Exploring the impact and acceptability of gamified tools to address educational needs in decoding and writing skills: A pilot study

The use of assistive technology in the field of inclusive education has expanded significantly. This exploratory study examines the impact and acceptability of two gamified digital tools in enhancing motivation and engagement, as well as supporting the acquisition of decoding and writing skills over a 12-hour intervention period. The project involves children aged 8–10 years old with special educational needs (SEN) in school and clinical settings. After confirming no significant differences in learning outcomes between the two gamified tools in a cohort of 67 neurotypical children, the study proceeds to analyse performance across various groups. Firstly, a comparison is made between neurotypical students and those with SEN in schools. Secondly, performance is compared between groups of children with SEN who underwent training either collectively (14 students in a school setting) or individually (15 students in a children’s centre). Preliminary results indicate improvements in decoding fluency, accuracy, and writing skills across groups, with a high level of acceptance reported by participants. However, the lack of statistical significance in some measures, particularly among SEN groups, highlights the need for personalised approaches and further investigation. These findings emphasise the potential of gamified interventions as complementary tools to traditional methods, promoting inclusivity and motivation in diverse learning environments. Future research should validate these outcomes through larger samples and randomised controlled trials to better understand the impact of gamification on learning processes.