ABSTRACT
As the need for virtual instruction increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers faced changes in the way they had to instruct students. This sudden change impacted the delivery of information by middle school teachers who had been accustomed to the traditional (face-to-face) method of instructing their students with disabilities. This study was designed to explore teachers' perspectives on the challenges facing middle school students with disabilities in a virtual classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three research questions guided the study: (a) What were teachers' perspectives on their preparation to deliver virtual instruction? (b) What strategies were implemented to serve students with disabilities in the virtual classroom?(c) What were teachers' perspectives on the benefits and challenges of virtual instruction for students with disabilities? The researcher used data from a demographic survey and interview questions from 15 special education and regular elementary, middle, and high school teachers of students with disabilities to explore the teachers' perspectives on the transition from traditional instruction to virtual instruction. Three themes evolved: Professional Development/Training in technology and adapting virtual learning to students with disabilities, Strategies to better assist these students in virtual learning, and Challenges and Benefits of teachers' transition from traditional to virtual instruction. The results of this study showed a need for professional training to provide new strategies to assist educators as they transition from traditional to virtual instruction. The study also revealed that teachers faced challenges while instructing students virtually, although teachers acknowledged some benefits. Study implications were that teachers found the transition difficult and encountered many problems with their students not experienced in the traditional classroom. Further research is needed with larger populations to explore teachers' transitions from traditional to virtual instruction, their needs for professional development and training, and means of support for students with disabilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Prior to COVID-19, elementary and secondary education teachers worked with an ever-changing education program developed to meet the educational needs of students with disabilities. COVID-19 has created an environment of uncertainty in teaching students with masks with special needs in either face to face, or remote learners or a hybrid of the two methodologies. The study measured the attitudes and practices of the elementary and secondary special education teachers toward teaching students with disabilities during COVID-19 in Kansas. The elementary or secondary special education teacher has a complex and tumultuous set of unknown undertakings toward adequate preparation to provide the legally stated goals in an Individual Education Program and inclusion required for the Least Restrictive Environment. The COVID-19 pandemic also presented special conditions that varied from the national leadership, state to state, and to the specific local district superintendents and local building principals. Ultimately, this study researched what attitudes and practices towards special education have special education teachers in Kansas been experiencing during COVID-19. Also, the study addressed what modalities were used to meet IEP goals during COVID-19. . This document examines the attitudes and practices that the special education teachers experienced during COVID. It quantifies the use of the three main methods of instruction for students with special needs during COVID: face-to-face, remote or a hybrid of the two methods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
This chapter reports on-the-ground observations of teaching in general and special education in the United States during the pandemic. These observations are intended to indicate some of the practical problems faced by general and special education teachers, not only in the United States. It offers suggestions for needed research regarding the details-the "nitty-gritty" of instruction and behavior management and how these might be different for in-person and virtual teaching. The observations and suggestions are intended to spur research of the problems that describe and help researchers think of other issues or difficulties they might address. More than two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, many schools in the United States were completely or partially closed for in-person learning. Special education has become extremely uncertain for many students with disabilities placed in general education, sometimes leaving them "in limbo", as some have put it. Schools have been working fervently to increase students' social/emotional well-being, but students are still left with high levels of stress and anxiety, negatively affecting their success in school. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
When the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, education had unexpected impacts, including the closure of schools and the disruption of learning for students. Students with disabilities experienced increased challenges related to these impacts. The problem was to understand the challenges of secondary special education teachers and parents to meet the individualized needs of students with disabilities when transitioning from in-classroom to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wyoming. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine the challenges of secondary special education teachers and parents during the transition from in-classroom to online learning for students with disabilities and identify future supports for this kind of transition to online learning. The conceptual framework for this research was the Schlossberg transition model and the variables of changing from one life event to another. The guiding research question pertained to challenges special education teachers and parents experienced during their transition to online learning. The basic qualitative research design examined the lived experiences of four teachers and two parents through an interview and a questionnaire. The data were analyzed for emerging ideas and patterns to code, compile, and develop into themes and subthemes. The analyzed results indicated that not all learning software was appropriate as planned to support special education student learning. Another finding was that constant communication between teachers and students had positive results. The implications for positive social change may be improved practices for possible transitions from future in-classroom to online learning to