doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.5.2583
The Use of Assistive Technology in Teaching: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Giusi Antonia Toto1,*
,
Luigi Traetta1 ,
Ciro Esposito1 ,
Valentina Berardinetti1 ,
Guendalina Peconio1 ,
Salvatore Iuso1 ,
Annamaria Petito2
- 1Department of Humanities, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
- 2Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
- Manuscript receivedFebruary 20, 2025
- revisedMarch 11, 2025
- acceptedJune 26, 2025
- publishedMay 12, 2026
Abstract
Assistive Technology (AT) is increasingly used in inclusive education to support students with disabilities, yet evidence on its overall effectiveness has not been well-synthesized. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, to evaluate how AT influences student performance and learning outcomes. A total of 33 peer-reviewed studies were included. The meta-analysis showed that AT for students with hearing impairments had a statistically significant effect, with an overall effect size of Z = 1.12 and a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) of −0.76 to −0.31. AT interventions for students with learning disabilities also showed significant positive effects (Z = 2.91, 95% CI: −1.46 to −0.28). In addition to the meta-analysis, we reviewed qualitativefindings from studies with data not suitable for quantitativesynthesis. Overall, 87% (29 of 33) of the included studiesreported that AT improved educational experiences oroutcomes for students. However, 13% (4 studies) found little tono effect. The review highlights several ongoing challenges thatlimit AT’s impact in schools, such as inadequate teachertraining, limited infrastructure, and uncertain teacher attitudes toward using AT in the classroom. Despite these barriers, theevidence suggests that AT is both available and feasible toimplement in school settings, and that student performance canimprove when AT tools are tailored to individual learning needs.The findings emphasize the importance of evidence-basedpolicies to support teacher capacitation, improve access to AT,and ensure that AT is effectively integrated into inclusiveeducation.
Keywords
- assistive technologies
- instruction
- education
- inclusion
How to Cite
Giusi Antonia Toto, Luigi Traetta, Ciro Esposito, Valentina Berardinetti, Guendalina Peconio, Salvatore Iuso, and Annamaria Petito, "The Use of Assistive Technology in Teaching: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 16, no. 5, pp. 1142-1152, 2026. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.5.2583
Copyright & License
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).