This study examines the factors that affect pre-service and in-service teachers’ intention to use Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) in their teaching through the proposed Mobile Augmented Reality Acceptance Model (MARAM). The MARAM builds on the existing Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to incorporate four other components namely perceived relative advantage, perceived enjoyment, facilitating conditions, and mobile self-efficacy. In addition, this study investigates the validity of the MARAM. Data were collected from 137 pre-service and 169 in-service teachers who completed a questionnaire after having developed their own MAR applications during an undergraduate university course and a training seminar, respectively. Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis was conducted separately for each group, as well as for both samples together. We also conducted a multi-group analysis to examine differences across the two samples. The results for both samples together (N = 306), showed that intention was affected by attitude, perceived usefulness and facilitating conditions. In turn, attitude was affected by perceived enjoyment and perceived usefulness. Perceived usefulness was affected by perceived enjoyment and perceived relative advantage. Perceived ease of use was affected by mobile self-efficacy and facilitating conditions. However, perceived ease of use did not affect perceived usefulness or attitude. A multi-group analysis conducted on the sample of pre-service and in-service teachers produced similar results, with minor differentiations. These results have implications for the use of MAR in research and schools, as well as technology acceptance models in education.

Students with disabilities are being encouraged to achieve high academic standards in science education to understand the natural world, acquire life skills, and experience career success. To this end, digital technology supports students with disabilities in order for them to achieve science literacy. While relevant research has presented evidence-based practices to teach science content, the role of technology has yet to be clearly defined in teaching and learning processes. This article presents a systematic literature review on the contribution of technology in science education for students with disabilities. A total of 21 journal articles, during the 2013–2021 period, were identified after an exhaustive search in academic databases. The educational context and learning outcomes of these 21 empirical studies were analyzed. The results show that increased motivation was the main contribution for using digital technology in science education. Positive learning outcomes likely depend on the way digital technology is used, i.e., affordances of each specific technological implementation. Digital technology and its affordances are recommended among other quality indicators for evidence-based research designs in digitally supported learning environments for students with disabilities.

Digital Learning Objects (DLOs) as pedagogical complete structures of learning content contribute to science education. DLOs especially in the form of interactive simulations seem to be promising tools in physics teaching and learning for students with intellectual disabilities (ID). This study used an AB single subject design to evaluate the effects of four DLOs on students’ learning of transverse waves and simple pendulum motion in a special education high school setting. A functional relationship was found between students’ correct responses concerning both scientific terminology and physical phenomena understanding during probe sessions and the DLOs intervention. In addition, a social validity assessment that evaluated students’ attitudes on learning, quality, and engagement, showed that the DLOs helped students with ID to acquire physics content. The students also reported satisfaction from using the DLOs. Suggestions for future research include the design of DLOs especially for students with ID.

Children in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are characterized by impairments in social skills and they usually face difficulties in recognizing facial emotion expressions. Early intervention and treatment is of major concern and therefore a number of detection and teaching methods have been developed, including the use of ICT. This article presents a brief but extensive literature review on the way tutors are represented in digital environments. The results showed that there is a need for further investigation on the effectiveness of the methods used for the interaction of children on ASD with technology tools, as well as on knowledge transfer. Since there is a lack of empirical data concerning the preference of different interaction modalities by children with ASD, this article also reports on an exploratory study conducted to investigate the acceptance and preference of three different real-time modalities used in facial emotion recognition by two children with ASD (low and high functioning autism). The results indicated a discrepancy between the two children which can be mainly attributed to the differences accompanied the categorization of children with ASD in low and high functioning autism.