Factors related to ICT competencies for students with learning disabilities

The purpose of this study was to develop an explanatory model for the information and communication technology (ICT) competencies of students with and without learning disabilities (LD). A conceptual model was proposed, and included five major constructs: (1) attitude towards using ICT, (2) ICT competency, (3) demographic characteristics, (4) ICT access, and (5) purpose for using ICT. A self-reported questionnaire, Scale of Digital Participation (SDP), was designed by the authors and used to collect data. Data from 117 elementary school students with LD and 117 without LD were used to test the initial model. Meanwhile, data from 102 junior high school students with LD and 102 students without LD were used to evaluate the cross-validation of the revised model. The results of structural equation modelling (SEM) demonstrate acceptable goodness of fit for the initial ICT competency model but poor parsimony. Therefore, a revised ICT competency model with both parsimony and goodness of fit was generated using data from elementary school age students. Moreover, this new model was also able to further explain the complex phenomena of ICT competency for junior high school age students. Nevertheless, no differences were found between the elementary school and junior high school models, thereby confirming the cross-validation of the revised model.