Digital Technologies for Inclusion

Digital technologies have become ever present in the landscape of tertiary education. As the diversity of the student cohort continues to increase, it is important to use digital technologies in an inclusive manner. Digital technologies can provide an effective method of inclusive practice by giving students time to complete tasks, making the tasks and content accessible and providing multiple representations. Multiple means of representation are especially important in the chemistry curriculum due to the symbolic, microscopic and macroscopic nature of chemistry. This chapter will set out the theoretical frameworks that can be used for the design of inclusive digital technologies. Particular focus is given to digital technologies that have been used to promote inclusive practice in the preparation of students for the chemical laboratory. This chapter includes feedback from students that have used the digital technologies, demonstrating the impact on their inclusion. The chapter concludes with some recommendations that educators may want to consider when adopting a digital technology in their chemistry curriculum.