enhance student achievement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 began to spread all over the world in the Spring of 2020. All schools, including the institutions serving students with special needs, were closed to decrease the spread of the virus. The schools had to shift to online education, which was a new experience for most students. In addition to the negative effects of the pandemic itself, the new learning format required extra effort from students. Gifted and talented students as a special group with special educational and socio-emotional needs may have experienced the pandemic differently. In the present study, we aimed to explore gifted and talented students' subjective well-being, feelings of hope, and stress coping strategies with a quantitative method. In addition, we used a qualitative method and asked a few open-ended questions to dig deeper into these students' experiences during the pandemic. We found a statistically significant correlation among subjective well-being, hope, and stress coping strategies. Effective stress coping strategies are used more frequently than negative ones. We revealed that although there are some positive sides to the process, the students described some difficulties with social interaction, access and use of technology, motivation, and physical health. Based on the findings, we suggested some important implications and recommendations for parents, educators, and policymakers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Recently, as a result of international treaties and domestic legislation, children's rights have moved to centre stage. In Scotland, under the terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 2016, those with additional support needs and disabilities (ASND) enjoy enhanced and legally enforceable rights, described by the Scottish Government as the most progressive children's rights regime in Europe. This paper assesses the extent to which children's rights have been prioritised during the COVID-19 crisis. Evidence is drawn from a qualitative study of the experiences of 16 families including a child with ASND during June and July 2020. We conclude that, particularly in the early days of the lockdown, scant regard was paid to the rights of children with ASND as education and care services were suddenly withdrawn. Existing inequalities were exacerbated, such as unequal access to IT, varying levels of support and differences in family resources. Families also reported some positive experiences, such as enjoying more time together and a release from school-generated stress. The paper concludes by arguing that the hiatus in educational provision is likely to have a negative impact on the educational progress and wellbeing of children with ASND, which will take determined efforts to rectify in the future. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
We are experiencing a serious health crisis due to COVID-19 that has a major impact on the field of education. The educational system therefore needs to be updated and innovated, with the addition of digital resources, to adapt the teaching and learning processes to students with disabilities. To meet the goal of high-quality education, teachers must have adequate digital competence to face the educational demands that are placed on them. Therefore, the purposes of this study are: to know the teachers' knowledge about digital resources to support students with disabilities (O1);at each educational stage (O2), identify the variables that have a significant impact on the acquisition of teacher competence (O3);propose a selection of useful ICT resources for each type of disability (O4). An ex post facto design was used with 1194 teachers from Andalusia (Spain). The results showed the medium-low level of the teaching staff, especially in the higher education stage. In addition, gender, motivation, attitude and having students with special needs are determining factors in the development of teacher knowledge. The results highlight the urgent need for teachers to be trained in digital resources. We hope that the range of resources proposed in this study will help teachers enhance their teaching practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
During the school closure in the COVID-19 pandemic, students with special needs including gifted students faced many challenges in terms of educational support. The Turkish Ministry of National Education released a mobile app named "I am special, I am in education" to overcome these challenges. This study aimed to explore how gifted children perceived the experience of learning through this mobile app. Using a phenomenological design, the data were collected from 10 gifted students through focus group interviews and student journals. An inductive approach was used to analyze the data. The findings indicated that although gifted students referred to this experience as weird and different, they also stated that using the app helped their learning. They foregrounded that the app needed improvements and a section for live interaction with other gifted students and teachers to increase their motivation. This study suggests some implications for mobile app developers, educators, and parents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Elementary special education teachers are required to provide online learning instruction to students with disabilities as schools are navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic with a lack of information as to how to do so successfully. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of elementary special education teachers in a school district in the southeastern United States on their pedagogical and technology concerns regarding the shift to online learning for students with disabilities. This study's conceptual framework was based on Roger's diffusion theory and concerns-based adoption model. The research questions addressed elementary special education teachers' perceptions of the challenges of implementing online learning for students with disabilities as well as their pedagogical and technological concerns. The elementary special education teachers were chosen using purposeful sampling based on whether they currently or previously taught students with disabilities online. Data were collected from 10 elementary special education teachers using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. The key findings revealed how elementary special education teachers adapted their instruction online;how training for teachers and parents is required for successful online learning;and how challenges in the online environment, such as self-regulation, and lack of proper guidance impacts the learning of students with disabilities. This study could lead to positive social change through providing school leaders with insight into the perspectives of elementary special education teachers, allowing leaders to offer more relevant, targeted training and resources for delivering online instruction to students with disabilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
