Chatbots and Children with Special Educational Needs Interaction

Abstract

Introduction and aim. Chatbots could have a strong potential for competence training, overcoming barriers, and wellbeing management for individuals with special educational needs. We carried out a review to describe the existing knowledge on design characteristics, and user involvement in research on chatbots related to individuals with special educational needs. Methods. We searched for publications on the topic in ACM Digital Library, Web of Science, PubMed, ERIC, Education Source, and proceedings from conferences on special needs education, and on health informatics. Results. A total of 9 studies were included in this review. Most of the studies used authoring tools to implement the chatbots or parts of them. Smartphones, tablets and PCs were the most common target devices for chatbots. End-users participated in the research mostly as experimental subjects to test the chatbot. Only one study involved participants as co-designers. Conclusions. Research on chatbots for individuals with special education seems to be in earlier stages. More high-quality research is needed, involving individuals with special educational needs in all stages of development and incorporating evidence-based training strategies.