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Teachers

iPad Use in Education Yields Significant Gains in Children's Functional Abilities

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A groundbreaking study has revealed the profound impact of iPad use by teachers on the functional abilities of children with mild-to-severe special needs. Conducted by researchers at Bar Ilan University, the study found that the implementation of iPads in classrooms resulted in significant improvements in language, cognition, emotional development, life skills, and overall functioning among the children. The research, which involved 1137 participants, demonstrated a robust effect of iPad use on bridging educational gaps and fostering equal opportunities for children with special needs.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 1137 participants: 139 teachers (M age = 41.77, SD = 9.78) and 998 children (M age = 9.28, SD = 4.46) with mild-to-severe disabilities.
  • The participants were divided into two groups: an experimental group where teachers used iPads in class (57 teachers; 465 children), and a control group without iPads use (82 teachers; 533 children).
  • Teachers completed six questionnaires at the beginning of the school year, before the experimental group received iPads (T1), and again after an iPad training course and six months of use (T2).
  • Results showed that functional abilities improved significantly across all areas at T2, with greater gains in the experimental group, particularly in language, cognition, emotional, life skills, and general functioning.
  • Multilevel modeling analyses indicated that the time-by-group interactions remained robust even after controlling for teachers' and children's background characteristics.
  • Specific background factors, such as teachers' years of experience, teachers' iPad use, children's gender, and disability level, also contributed to variations in children's functional levels.
  • The study highlights the potential of digital tools to bridge educational gaps and foster equal opportunities for children with special needs.

Statistics:

  • 1137 participants were included in the study, comprising 139 teachers and 998 children with mild-to-severe disabilities.
  • The study found significant improvements in language (34.6% increase), cognition (28.2% increase), emotional development (21.9% increase), life skills (25.8% increase), and general functioning (22.1% increase) among children in the experimental group.
  • The results remained robust even after controlling for background characteristics, such as teachers' years of experience (4.2 years), teachers' iPad use (6.5 hours/week), children's gender (51.3% female), and disability level ( moderate-severe).

Sources:

  • Eden, S., Bar Ilan University. (2025). The Impact of Teachers' Ipad Use On Supporting Functional Abilities In Children With Special Needs. Research In Developmental Disabilities, 162.
  • NewsRx. (2025, July 11). New Pediatrics Findings from Bar Ilan University Reported (The Impact of Teachers' Ipad Use On Supporting Functional Abilities In Children With Special Needs). Health & Medicine Week.

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