Enhancing Parental Participation in Special Education through Digital Technologies

Abstract

In the modern landscape of special education, the educational model is shifting from the school to a holistic framework, where the family is the central pillar of development. Parents are now recognized as the decisive "experts" for their children, as their knowledge of the child's temperament and needs is essential for the success of any intervention (Chaidi & Drigas, 2020). The rapid development of digital tools (ICT, VR, robotics, and serious games) acts as a catalyst, democratizing access to supportive tools and bridging the gap between school and home. The collaboration of parents and teachers in the co-design of digital media is not just an innovation but a central goal of modern educational policy (Chaidi et al., 2021;Kefalis et al., 2020Kefalis et al., , 2024Kefalis et al., , 2025)). This synergy, especially in autism, enhances learning engagement and improves the quality of life of the entire family. Despite these prospects, technology is called upon to function as a facilitator to overcome the significant obstacles faced by parents, such as increased psychological burden, lack of time, and limited access to specialized knowledge, offering personalized and accessible solutions for each student with special educational needs. The 5 projects that participated in the research topic demonstrate the importance of parental participation in special education through technologies, as demonstrated by their analysis and presentation below.The recent review (Kapsi , 2026 ) emphasized that parental involvement is fundamental for the holistic development of children with ASD, with interventions that include parents consistently showing positive results. ICT tools enhance children's socio-emotional and educational skills, acting as valuable platforms that promote caregiver participation and directly benefit both children and parents themselves. Despite the methodological limitations of existing studies, the research shows the need for future comprehensive protocols that combine digital technologies with parental participation to optimize autism treatment. propose the design and development of an innovative video intervention model for home use, aiming to improve the social skills of children with ASD. The intervention incorporates explanatory, interactive social behavior modeling and a "visual coach" who explains social situations and repeats key words and expressions. Special emphasis is placed on parental involvement and home application, providing guidance so that parents can focus on the critical points of each situation and extend the practice to similar situations. The scenarios cover communication with peers and adults, while the design of the videos is based on authentic settings and ease of use. The development of the intervention included needs assessment (parents and experts), script writing, video production, and creation of a training guide. Parents highlighted the importance of language as a basic communication tool, which led to an emphasis on dialogues and the targeted use of expressions for specific social situations. The goal is for children to understand the "how" and "why" of social behavior, to reduce their anxiety in social contexts, and to strengthen their independence and self-confidence.According to a field review by Chaidi and al . ( 2025) , 20 of 334 research studies (based on PRISMA) show that active parental involvement in STEM education and the co-creation of serious games for people with ASD empower parents and children, enhance individualized learning, and improve intervention effectiveness. Today, new and assistive technology, as well as STEM methods, are critical tools for providing tailored instruction to both students with ASD and typically developing students. Parental participation is considered a determining factor in school performance since parents provide valuable information about their children's needs and preferences. Serious games designed with specific educational aims generate dynamic learning environments that improve skill development. The combination of STEM, serious gaming, and parental participation appears to be a promising technique for increasing learning, socializing, and quality of life in people with ASD.In the opinion article by Rao & Verma (2025) , it is noted that in the modern digital era, serious games are designed with the main goal of education, skill development, and behavior change, going beyond the entertainment nature of traditional video games. Especially for children with cognitive, emotional, or social difficulties, they offer an adaptable and supportive learning environment. As children with disabilities often have difficulty expressing emotions and adapting to standardized tools and social interaction, the need for personalized design emerges. In this context, the active participation of parents in the co-creation of serious games is considered crucial, as it contributes to the formation of emotionally appropriate and accessible tools, enhancing the social and emotional development of children. 2025) , in their original study, show how evidence-based parenting practices may be transformed into accessible and scalable digital interventions, and a randomized controlled trial is underway to evaluate the effectiveness of ParentCoach. Parents of ADHD children have an important role in helping self-regulation and behavior control, but they frequently struggle to find consistent and evidence-based assistance. This paper introduces ParentCoach, an mHealth application designed to help parents through brief daily lessons, reflection exercises, and skillbuilding activities. The application was created in two stages: secondary analysis of qualitative data from over 30 families and co-design with ADHD experts. The findings identified critical design requirements such as micro-interactions, adaptable content, and support for executive function and emotional reflecting processes. The curriculum consists of 80 lessons divided into 16 thematic modules that address self-reflection, emotional regulation, communication, and behavior management. The findings of the articles demonstrate that technology is not just an educational tool but a bridge that enhances collaboration between school, therapists, and family. Empowering parents through digital media leads to more holistic and effective support for students with special educational needs.