Professional Development in Digital Competence for Special Education Teachers: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Digital competence is increasingly being recognised as a crucial factor in transforming education in the technological era. Various studies have been conducted to identify and develop digital competence improvement programs for teachers. However, there has been a lack of comprehensive synthesis regarding their impact, particularly for special education teachers. This problem is important to explore, given that special education teachers face unique pedagogical challenges when serving students with disabilities. This systematic review aims to address this gap by exploring the implementation of digital competence programs for teachers in special education settings. In particular, this study analysed the characteristics of related publications, the effectiveness of training programs, the training materials expected by teachers, and the instruments used to assess digital competence. This study followed PRISMA guidelines, and a comprehensive search was conducted of the Scopus, ScienceDirect, and ERIC databases. This review synthesised 17 studies from 127 screened articles published between 2014 and 2024. The Inclusion and exclusion criteria were based on language, document type, publication year, research type, and full-text availability. The results indicated that while the interest in teacher digital competence is growing, research specifically targeting special education contexts remains limited. Most program initiatives adopt a one-size-fits-all approach, focusing on general digital tools rather than assistive or adaptive technologies suited to learners with disabilities. Training materials tend to emphasise technical rather than pedagogical and accessibility-related aspects. These findings indicate that there is a misalignment between the content of teacher training and the realities of inclusive digital classrooms. The results of this study provide valuable insights for developing digital competence development programs tailored to the needs of special education teachers. This research contributes to digital learning practice by providing a framework for designing practical digital training customised to special education contexts. It advances the scope of virtual and digital learning by highlighting the specific needs and conditions required for inclusive digital education to thrive.