Successful School Interventions for Students with Disability during COVID-19: Empirical Evidence from Australia

Children and young people with disability are a "vulnerable" population within a pandemic context as they face structural inequities and discrimination as a result of their impairments. In this paper, we report research that sought to examine the learning experiences of children and young people with disability during the COVID-19 pandemic. We wanted to understand how this group fared and whether different interventions impacted on these experiences. Data were collected from an online survey organized by Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) that garnered responses from more than 700 families. The study contributes empirical evidence to the growing literature about COVID-19-related impacts on learners already recognized as experiencing multiple disadvantages in schooling. We find some significant gaps in supports offered to students with disability and their families. Notwithstanding that some students did not receive any support from their schools, where supports were offered, social supports had the greatest positive impact on feelings of learner engagement. Our findings support key propositions in the social and emotional learning literature, namely that particular resourcing should be dedicated to social interaction and feelings of belonging as these are crucial to learners engaging in learning processes. There are clear implications of these findings in terms of what educational institutions might do to help engage students with disability in remote learning.

Post-Pandemic Onset Trends for Public School English Learners in Virginia. COVID-19 Impacts Research Brief Series No. 3

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the educational experiences of diverse student populations throughout the country and among Virginia public schools. English Learners (ELs) had a unique set of needs and services prior to the pandemic, and potentially were more vulnerable to pandemic-related disruptions in typical school operations than other student groups. We analyze statewide, student-level administrative data on the composition of the EL population, the identification for and reclassification out of EL services, and the exit of ELs from public school enrollment in kindergarten through grade twelve between the 2010-11 and 2020-21 school years to examine changes between the pre-pandemic period and first post-pandemic onset year (2020-21). Our key findings include the following: (1) Following the onset of the pandemic, the number of students classified as EL decreased for the first time in a decade. Specifically, whereas the number of students classified as EL increased by 26.0% (25,171 more students) between 2010-11 and 2019-20, the number of students classified as EL decreased by 3.2% (3,852 fewer students) between 2019-20 and the first post-pandemic onset year (2020-21). (2) There was a 21.6% decline (6,223 fewer students) in the number of Virginia K-12 public school students newly identified for EL services in 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20. The drop in new EL identification occurred across student groups, but was largest among Hispanic students, economically disadvantaged students, and ninth graders. (3) The number of EL students reclassified as fully English proficient decreased by 57.3% (8,169 fewer students) in 2020-21 as compared to the pre-pandemic period. This decline is nearly three times the size of the previous largest year-to-year change. The drops in reclassification among ELs occurred across student groups and were somewhat larger among Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students. (4) EL students' exits from Virginia public schools in the post-pandemic onset were a continuation of pre-pandemic trends and did not meaningfully vary by race/ethnicity, economically disadvantaged status, or disability status.

Online versus traditional instruction: Teachers' perspectives on the challenges facing students with disabilities

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)

Mothers As New Teachers During The COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities

COVID-19, as a global pandemic, has generated extreme disruptions and challenges worldwide in social, economic, healthcare, and educational sys-tems. To reduce the virus's transmission, education systems moved to remote learning in the spring of 2020, with little to no time for preparation. This paper examines the educational experiences of parents of students with disabilities whose children attended PreK-6th public schools in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic using a Disability Studies in Education theoretical framework. In this qualitative phenomenological study, we interviewed 15 mothers of students with disabilities on Zoom. Using constant-comparative data analysis, we identified a theme revealing mothers' new identities as teachers of their children with disabilities at home, which brought unique challenges and opportunities. The mothers' challenges were related to the school's overreliance on them in remote learning, balancing multiple responsibilities, the need to re-learn academic content and new technology, and the colli-sion of teacher and mom identities and school and home boundaries. These challenges strained mother-child relationships and negatively influenced the mothers' mental health and well-being. However, their new identity as new teachers also generated new opportunities. Particularly, remote learning made school practices transparent, and mothers reconceptualized their children's abilities and realized their competence for learning. © 2022 Authors.

Report on the Condition of Education 2023. NCES 2023-144

The "Report on the Condition of Education" is a congressionally mandated annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using the most recent data available (at the time this report was written) from NCES and other sources, the report contains key indicators on the condition of education in the United States at all levels, from prekindergarten through postsecondary, as well as labor force outcomes and international comparisons. There are core indicators that are updated every year and spotlight indicators that provide in-depth analyses on topics of interest to education agencies, policymakers, researchers, and the public. At the broadest level, the Condition of Education Indicator System is organized into five sections: family characteristics;preprimary, elementary, and secondary education;postsecondary education;population characteristics and economic outcomes;and international comparisons. The Report on the "Condition of Education 2023" encompasses key findings from the Condition of Education Indicator System. The full contents of the Indicator System can be accessed online through the website or by downloading PDFs for the individual indicators. [For "The Condition of Education 2023": At a Glance, see ED628291. For the "Report on the Condition of Education 2022. NCES 2022-144," see ED619870.]

