The Integration of the Educational Environments Run Marco and XLogoOnline in Special Education: Teaching Intervention and Pedagogical Benefits

The development of computational thinking and digital skills has become a fundamental goal at all levels of education, including Special Education. The integration of technology into the learning process has the potential to enhance digital literacy and support more active, engaging forms of learning. In the context of Special Education, the use of interactive, game- based digital environments may offer opportunities to adapt instruction to the diverse needs of students with special educational needs (SEN), including those with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disabilities, or learning difficulties. This paper presents two modern educational environments—Run Marco and XLogoOnline—which could be utilized to enhance learning in a playful and interactive way. The focus is on the pedagogical potential of these tools and on how they might be integrated into teaching practices in preschool and early primary education. The paper also discusses the cognitive and social benefits that their use may support, the potential for customizing exercises, and ways to align their use with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Through a comparative presentation, it outlines the advantages and limitations of each environment and suggests pedagogical practices that could inform differentiated instruction in Special Education. This study does not present empirical data; rather, it provides a theoretical and pedagogical analysis of the two platforms. It highlights the possible role of technology as an assistive tool for strengthening autonomy, creativity, and learning engagement among students with SEN. Contribution of the Study: This paper contributes to the existing body of research by (a) providing a theoretical analysis of the pedagogical potential of Run Marco and XLogoOnline in the context of Special Education, (b) proposing ways in which these digital environments may be integrated into Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) to support differentiated instruction, and (c) identifying opportunities and directions for future empirical validation of their impact on cognitive, social, and emotional learning outcomes for students with special educational needs.