Challenges in Teachers' Knowledge and Use of Accessible Digital Technologies for Inclusive Learning in Mongolia

Background/purpose. The purpose of this study is to examine the challenges faced in developing teachers' ability to use accessible digital technologies, as well as their knowledge, understanding, and skills in pedagogical and inclusive technology methodologies. These are aimed at implementing the goal of providing equitable and accessible education to all students, as reflected in Mongolia's long-term policy, "Vision 20250" and the "Medium-Term Education Sector Development Plan 2021-2030". The integration of digital technologies into inclusive education has the potential to significantly enhance access to learning for students with diverse needs. However, teachers face significant barriers, including limited access to reliable digital infrastructure, inadequate professional development, and socio-economic disparities.

Materials/methods. The study was conducted using sampling, questionnaire, and document analysis methods. The collected data were analyzed using IBM's SPSS Statistics.v23 and AMOSv23 statistical programs. Based on the research data, structural analysis, descriptive statistics, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and qualitative reliability analysis were conducted in four stages.

Results. The main result of the study is that Mongolia has an inclusive education system and legal framework, but the challenges facing teachers in using digital technologies that are more practical and accessible are weak digital tools and methodological capabilities for their use.

Conclusion. The results of the study show that the knowledge and understanding of the Mongolian education sector, such as "Inclusive Education" and "Digital Transition", is very high among the teachers surveyed, but the results of the study show that there are difficulties in introducing digital tools and platforms into classroom teaching methods. Although the basic conditions are in place to support the implementation of the goal of providing equal and accessible education to all students in Mongolia, it indicates that there is an opportunity to organize training and development work, considering the high need for teachers to develop digital tools and digital teaching methods.

Keywords: Inclusive education, accessibility, digital technologies, teacher training, inclusion

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