Educational and Assistive Technologies for Students With Severe Motor Impairments, Multiple Disabilities, and Complex Communication Needs: A Comparative Scoping Review

Abstract

This scoping review mapped educational and assistive technology research for students with severe motor impairments, multiple disabilities, and complex communication needs, with attention to comparative trends between South Korean and international studies. Following Arksey and O'Malley's framework, later methodological refinements, and PRISMA-ScR guidance, Korean and international databases were searched for peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2002 to May 2026. Eligibility was defined using the PCC framework: target learners with severe motor, physical/multiple, profound/multiple, or complex communication access needs; educational or assistive technology applications; and school, home, community, or education-linked contexts. Broad database and manual searches yielded 1,310 records; after duplicate removal, title/abstract screening, full-text assessment, and population-fit checking, 29 studies were included. Fourteen were South Korean and 15 were international. Five functional roles were identified: establishing access pathways, expanding communicative expression, increasing activity participation, supporting curriculum access, and promoting self-determination and digital agency. South Korean studies emphasized AAC applications, switch-mediated communication, and VR-based contextual learning, whereas international studies emphasized eye-gaze access, functional independence, interaction, and robotics. The field requires stronger integration of classroom implementation, specialized access assessment, longitudinal evidence, and curriculum participation.