Learning Concerns of Children with Disabilities using Online Learning during COVID 19: The Parent’s Perspective

Abstract

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic affected the education of children as it led to the closure
of all schools, in India. The existing face to face system was on an emergent basis replaced
with online learning for all children, including those with disabilities. However teaching
learning for children with disabilities is a specialised task as the teacher plays a key role in the
academic progress of the learner. Children learn according to a Individualised Education
Plan (IEP) which is administered by trained teachers. The school provides learning resources,
specialised support staff for children with disabilities. During the pandemic, the children
with disabilities had to study at home and the parents had to suddenly take on the role of
assisting the learner during the online classes. This study attempts to study the learning
concerns that affected the academic progress of the children with disabilities and is based on
the perspective of the parents. It makes suggestions for an appropriate learning environment
for children with disabilities studying through an online mode.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The present study is descriptive in nature. A semistructured
questionnaire consisting of 13 items based on five point Likert Scale was
constructed to observe the responses of parents of children with disabilities who were
studying through online classes. A mixed method approach was adopted in the study. This
study was conducted on a sample of twenty five parents of children with special needs
from inclusive schools in Delhi. The purposive sampling technique was employed to collect
sample for the study.