Riding Fences

An introduction to journal is presented in which the author discusses articles within the issue on topics including differences in the receipt and delivery of extended school year services in the U.S., ways to sustain work experiences in rural communities and improve for youth with disabilities, and professional development model for secondary mathematics co-teaching.

Establishing a context for the examination of learning loss by special populations

School closures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have brought the issue of learning loss to the forefront in what has been called the "COVID slide." Data from the pandemic show a decline in student achievement in the areas of reading and mathematics for school districts that shifted to virtual learning platforms. However, it is unclear whether students experienced a loss of learning, or if they progressed at a slower rate while adapting to a new and unfamiliar learning modality. We propose that the latter may be especially true for younger students (i.e. K-3) as well as students with disabilities, who likely required additional support to engage in virtual learning. We offer recommendations as K-12 students return to in-person learning.

Higher Education for Students with Disabilities. An Overview Through the Lens of Text Min

Inequalities and exclusion from education were exposed and worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic;however, it forced us to recognize the need to make equality, equity, and social inclusion policies effective for all. Scientific and technological solutions to global threats depend on the formation of the maximum number of qualified human resources, which entirely relies on enabling everyone to acquire, update, and improve their knowledge, skills, and competencies through lifelong learning and higher education. To guarantee inclusive and quality education for all (UN Sustainable Development Goal 4) is hard to achieve at higher education or post-secondary levels. This research aims to provide an overview of the achievements and challenges that higher education institutions (HEI) face in fulfilling the requirements of students with disabilities (SWD). We analyzed a database of 104 s from reviews of SWD in HEI published in Scopus-indexed journals between 2018 and August 2022. After data preprocessing, the text mining analysis on the corpus was visualized in word clouds and graphs. From the results, we could identify that providing access to facilities and information still dominates the research on inclusive education, and visual disability is the most frequently analyzed. The graphs reveal published research on undergraduates with disorders like Autism Spectrum (ASD), learning disorders, and visual, hearing, physical, intellectual, and psychosocial disabilities. The authors also evidenced the lack of information on the barriers and needs of SWD in HEI and potential future research to address them. Concerning the strategies to attend and care for SWD inside the classrooms, the graphs highlight Universal Design as a promising trend leading to inclusivity in higher education. The results and analyses in current research provide essential information to educational stakeholders and decision-makers inside institutions so that they can take action to embrace diversity. © 2023 IEEE.

Special Issue on Application of Implementation Science to Improve Outcomes for Students With Disabilities: Synthesis and Future Directions

Over the last 20 years, researchers examining the education of students with disabilities have made a concerted effort to develop evidence-based practices (EBP) and enact policies to promote and support their usage to raise expectations and improve outcomes. However, the promised results of EBP are still elusive. This special issue illustrates the potential and impact of using implementation science across various educational contexts to develop enabling conditions for leaders and educators to support the use of evidence. We summarize the special issue's articles on the use of implementation science to support progress toward obtaining outcomes for students with disabilities. Specifically, key takeaways from each article and connections between articles are made. The summary concludes with key recommendations for policymakers, education agencies at each level of the system, and our practitioners who make use of implementation science methods and practices. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2023.

How are examinations inclusive for students with disabilities in higher education? A sociomaterial analysis

As a form of assessment, examinations are designed to determine whether students have met learning outcomes. However, students with disabilities report avoiding examinations, selecting units of study where the assessments align with their strengths. To ensure examinations do not contribute to the systematic exclusion of students with disabilities, it is important to explore their experiences. In this paper, we use a sociomaterial frame to analyse how examination arrangements construct inclusion in examinations. Interviews with 40 students were conducted across two universities. Inclusion or exclusion was variably constituted for students through emergent combinations of social and material arrangements. Covid-19 pandemic related social distancing related changes such as shifting examinations online, using technology, increasing time limits and moving to open-book examinations contributed to increased inclusion for most students, who were able to use familiar equipment in spaces they had adapted to their own needs. Staff acceptance and implementation of access requirements and assessment flexibility also contributed. While the attitudes and actions of staff involved in examinations can facilitate inclusion, reducing the need for adjustments through assessment design is important. This requires consideration of how time, technology, equipment and materials contribute to inclusion or exclusion, which may have benefits for many students.

The Goal Setting Challenge App: Promoting Self-Determination Through Technology

Promoting student self-determination is recognized as the best practice in secondary transition planning. Few self-determination interventions have utilized technology to provide individualized learning opportunities. The Goal Setting Challenge (GSC) App was developed to provide a technology-based instructional approach to support developing self-determination. The purpose of this single-case study was to evaluate the impact of the GSC App on self-determination knowledge outcomes for students with disabilities and explore the feasibility of students' use of the App in transition planning over an academic semester. Results were significantly impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic;however, this created opportunities to explore feasibility during in-person instruction and the unprecedented shift to remote learning. Findings suggest mixed results related to outcomes for student use and feasibility but suggest the possibility of the App providing a student-friendly means for engaging in self-determination instruction during in-person and remote instruction. Limitations and implications for future research and practice are discussed. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Remedial & Special Education is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Special education challenges in transitioning to online learning in Wyoming during the COVID-19 pandemic

