Learning and Technologies

Developmental disorders in literacy acquisition are the most common learning disturbances (4-8% of the population, in most cases males), with severe school consequences (e.g., Lindgren, De Renzi & Richman, 1985). Developmental dyslexia and dysgraphia are characterized by a specific and persistent difficulty in reading/spelling, despite appropriate education, normal intelligence, and adequate socio-cultural opportunities (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Similarly, dyscalculia is a disability resulting in difficulty learning or comprehending arithmetic, despite adequate intellective skills and appropriate instruction. Dyscalculia refers to difficulty in understanding numbers, learning how to manipulate numbers, performing mathematical calculations, and learning facts in mathematics (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).

An important question concerns the influence of experience in one orthography on becoming literate in other languages. Learning a second language (L2) is generally more difficult than learning the native one (L1). At the same time, literacy acquisition might be difficult in other populations such as deaf children, children with linguistic impairments, etc. The presence of these cases makes problematic the diagnosis and identification of cases with a real learning disorder, increasing the number of false positives.

Over the past decade, we have observed how beneficial technology has been for many people with learning disorders. As the recent pandemic has dramatically highlighted, the role of new technologies as part of clinical activity is of crucial importance. Research in the field of technology applied to learning, might be useful to support the rehabilitation and assessment processes for people with developmental disabilities or special needs.

Moreover, technology offers great advantages for the learning process, such as the promotion of errorless learning without mistakes, offering an immediate and personalized assessment and instruction, adapting the rhythm of learning to each student, motivating participants, etc.