The aim of this study was to increase the knowledge about teachers’ experiences of implementing and using visual support with the graphic symbol program “Widgit Online” (WO) in a Swedish primary school to promote an accessible learning environment. As the overarching theoretical framework the study used inclusive pedagogy, which involves a pedagogical practice that compensates for individual student differences during whole-class teaching and activities (Brennan et al., 2021; Florian & Black-Hawkins, 2011). The pedagogical practice should focus on creating rich learning opportunities accessible to all students enabling participation for everyone (Florian & Black-Hawkins, 2011). Within the Swedish discourse, however, the term employed is "accessible learning environment" instead of "inclusive pedagogy." Essentially, the essence of this concept corresponds with that of inclusive pedagogy. The Swedish National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools (SpecialPedagogiska SkolMyndigheten; SPSM, 2023b) states that “accessibility encompasses the conditions necessary for all children and students to participate in an inclusive school environment”. According to “The Accessibility Model” developed by SPSM, creating accessible learning environments involves adapting the pedagogical, social, and physical environment to support the learning of all students (SPSM, 2023a). The model is widely referred to in Swedish schools and aligns with the Swedish education act (SFS 2010:800) stating that in education, it is essential to address the diverse needs of students, providing support and stimulation to maximize their development while striving to equalize student differences. Accessible learning environment was therefore used as a second theoretical framework in the current study.

The use of visual supports of different kinds are one way of creating an accessible learning environment in schools. Previous studies have shown that visual supports in the school context may be beneficial to students with disabilities, such as language disorders, autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability (Lequia et al., 2012; McDougal et al., 2022; Van Dijk & Gage, 2019; Wellington & Stackhouse, 2011) as well as second language learners (e.g., Dixon et al., 2020). Importantly, however, visual supports have also demonstrated broad benefits for all students in a classroom setting, contributing to vocabulary development, supporting listening skills, enhancing social communication skills, aiding literacy, and improving higher-order thinking and language skills (Crosskey & Vance, 2011; Gil-Glazer et al., 2019; John & Vance, 2014; Mavrou et al., 2013; Pampoulou & Detheridge, 2007). The notion of using visual supports as part of the everyday pedagogical practice to support the learning of all students in the classroom thus aligns with both the accessible learning environment as well as the inclusion pedagogy theoretical frameworks.

One type of visual support is graphic symbol sets, systematically designed to symbolize all types of words in a language, such as Widgit symbols (Kambouri et al., 2016). Widgit symbols in Swedish schools have become more prevalent with the widespread adoption of the web-based program WO, which also comprises a variety of templates, such as mind-maps and schedules. WO is accessible in many classrooms across Sweden, often with individual teacher access. Widgit symbols and the specific WO program are also available in several countries in Europe and beyond. Yet, there is a paucity in research investigating the implementation and utilization of visual support with graphic symbols and programs such as WO in mainstream classrooms. Through an interview study with nine primary school teachers we thus aimed to explore the following research questions: 1. How do the teachers describe implementation and use of WO as a tool for promoting an accessible learning environment? 2. What impact does use of WO have on the students’ learning, development, and participation, according to the teachers? 3. What important organizational factors are described in implementing and using visual support with WO?

The first and second authors conducted semi-structured interviews with nine early years teachers from a primary school in a mid-sized Swedish municipality, encompassing pre-school class through year 6 as well as school-age educare. Pre-school class for 6-year-olds is part of the Swedish compulsory school. School-age educare is open for students before and after school hours and supplements the school education. The school had a total enrollment of four hundred and eighty students during the study, whereof about 30% had Swedish as a second language. The particular school was a convenience selection as the authors had knowledge of the school’s structured and innovative work with visual support using WO. Specifically, the study focused on early years teachers, involving four from pre-school classes, one from year 1, two from year 2, and two from the school-age educare who consented to participate in the interviews. To prevent data loss from technical issues, interviews were recorded on two separate digital devices and promptly transferred to a secure digital storage space approved by the University of Gothenburg. The verbatim transcription initially involved using the transcribing function in Word on a secure university platform, followed by careful listening to the recordings and adjusting the transcriptions to accurately reflect the spoken content. Data was organized and coded in the software program NVivo and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Preliminary findings reveal that teachers utilized Widgit Online (WO) in diverse ways to enhance an accessible learning environment, aiding in structuring lessons and activities, organizing materials, reinforcing content, assisting memory, and supporting language and communication development. A significant and innovative aspect was the interactive utilization of WO, where the teacher and students collaboratively generated mind-maps or other visual support structures in real time on a particular theme or concept. Simultaneously, the emerging output was displayed on the classroom screen for collective viewing. Further, teachers noted increased clarity for students, promoting accessibility for all in general and for those with Swedish as a second language or a language disorder in particular. The use of WO also led to increased student independence, active engagement, group cohesion, and heightened participation in teaching activities, according to the teachers. Regarding organizational aspects in implementing and utilizing WO, teachers emphasized the crucial role of school leadership in establishing a clear purpose, offering various training sessions, and allocating time and platforms for collaborative learning among colleagues. In conclusion, the preliminary findings underscore the flexible and varied use of graphic symbols with WO by early year primary teachers to promote an accessible learning environment, both in the classroom and the school-age educare. The interactive features, such as real-time collaboration on visual support structures, contribute significantly to this goal. The positive outcomes noted by teachers, including increased clarity, enhanced student independence, and heightened participation, emphasize the impact of visual support using WO on creating an inclusive pedagogical approach. Moreover, the recognition of school leadership's pivotal role in providing clear objectives, comprehensive training, and opportunities for collaborative learning highlights the importance of organizational support in ensuring the successful implementation of visual support using the graphic symbol program WO for the benefit of an accessible and inclusive educational environment.

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