RETRACTED ARTICLE: Enhancing communication for people with hearing disabilities through robust sign language...

We, the Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, have retracted the following articles, which were published as part of a planned Special Issue titled "AI empowered Assistive Technology" and edited by Uzair Aslam Bhatti: Liu, Y., & Long, T. (2025). How does social media shape the duration of formal care for disabled elderly? Moderating effects based on digital competence and psychological expectancy. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 20(7), 2146-2159. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2525539Lu, X., & Guo, W. (2025). Utilizing artificial intelligence to enhance social connections - the alleviating effect of emotionally intelligent chatbots on loneliness. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2540494Xuanfeng, D. (2025). Gesture recognition and response system for special education using computer vision and human-computer interaction technology. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2527226Ren, H., Lv, J., Ren, L., & Guo, R. (2025). Optimizing the spatial allocation of pension resources in downtown Shanghai: a dynamically updated genetic algorithm approach. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2536173Kadiyala, B., Nippatla, R. P., Boyapati, S., Vasamsetty, C., Alavilli, S. K., & M, T. (2025). Prevention and health care intervention of common injuries in long-distance running for college teachers. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2564371Zhang, L., Wang, G., & Wang, M. (2025). Impacts of virtual reality-aided physical training on the balance ability and energy expenditure of children with moderate intellectual disability. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2546026Zhang, S., & Meng, Q. (2025). Intelligent sports rehabilitation: integrating deep learning and real-time monitoring to achieve personalized rehabilitation. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2559187Gao, P., Wei, D., Lu, W., & Zhai, Y. (2025). Unveiling the mechanisms influencing service efficiency in Chinese hospital portal sites: evidence from DEA and fsQCA analysis. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2554956Chen, J., Chen, G., & Wang, X. (2025). Configuration analysis of mobile phone addiction among college students: findings from fsQCA method. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2548858Ye, L., Du, J., & He, Z. (2025). Willingness to communicate with AI chatbots in English: the role of personality and trust among Chinese college students. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2572532Wan, L., Gao, W., Xi, P., Xu, K., Li, T., Wu, J., & Wu, D. (2025). AI-Empowered assistive technology for optimizing specimen submission in obstetrics and gynecology: integrating DeepSeek with the ADDIE model. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2561248Liao, Z. (2025). Artificial intelligence-enabled integration of "Fu" culture into the moral education system for special education across K-12 and higher education: a soft computing approach. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2555541Cen, X. (2025). Multimodal deep learning methods for speech and language rehabilitation: a cross-sectional observational study. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2551708Wang, Y., Li, H., Du, Y., Zhang, P., Shi, S., Ma, Y., & Wang, S. (2025). The relationship between job competence, demographic characteristics and professional misconduct among medical staff in the AI era. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2561247Xiao, B., Sun, H., Lin, S., Li, J., & Yu, Y. (2025). Virtual classrooms, real resilience: how AI tutors enhance cognitive rehabilitation in pediatric cancer survivors. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2549898Li, M. (2025). Evaluating the role of social support systems in enhancing the well-being of elderly individuals with disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2568945Xiao, X. (2025). Choral harmony: the role of collective singing in ritual, cultural identity and cognitive-affective synchronisation in the age of AI. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2556025Maashi, M., Alhefdhi, A., Alanazi, F., & Rizwanullah, M. (2025). Enhancing communication for people with hearing disabilities through robust sign language recognition using deep learning and the internet of things. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2562454Cheng, W., Guo, J., & Lu, D. (2025). CHATWELL: an AI-enabled adaptive tutoring system for improving mandarin composition skills in L2 students with learning difficulties. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 20(7), 2358-2374. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2554955Zhang, R. (2025). Personalised sports rehabilitation analysis using a fitness enhanced model based on big data and deep learning. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2561926Xue, Q., Yang, J., & Liu, X. (2025). An AI-integrated spatial auxiliary decision-support model for historic and cultural blocks based on the spatial triad. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2554331Huang, R. (2025). Between intimacy and surveillance: elderly users' adaptation and privacy negotiation in human-robot interaction. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2566379Wang, P., Mi, B., Lu, J., & Zheng, F. (2025). Evaluating AI tutor feedback in medical education: a case study of computer basics and applications course for undergraduates. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2560673Liu, J., Liu, L., Wu, Y., Wang, Z., & Li, X. (2025). MRI feature engineering and SVM framework for schizophrenia recognition. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2569801Zhu, D., Xu, Q., & Jiang, C. (2025). Good intentions may be wrong: evidence from anonymous donation behaviour on Chinese charitable crowdfunding platform. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2565405Xiao, B., Lin, S., Yu, Y., Li, J., & Li, X. (2025). AI-Enhanced assistive interventions for adolescent cyberbullying: a gender-sensitive moderated mediation approach. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2570890Xiong, P., & Zhang, Y. (2025). Artificial intelligence as an assistive technology in language education: investigating TPACK, self-efficacy, and organisational support. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2561927Yu, Z., Xu, Z., & Qi, J. (2025). Disability-oriented data protection in AI-enabled assistive technologies: bridging gaps in China's legal framework. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2568940Xiao, B., Xing, Q., Ye, J., & Nie, Y. (2025). The impact of social media on adolescent conformity: mechanisms, individual moderators, and implications for AI-Empowered assistive technologies. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2570889Yan, X., & Chen, H. (2025). From cognitive alignment to technological adaptation: understanding rural digital governance through AI-augmented human-data collaboration. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2564370Sun, H., Tang, X., & Jiang, Y. (2025). Dual-channel conduction modulated by digital literacy: examining technology shock awareness and informal digital learning through an AI-enabled human-computer interaction lens. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2573221Liu, Z. (2025). Hierarchical attention mechanism in deep learning improving music therapy rehabilitation through context aware emotion mapping. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2568164Following publication, the Publisher identified concerns regarding the peer review process. An investigation by the Taylor & Francis Publishing Ethics & Integrity team in full cooperation with the Editor-in-Chief concluded that the articles included in this Special Issue were not peer-reviewed appropriately in line with the Journal's peer review standards and policy. As the stringency of the peer review process is core to the integrity of the publication process, the Editor-in-Chief and Publisher have decided to retract all of the articles within the above-named Special Issue. The Editor-in-Chief and the Publisher have not confirmed if the authors were aware of this compromised peer review process. The authors have been informed of this decision. We have been informed in our decision-making by our editorial policies and the COPE guidelines. The retracted articles will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but they will be digitally watermarked on each page as 'Retracted'.