Leveraging Technology to Break Barriers in Public Health for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

A key goal of inclusive education is to enhance health literacy skills, empowering students with intellectual disabilities (IDs) to access critical information needed to navigate everyday challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, highlighted unique barriers to preparedness for people with IDs...

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Main Authors: Georgia Iatraki, Tassos A. Mikropoulos, Panos Mallidis-Malessas, Carolina Santos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Computers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-431X/14/5/169
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author Georgia Iatraki
Tassos A. Mikropoulos
Panos Mallidis-Malessas
Carolina Santos
author_facet Georgia Iatraki
Tassos A. Mikropoulos
Panos Mallidis-Malessas
Carolina Santos
author_sort Georgia Iatraki
collection DOAJ
description A key goal of inclusive education is to enhance health literacy skills, empowering students with intellectual disabilities (IDs) to access critical information needed to navigate everyday challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, highlighted unique barriers to preparedness for people with IDs regarding social behavior and decision-making. This study aimed to examine students’ awareness and understanding of pandemic outbreaks. Using an inquiry-based approach supported by Digital Learning Objects (DLOs), the research assessed students’ knowledge and perceptions of viruses, modes of transmission, and preventive measures. An in-depth visual analysis within a single-subject research design demonstrated that interdisciplinary educational scenarios on infectious diseases can be effective for students with ID, especially when DLOs are integrated with targeted instructional techniques.
format Article
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series Computers
spelling doaj-art-e39cd57e3c784c3cb66d7516233e2b2e2025-08-20T02:33:42ZengMDPI AGComputers2073-431X2025-05-0114516910.3390/computers14050169Leveraging Technology to Break Barriers in Public Health for Students with Intellectual DisabilitiesGeorgia Iatraki0Tassos A. Mikropoulos1Panos Mallidis-Malessas2Carolina Santos3Department of Primary Education, University of Ioannina, 145110 Ioannina, GreeceDepartment of Primary Education, University of Ioannina, 145110 Ioannina, GreeceDepartment of Primary Education, University of Ioannina, 145110 Ioannina, GreeceNOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Comprehensive Health Research Center, CHRC, NOVA University Lisbon, 1600-560 Lisbon, PortugalA key goal of inclusive education is to enhance health literacy skills, empowering students with intellectual disabilities (IDs) to access critical information needed to navigate everyday challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, highlighted unique barriers to preparedness for people with IDs regarding social behavior and decision-making. This study aimed to examine students’ awareness and understanding of pandemic outbreaks. Using an inquiry-based approach supported by Digital Learning Objects (DLOs), the research assessed students’ knowledge and perceptions of viruses, modes of transmission, and preventive measures. An in-depth visual analysis within a single-subject research design demonstrated that interdisciplinary educational scenarios on infectious diseases can be effective for students with ID, especially when DLOs are integrated with targeted instructional techniques.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-431X/14/5/169technologyintellectual disabilitiespublic healthscience literacy
spellingShingle Georgia Iatraki
Tassos A. Mikropoulos
Panos Mallidis-Malessas
Carolina Santos
Leveraging Technology to Break Barriers in Public Health for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Computers
technology
intellectual disabilities
public health
science literacy
title Leveraging Technology to Break Barriers in Public Health for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
title_full Leveraging Technology to Break Barriers in Public Health for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
title_fullStr Leveraging Technology to Break Barriers in Public Health for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
title_full_unstemmed Leveraging Technology to Break Barriers in Public Health for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
title_short Leveraging Technology to Break Barriers in Public Health for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
title_sort leveraging technology to break barriers in public health for students with intellectual disabilities
topic technology
intellectual disabilities
public health
science literacy
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-431X/14/5/169
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