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 semi-structured 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 school in Delhi. The purposive sampling technique was employed to collect sample for the study.

Findings: The study revealed that online learning as was conducted during the pandemic for children with disabilities was not effective with 84% of the respondents agreeing repeated that this type of online learning was not able to create the same learning environment as classroom teaching. Facilities could not be provided at home which affected the academic progress of the child. Such online learning was unable to arouse attention and interest of the children and an appropriate pedagogy for online learning for children with disabilities was recommended. Parents agreed that there was a negative effect of the lockdown on the physical, mental and social health of their children. Parents recognised that they required training to better support the academic concerns of their children.

Originality/Value: The study throws light on a new aspect related to learning concerns of children with disabilities i.e. online learning for children with disabilities. While technology is widely used as assistive and adaptive support devices for children with disabilities, however during the pandemic, the children were exposed to online learning in their home environment without the support of their specialised teachers, therapist and staff. The observations of parents throws new light on this issue of online learning. The study makes recommendations for making new pathways for making education for children with disabilities truly inclusive.