Middle Eastern Journal of Disability Studies

Abstract
Background and objective: Although using Information Communication Technology (ICT) is beneficial in schools, ergonomics standards should not be compromised. Non-compliance with environmental ergonomics and the use of inappropriate tools  have adverse effects on the perception of physical pain and the performance of cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal and metabolic rate  of students. Researchers in the field of infrastructure are increasingly paying attention to ergonomics. The consequences of compromising standards can be very critical as it can have unfavorable effects on health, safety and productivity of the students. Physiologists analyzing obesity, heart disease, and diabetes have found that the act of sitting shuts down the circulation of a fat-absorbing enzyme called lipase. They have also found that standing up engages muscles and promotes the distribution of lipase, which prompts the body to process fat and cholesterol, independent of the amount of time spent exercising. They have also reported that standing up uses blood glucose and may discourage the development of diabetes. In a classroom situation, sometimes, physical or psychological learning does not fit with the type of training or equipment that is used in an environment in which they live or work. Promoting full inclusion in educational environments of ICT includes knocking down simple physical barriers by building up everyone's skills and knowledge of the principles of ergonomics and understanding of assistive technology solutions. This study identifies ergonomic challenges present in the classroom environment and provides solutions that can assist with improving posture and enhance the students’ ability to focus on learning and promote inclusion. This study aimed to identify the ergonomics relationship of smart classes and its impact on general health of students.
Methods: This study was carried out in 2015. Random stratified sampling was used to recruit 540 students from sixth grade boys and girls studying in smart class of Behshahr-Iran. The size of the sample was determined by Krejcie and Morgan table to be 225 participants. A questionnaire was used to collect data with respect to the ergonomics of smart class in terms of biological, technical, mechanical aspects. General Health Questionnaires developed by Goldberg and Hiller was used to assess the health of the students. Pearson correlation test and regression were used to analyze the data.
Results: The research findings show that  from among the components ergonomics of smart classes, biological criteria, technical criteria and mechanical factors were significantly related to  the health of  students (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that increased ergonomics improves the general health of the students. Principles of usage of the smart equipment in smart classrooms can have a significant impact on the health of students. In a technical evaluation of a smart class, it is very important to overcome technical problems to fix them. Hence, it is necessary for the department of education officials and school administrators to provide required facilities to comply with ergonomics of smart schools, so that the health of the students is not jeopardized.