The majority of children receiving special education services in the United States are participating in the general education curriculum. Special education programming is closely regulated, creating environments where school districts must consider compliance issues, often neglecting the instructional needs of individual students. The Exceptional Children team in a large urban district in a Southeastern state created a "playbook" to support teachers and families in navigating and succeeding in a distance learning environment (District, 2020). This playbook will be useful for educators and families to ensure each and every child receives the assistance they need to be successful learners throughout their schooling. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
During COVID-19, technology has frequently mediated schools' emergency remote learning. Tragically, many of those technologies, despite legal requirements to the contrary, are inaccessible to disabled youth-a pattern of oppression within compulsory education that predates the pandemic by almost two decades and is rooted in ableism. In this paper, I advance a new interdisciplinary framework-Accessibility4Equity (A4E)-that integrates existing single-discipline theories to explain the messy interactions among human and non-human actors engaged in learning that is equitable and accessible to disabled youth within the context of compulsory education. A4E asserts that equitable technology-mediated education is (1) constructed by educators and disabled people collaboratively cripping discourse and practice through sociotechnical praxis, (2) born technologically and pedagogically accessible;and (3) requires institutions to have the capacity to cultivate access intimacy and swiftly respond to individual needs. Hence, A4E is a framework that scholars and practitioners can use to begin the complex social change that is required to disrupt the unjust status quo and reimagine technology-mediated compulsory education as a place that values and is hospitable to disabled youth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
When the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, education had unexpected impacts, including the closure of schools and the disruption of learning for students. Students with disabilities experienced increased challenges related to these impacts. The problem was to understand the challenges of secondary special education teachers and parents to meet the individualized needs of students with disabilities when transitioning from in-classroom to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wyoming. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine the challenges of secondary special education teachers and parents during the transition from in-classroom to online learning for students with disabilities and identify future supports for this kind of transition to online learning. The conceptual framework for this research was the Schlossberg transition model and the variables of changing from one life event to another. The guiding research question pertained to challenges special education teachers and parents experienced during their transition to online learning. The basic qualitative research design examined the lived experiences of four teachers and two parents through an interview and a questionnaire. The data were analyzed for emerging ideas and patterns to code, compile, and develop into themes and subthemes. The analyzed results indicated that not all learning software was appropriate as planned to support special education student learning. Another finding was that constant communication between teachers and students had positive results. The implications for positive social change may be improved practices for possible transitions from future in-classroom to online learning to enhance student achievement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
The majority of children receiving special education services in the United States are participating in the general education curriculum. Special education programming is closely regulated, creating environments where school districts must consider compliance issues, often neglecting the instructional needs of individual students. The Exceptional Children team in a large urban district in a Southeastern state created a "playbook" to support teachers and families in navigating and succeeding in a distance learning environment (District, 2020). This playbook will be useful for educators and families to ensure each and every child receives the assistance they need to be successful learners throughout their schooling. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Historically, the least restrictive environment (LRE) is the environment that allows students who receive special education services to be with typically achieving peers to the greatest degree that is appropriate. Recently, there has been an emphasis on supporting all students during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Students have gone through very different experiences during the COVID-19 school closures, which is sure to result in an achievement gap that affects their educational performance and social-emotional functioning. With the sudden closure of schools and suspension to in-person learning, students who received individualized special services were no longer able to obtain such services in the same capacity as mandated. Furthermore, opportunities for social interactions with peers were unavailable to these students who may need them the most (Brandenburg, et. al., 2020). These issues may also have a ripple effect and influence teachers' recommendations for students' educational placements. For students who receive special education services, this puts them at risk for being recommended for more restrictive learning environments in lieu of the LRE. This study sought to examine whether teachers' attitudes of the LRE coupled with specific student needs, and the effects of COVID-19 would influence teachers' placement recommendations for students who receive special education services. Teachers were required to read four case vignettes that were identical in description with the exception of type of student need (i.e., academic or behavioral) and environmental factors (i.e., during COVID-19 or not) and make one of four placement recommendation decisions. Teachers' responses on the Multidimensional Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES) were then analyzed in conjunction with each of the placement recommendations they made to the four case vignettes. Multiple regression analysis found that students with an academic need, without the presence of COVID-19, were more likely to be recommended for a more restrictive placement setting when compared to students with an academic need during COVID-19, while students that demonstrated a behavioral need were more likely to be recommended for a less restrictive setting regardless if COVID-19 was a factor or not. These findings are discussed within the context of study limitations and implications for future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
