Building Everyday and Basic Learning Skillsthrough Play: Educational Robots as a Tool forthe Improvement of the Learning of Students withSpecial Educational Needs

Educational robotics is used worldwide as a learning tool in education, but surprisingly rarely in special education. Education in the perspective of new technologies has opened new directions and orientations in the instructive-educational process. Educational robotic tools, which can also be referred to as "robotic partners", are designed with the ability to adapt to different contexts depending on the circumstances. This is an important factor that makes robotic tools effective mediators for the inclusion of children with special educational needs (SEN) in educational programmes. Another important factor that supports this claim is the fact that educational robotics can promote learning through collaborative play with peers. In this paper we will present part of our educational robot prototype and our expectations for its use in working with SEN students, also we will see the opinion of teachers for implementing robotics in their classes. The research for the teachers’ opinion is done in Latvia, in one of our partner schools of the project. This work is part of the research activities within the Robotics and Inclusion Erasmus + project.