Technology Access, Acceptance, and Application for Disability Inclusion in Vocational Education: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Technology has become an important enabler of disability inclusion, yet evidence on how students with disabilities access, accept, and apply technology remains dispersed across vocational education research. This scoping review synthesised contemporary evidence on technology use for disability inclusion in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and related vocational education contexts. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2026 were systematically identified, screened, and analysed using the Technology Access, Acceptance, and Application (TAAA) framework. Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria and formed the basis of the review. Across the included studies, technology enhanced learning, communication, assessment, participation, and transition to employment when supported by accessible infrastructure, institutional commitment, and inclusive pedagogical practices. However, barriers such as inadequate funding, inaccessible digital environments, limited professional development, inconsistent policy implementation, and uneven digital competence continued to restrict meaningful technology use. The review highlights that equitable disability inclusion depends not only on access to digital and assistive technologies but also on their acceptance by users and their effective application within teaching, learning, and assessment. By synthesising evidence through the TAAA framework, this review offers a structured perspective on technology-enabled disability inclusion and identifies priorities for institutional practice, policy development, and future research aimed at strengthening inclusive vocational education.