The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies offers transformative potential for the advancement of inclusive education, particularly for students with disabilities. This systematic review critically evaluates the current state of research to assess the impact of AI and VR on enhancing educational accessibility, personalisation and social inclusion in education. AI-driven adaptive systems can dynamically tailor learning experiences to individual needs, while VR offers immersive, multi-sensory environments that promote experiential learning. Despite these advances, the review also identifies significant challenges, including the high cost of implementation, technical barriers and limited teacher readiness, which hinder widespread adoption. Ethical concerns such as privacy and algorithmic bias are cited as key areas that need careful consideration. The findings underscore the urgent need for further empirical research to explore the long-term impact of these technologies and advocate for more equitable access to AI and VR tools in underserved educational settings. Ultimately, the review highlights the importance of integrating AI and VR as part of a broader strategy to foster genuinely inclusive learning environments that align with the goals of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Although many studies have examined which teaching strategies are effective in achieving inclusive education, less attention has been paid to the role of teachers’ emotional competence. This study aimed to systematically review the literature on the relationship between teachers’ emotional competence and inclusive education through the following research questions: (1) What aspects of teachers’ emotional competence have been studied in relation to inclusive education? (2) How does teachers’ emotional competence influence different aspects of inclusive education? Five electronic databases were searched for all peer-reviewed empirical studies published from 2010 to February 2025. Studies were selected if they focused on K-12 teachers’ emotional competence in relation to inclusive education and were based on empirical designs. The CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) checklist was used to assess the quality of included studies. Eighteen studies were included. They drew on partially overlapping definitions of emotional competence (i.e., emotional intelligence, emotional awareness, empathy, and emotion regulation) and considered multiple indicators of inclusion that focused on student (engagement, motivation, emotional self-regulation, emotional development, and academic outcomes) and contextual variables (classroom management, teacher–student relationships, and classroom climate). Outcomes differed across various disabilities and special educational needs (SENs). The role of emotional competence should be considered both in improving teachers’ skills in professional practice and in providing adequate and comprehensive training for future teachers. These findings highlight the need to integrate emotional competence training into teacher education programs and inform education policy aimed at fostering more inclusive learning environments.

Although teacher effectiveness plays a critical role in the learning process, little is known about its conceptualization and assessment, particularly in higher education (HE). This review aims to fill this gap by (a) listing the literature on teacher effectiveness, (b) identifying the instruments that have been used to assess teacher effectiveness (HE), and (c) highlighting the most effective teaching approaches based on the relevant literature. The selection process considered studies published since 1990 and conducted in higher education contexts with students. The research articles measured instructional processes and faculty effectiveness in terms of student outcomes, focusing on student achievement and student satisfaction. In reviewing the international research, special attention was paid to Southeastern Europe and Greece in particular. After a thorough review, the analysis revealed 26 studies. The results show that there is no universal definition of effective higher education teaching. Effective teaching may manifest itself in high scores on student performance assessments or in rewarding classroom interactions. Based on this principle, the way teacher effectiveness is defined is closely linked to proposed solutions in educational policy. Furthermore, research has shown that student-centered teaching styles are perceived by students as more effective, engaging, and performance-enhancing. However, several studies have not clarified why different teachers use different teaching styles in similar contexts. This review represents a step forward in our understanding of teacher effectiveness in HE. Nonetheless, effective teaching strategies could be better conceptualized through future research aimed at assessing the contextual nature of teaching along with student perceptions of effectiveness and expectations for an effective classroom climate.

Young adults face numerous challenges during their first year of university, which is considered by various researchers to be a time of potential threat and acute stress. These challenges were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in disruption of old learning and social structures that make it all the more difficult to adapt. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between resilience, emotion regulation, and psychological distress during the transition to university. A sample of 417 students (250 females, 60%) aged 18to 33 years (M_age = 19.87, SD_age = 1.47) was recruited at an Italian university using a random sampling method. Paper questionnaires were completed in classrooms. Resilience was assessed with the Resilience Scale, emotion regulation with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-18, and psychological distress with the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scales-21. Results showed that (a) resilience was negatively correlated with difficulties in emotion regulation, depression, anxiety, and stress; (b) difficulties in emotion regulation were positively correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress; and (c) difficulties in emotion regulation significantly mediated the relationship between resilience and psychological distress. These findings shed light on the relationship between resilience and difficulties in emotion regulation during university transfer and call on higher education institutions to take steps to promote successful emotion regulation in first-year students to facilitate a positive transition to university.