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Top1. Introduction
The technological revolution is tied to the increasing use of computer and to the netsurfing (Maragliano, 2007). Basic tools and computer applications are increasingly being used in society and the economy, and the individual digital competence become essential life skills. It involves the majority of population and it modifies people’s habits at work, at home, at school (Rivoltella, 2005; Rivoltella & Ardizzone, 2009). The ways of working, studying, communicating, accessing information are changing with rapidity. Through digital and social technologies people can access resources, interact, and share with others globally (Murdaca, Cuzzocrea, Conti, & Larcan 2011) and these can support work and learning. Nevertheless, there is still digital participation gap that is not just in terms of access to computers and the internet but also by the effective use educational software.
Digital literacy provides new support systems for patients with special needs, parents with children with mental disabilities, or people in rehabilitation. Increasing the use of computer resources in therapy and learning activities is very important to guarantee a better life quality. It is amply demonstrated that children found very attractive and they proved cognitive acquisitions when using educational software.
Even the educational institutions use technology extensively in the education field but also for research and distance learning, in order to enhance students’ skill and improve their academic performances (Gülbahar, 2007; Kim & Hannafin, 2011). In this regard several researches studied students’ behaviour (Schumacher & Moraham–Martin, 2001) and gender differences (North & Noyes, 2002) in relation to new technologies. It seems, in particular, that boys prefer study using their personal computer more than girls do; they consider this learning modality more satisfactory and more useful than traditional ones (Badagliaccio, 1990; Shashaami & Khalili, 2011).
Further studies with disabled subjects have underlined the valences the computer assisted learning as it offers a multidimension learning, attractive, concentric and dynamic, underlining the contribution of technologies in rehabilitation of disabled children (Gelati, 2004; Cairo, 2007) and focusing the attention on software’s effectiveness. In fact, increase motivation, attention and self-regulation in children with mental disabilities by computer support is one of the best ways to ensure a higher study interest, attention and motivation to learning (Moreno & Mora, 2001).
In this direction, the main interest of special didactics and educational psychology is focused on the analysis of the impact that these software have on disability and new skills learning (Mechling & Gast, 2003; Cottini, 2007).
For these reasons, this research underlines the effectiveness to introduce educational software in special education areas as an important aspect of rehabilitation training. Their great benefit is that they are accessible to the nonprogrammer teachers. On the other hand, educational software can help teachers to better guarantee digital literacy development by computer assisted learning.