Other)

Would you like an assistive technology course to be accredited through the university? (Yes, No, Maybe)

How can we support you to better use assistive technology in your classroom?

Please rate your school in terms of their use of assistive technology (1 = Poor- 5 = Excellent).

Please rate your school in terms of their ability to use assistive technology (1 = Poor- 5 = Excellent).

Table 2. Descriptive information of teacher characteristics and responses to survey questions.

Question	Percentage
Teacher type
Primary	55%
Secondary	24%
SNA	21%
Have you ever used AT with a student?
Primary	61%
Secondary	64%
SNA	60%
Years Teaching
1–5 Years	21%
6–10 Years	65%
10+ Years	13%
Do you require support with AT?
Yes	85%
No	1%
Maybe	14%
How comfortable do you feel assisting a student using assistive technology?	Average = 3.2
Very uncomfortable	4%
Somewhat uncomfortable	18%
Neither comfortable nor uncomfortable	27%
Somewhat comfortable	51%
Extremely comfortable	0%
How knowledgeable are you about assistive technology?	Average = 2.6
No knowledge at all	12%
Small amount of knowledge	44%
Quite knowledgeable	13%
Knowledgeable	30%
Extremely knowledgeable	0%

Table 3. Correlation coefficients for school AT and technology ratings and teacher’s knowledge and comfort level using AT.

Variables	Knowledge AT	Comfort using AT	School AT	School tech
Knowledge AT	1.00
Comfort using AT	.386**	1.00
School AT	.268	.315**	1.00
School tech	.121*	.192*	.535**	1.00

**Correlation is significant at .001.

*Correlation is significant at .05.

Figure 1. Preferred mode of training teachers on AT.

Figure 2. Types of disability teachers experience in the classroom and types they need support with.

Figure 3. Adapted from Maclachlan and Sherer (2018), demonstrates the systems thinking framework in relation to teachers experience of AT in the Irish classroom.