Internet of Things (IoT): education and technology: the relationship between education and technology for students with disabilities

This report details findings of the Curtin University Teaching Innovation funded project Internet of Things (IoT) Education: Implications for Students with Disabilities. This project aimed to provide insight into both the potential risks and benefits of the IoT for tertiary students with disabilities, particularly in the current university climate where this cohort utilise mobile devices as a key resource in their learning. Key objectives included to: (1) assess the educational benefits of current and emerging IoT products; (2) assess the benefits and risks of IoT within a single-interface, app-based interface and whole-of-ecosystem IoT classroom solution by competing providers; (3) determine the relevance and implications of IoT as it relates to the educational needs of people with disabilities; (4) undertake interviews with currently enrolled students with disabilities to identify the practical needs of this cohort in an educational context; and (5) provide recommendations and strategic guidance on appropriate IoT solutions with policy recommendations for Curtin University, the tertiary education sector and industry.

This report recommends, in relation to the deployment of the IoT in an educational setting, that: (a) Curtin University should not immediately deploy IoT technologies, but that careful consideration and planning be undertaken for how this might best be done in the future and what implications this might have; (b) priority should be given to incorporating IoT within specific pedagogical issues regarding learning and teaching, with particular consideration being given to the integration of students with disabilities; this is in addition to Curtin's current focus on integrating IoT technologies primarily in association with facilities management; (c) any IoT equipment associated with learning should have the ability to provide its output to students via a learning management system or app; this would ensure that students with disabilities can process the data with their preferred assistive technology; (d) any future implementation of IoT solutions should focus around the use of personal smartphones as the primary IoT interface device for students with disabilities; (e) all IoT-related implementations must also consider privacy, security and interoperability; (f) any IoT solution must be accompanied by training to ensure that all staff and students are able to use it effectively; (g) the applicability of using a digital assistant as a real-time captioning device warrants further research; and (h) a trial of the use of existing technologies and further consultation with industry and students should be undertaken over 2018.

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