School closure during the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to students with disabilities and their families as parents struggled to support their students with disabilities during online learning. The researcher used a single case qualitative study to examine the perceptions of parents of students with disabilities regarding educators' compliance with the IEP during the online learning conditions that schools have implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A semi-structured interview with 15 parents of students with disabilities from the Special Needs Parents Support & Discussion Group on Facebook was conducted. The researcher also used a biographical questionnaire to gather pertinent data about the participants. The data was collected through Zoom and NVivo Analysis Software was used to determine themes and patterns. The themes indicated that overall, the parents believed that educators and service providers ensured that the IEP remained complaint by ensuring that the services and instruction were available and implemented as mandated by the IEP. Communication and collaboration between the parents and school personnel contributed to increased parent involvement in supporting their students with disabilities during online learning, that in turn, impacted their students' academic performance and participation. The implication of the study is that parent involvement in the IEP process, as well as the overall academic of their students with disabilities impact their perception of the compliance of the IEP. The first recommendation for practice is for school leaders and educators or service providers to provide opportunities for enhanced parent involvement. Another recommendation is that the school must improve communication with the parents. A third recommendation is that the attendance and format of the IEP meeting must remain consistent when conducted in-person or virtually. Lastly, the school needs to employ opportunities for the continued use of technology, as well as access to high-speed Wi-Fi for the delivery of instruction and services to students with disabilities. The first recommendation for research is to conduct a qualitative case study involving the perceptions of fathers and their involvement as a support system for their students with disabilities during online learning. Another recommendation is to conduct a qualitative case study that examines the perception of students with disabilities during online learning and the impact of parent involvement on their academic development. A third recommendation is to conduct a quantitative study with a larger sample to examine the relationship between parent involvement and academic achievement of students with disabilities during online learning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
The achievement of students with disabilities (SWDs) is not fixed. It can be dramatically improved with timely and targeted interventions. In fact, SWDs could improve at rates similar to their typically developing peers. It is no surprise, however, that the school closures from COVID-19 disrupted learning for many SWDs. This study examined the effects of a virtual professional learning network on the achievement of SWDs (n = 68). Through a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, a treatment and control group of teachers (n = 16) engaged in collective learning on high-leverage instructional practices. The teachers reviewed evidence-based research, completed self-reflections, viewed training videos, and explored online learning tools designed to increase differentiated instruction and personalized learning. The teachers' self-efficacy was monitored as a driver for their learning and behavioral change. Analyses of mixed data revealed increased teacher self-efficacy following the intervention, especially for providing personalized learning. Classroom observations and online posts indicated moderate to high use of the targeted instructional practices. Repeated measures MANOVA and ANCOVA revealed significant growth in reading for the delayed-treatment group's students, suggesting that the timing of professional learning was a factor. As schools and industries rapidly move towards greater technology integration, this study's innovation offers a flexible solution for professional learning in the 21st century. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of 6th grade students with learning disabilities educated in their least restrictive environment (LRE) to the maximum extent appropriate sitting next to their non-disabled peers. Two theories guided this study, social identity theory and the social model of disability. Social identity (Tajfel, 1970) addresses individuals' self-worth and self-esteem based on the group they associate with and their rank in the group. Oliver's (1990) social model of disability addresses disability as a social problem rather than a personal problem. The central research question is as follows: what are the lived experiences of 6th grade students with learning disabilities educated in their LRE, specifically, the co-taught model. This study sought to understand how the social identity of students with learning disabilities are affected when teachers have lower academic expectations and when their non-disabled peers do not view students with disabilities as equal partners in the school community. The study utilized three data collections. The first data collection method was a visual representation. The second was an interview, which allowed 13 sixth grade students with learning disabilities to describe their perceptions of their learning experiences in their LRE. The third data collection was document analysis, which examined each participant's grades in their core content classes for the academic year 2021-2022. After reviewing all data, five themes and two subthemes emerged. The themes revealed the 13 participants did not perceive themselves any differently from their non-disabled peers;however, it is uncertain how the COVID-19 pandemic school closures have altered the lived experiences of