Abstract:
There are different forms of support for students with dyslexia. Technology such as the use of
iPads is one such. Limited literature exists on teachers’ perspectives on the effectiveness of the use
of mobile technology to support and include students with dyslexia. The study aimed to investigate
teachers’ perspectives on the use of mobile technology like iPads as a support and inclusion
mechanism for dyslexic students in selected South African schools. The study was a qualitative
multiple case study design involving one remedial and two main stream schools and 11 teachers
that were purposively sampled. The data collection strategies included focus group discussions,
non-participatory lesson observations and semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed using a
thematic analysis. The findings revealed that teachers perceive mobile technology like the iPads
as a useful support tool that creates interactive inclusive learning and increases the confidence of
students with dyslexia. The findings also indicate the challenges, which include the inability to
align applications to the required curriculum, unstable Wi-Fi connections and theft of devices.
Additionally, teachers raised the concern that many applications designed for mobile devices are
currently intended for younger students under the age of nine. To be more useful to students with
dyslexia, mobile technology software needs to be aligned with the curriculum and designed for an
older demographic.
