Vocational Special Education Teachers’ Competency in Implementing Digital Learning for Students with Special Educational Needs

The rapid advancement of digital technology has significantly transformed teaching and learning practices across educational settings, including vocational special education. The integration of digital learning provides opportunities for more flexible, interactive, and student-centred instructional approaches that can accommodate the diverse needs of students with special educational needs (SEN). However, successful implementation depends largely on teachers’ competency and their ability to overcome various technological and instructional challenges. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the level of competency among vocational special education teachers in implementing digital learning, identify the challenges encountered during implementation, and examine the relationship between digital learning challenges and teacher competency.
A quantitative descriptive survey design was employed involving 96 vocational special education teachers in Johor, Malaysia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire developed based on Spencer and Spencer’s Competency Theory and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analyses were conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
The findings revealed that vocational special education teachers demonstrated a very high level of competency (M = 4.33, SD = 0.59). The level of challenges experienced in implementing digital learning was also very high (M = 4.36, SD = 0.66). Furthermore, Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant positive relationship between digital learning challenges and teacher competency (r = 0.649, p < 0.001). The findings suggest that continuous exposure to technological challenges contributes to the development of more competent and adaptive teachers.
This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on digital learning in vocational special education and provides empirical evidence that strengthening digital infrastructure, institutional support, and continuous professional development can further enhance teachers’ competency in implementing effective digital learning environments for students with special educational needs.

Teacher Competency, Digital Learning, Vocational Special Education, Special Educational Needs, Challenges

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