SWLD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic had substantially altered others' daily social interactions and the delivery of education globally. From preschool to universities, educational institutions worldwide temporarily closed their brick-and-mortar facilities to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The transition from in-person to virtual learning was very abrupt, and the transition forced teachers of all experience levels to adapt to a new normal of virtual instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of high school special education teachers' confidence to deliver virtual instruction to students within a school district that was 100% virtual due to COVID-19. Five high school SPED teachers participated in virtual interviews using Zoom video conferencing. Results of the study revealed three salient themes: communication, online instruction, and teachers' ability to adapt. Two subthemes of online instruction were identified: perceptions of online instruction and barriers to online instruction. Results of the study indicated the need for teachers to have a streamlined online process for the documentation, delivery, and reporting of special education services. Findings suggested that teachers need professional development available to them that would be tailored to online teaching strategies, student engagement strategies, online platforms that could be utilized to enhance instruction, and virtual tools that could assist teachers in providing services for students with IEPs. Future research using a mixed-methods approach among high school SPED teachers would allow investigators to gather additional qualitative and quantitative data. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
For the past two decades, there has been a shift in education to include students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusion classrooms. The problem addressed in this study was that the number of pupils with ASD attending mainstream schools is increasing;however, there is a lack of evidence to support whether their needs are being met in the general education classrooms. The purpose of this study was to examine teacher perceptions of their effectiveness in instructing students with ASD, as well as how these perceptions affect their self-efficacy in inclusion classrooms. Gestalt's theory of perception and Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory were used as the theoretical frameworks for this study. There were four research questions used to address the problem and the purpose of this study. This qualitative single case study was conducted in the state of Maryland. The sample size consisted of 15 general education teachers who had a minimum of 5 years of teaching students with ASD in inclusion classrooms in Grades K-5. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional method of face-to-face instruction was initially modified to online instruction then later streamlined to include in-person learning in a hybrid model. The data collection methods consisted of semi-structured interviews and teacher observations. Content analysis was used to identify themes from the data collected. The major themes that emerged from the study were teachers' perceptions of their self-efficacy, teachers' needs regarding resources and supports, factors teachers perceive are impacting their success, and barriers that teachers encounter. Results from the study revealed that more than half of the teachers viewed their perceptions of self-efficacy as being confident in their abilities and attributed their skill set to their years of teaching in inclusion classrooms. In addition, teachers shared that they received limited training to instruct students with ASD and needed training and adult support in their classrooms to assist the students during instructions. Recommendations for practice are to provide general education teachers with ongoing training specifically designed to instruct students with ASD and provide adult support in their inclusion classrooms that may result in improved student access to the curriculum. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
The benefits of giving minority students access to teachers of the same ethnic background has been widely documented. There is ample research that highlights how parents and students become more engaged when the teachers or other school staff are of their same cultural background (Cooper et al., 2010;De Gaetano, 2007;Mundt et al., 2015). Most of these studies also tell us how the teachers can connect with the students and parents;yet these studies have not specifically looked at special education teachers of color and their work with minority students with special needs (Redding, 2019, Stearns et al., 2013, Winstead & Wang, 2017). This study looked at how Latina/Latino special education teachers connect with their students receiving special education services. Moreover, this study focused on how Latina/Latino special education teachers use their language, customs, beliefs, traditions, values, and attitudes to reach and connect with their students. This study used a qualitative descriptive case study approach to explore the stories of four Latino/a special education teachers and their culturally responsive ways of teaching.The findings for this study can help Latina/o special education teachers and other non-Latina/Latino educators in developing a better understanding of how to reach and connect with Latino/a students with disabilities and establish a positive relationship that may lead to academic, social, and behavioral achievements. Due to the current social distancing guidelines because of the COVID- 19 pandemic, the data for this study was collected using one-to-one interviews and focus groups via video conferencing. The participants were asked a series of questions that required them to reflect on their current pedagogical practices. The findings of my study showed that when Latino special education students and special education teachers share the same or similar cultural background learning is more relevant. This goes along with the findings of other studies where it has been found that teachers can use their ethnic identity as an asset in the classroom (Gonzalez & Moll, 1995, as cited in Albers and Fredrick, 2013) to connect with students and make learning more relatable. The individual and focus group interviews revealed that these special education teachers have a deep understanding of the role that culture plays in the lives of their students. Through culture, they have been able to make meaningful connections with their students and their families. These connections have helped students make academic, social, and behavioral achievements. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)