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)

Using DEC-Recommended Practices to Support Virtual Classrooms and Remote Learning

The global pandemic has meant that some schools are back in session with new and changing rules, and others are providing remote learning. The U.S. Department of Education has addressed specialized instruction through remote learning for children with disabilities, including addressing misconceptions about service delivery for children with disabilities making clear that school districts and early intervention programs are mandated to continue providing meaningful educational opportunities for children with disabilities (United States Department of Education, 2020). Children with disabilities have a right to services that address their IEP goals during the pandemic, and teachers are being asked to be innovative and flexible and work with families to create equitable learning opportunities to support children's interactions with each other. During this unusual and difficult time, many families do not have access to email to answer questionnaires, limited capacity to answer phone calls, unreliable or no access to the internet, or no or inadequate devices to support instructional platforms. District and school leaders need to support teachers in identifying and addressing these challenges to provide equitable access to learning opportunities. In this article, the authors provide strategies for quality virtual instruction with an emphasis on family engagement.

Rural parent and elementary school student resilience to COVID-19: Disability status and parental predictors of change

Little is known about how the COVID-19 pandemic relates to child and parent functioning in a rural population. The present study investigated how disability status and parent factors related to resilience in a rural population before and after the shift to remote instruction. Parents of elementary-aged children in a rural area of the U.S. completed an online questionnaire, rating their own functioning and their child's academic, cognitive, and socioemotional functioning (1) retrospectively thinking back to a month before the pandemic, and (2) at the time of the survey, approximately four months after the onset of pandemic changes. Parents of children with disabilities perceived stronger child resilience through the pandemic transition than parents of children without disabilities. Additionally, parents who better maintained their work-life balance and support through the pandemic transition reported stronger resilience in their children. These results highlight the importance of supporting all children and parents during difficult transitions (e.g., providing additional resources so that parents can maintain similar levels of balance and support through the transition), including those students who have experienced less adversity pre-transition.

Teachers' digital competence to assist students with functional diversity: Identification of factors through logistic regression methods

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)

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students with disabilities or pre-existing conditions: A qualitative dissertation

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a global and multifaceted impact on public health. The onset of the pandemic has resulted in widespread campus closures and transitions from in-person classes to online learning, further exacerbating the mental health crisis brought about by the pandemic. The effects of federal and state regulations have influenced the psychological well-being and mental health of many, more notably for college students with disabilities or pre-existing conditions. However, COVID-19 research on college students with disabilities or pre-existing conditions is limited and mostly international, thus it is of great importance to address these limitations.This phenomenological study explored the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and educational experiences of college students with disabilities or pre- existing conditions and examined how they coped across the 2020-2021 academic year. To address these aims, thematic analysis of qualitative data collected from the fall 2020 (n=36) and spring 2021 (n=28) semi-structured in-depth interviews was conducted. Findings reveal that college students with disabilities or pre-existing conditions report experiencing compounding stressors (i.e., academic, isolation) that negatively impacted their mental health and education. Moreover, findings shed light on the intersectionality of disability as identities overlapped to produce differing and unique experiences. Although students coped in a variety of ways (i.e., behavioral, relational, mental), many shared that stigmatizing barriers kept them from seeking help when needed. Some reported engaging in and utilizing more effective coping strategies in the spring 2021 than those that they used and experienced in the fall 2020. These findings indicate the need for restructuring how disability is perceived and taught within higher education, eschewing an ableist, deficit-oriented, and self-stigmatizing view of disability in favor of one that fosters positive identity development and encourages others to embrace their strengths and values. Additionally, findings may be used to develop inclusive resources that actively work to dismantle the attitudinal and societal barriers that prevent individuals from seeking out resources when needed. As these students begin to return to campus, it is vital that the educational environment they are coming back to is one of acceptance and inclusion of all identities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Attitudes of Students with Disabilities in the Jordanian University Community in the Central Region towards Distance Learning and the Level of their Interactions with it During the Covid-19 Pandemic

This study aims to identify the attitudes of students with disabilities in the Jordanian universities community in the center towards distance learning and the level of their interactions with it during the Corona Covid-19 pandemic. The study participants were (205) students with disabilities, who responded to the study scale that was developed specially to this study and consists of (62) items divided into two main dimensions: Attitudes, which consisted of (39) items and Interaction, which consisted of (23) items, and the researchers verified the validity and reliability indicators of the scale. The results indicated that the attitudes of students with disabilities in the Jordanian university community towards distance learning were negative and revealed that there were differences in the attitudes of students with disabilities towards distance learning due to the type of their disabilities and knowledge of using technological communication tools. On the other hand, the results found no differences attributable to the student's gender or the type of learning platform. The results also showed a moderate level of interactions among students with disabilities with distance learning, in addition to the lack of a correlation between the attitudes of students with disabilities towards distance learning and their level of interactions with distance learning. © 2022 DSR Publishers/The University of Jordan.

Using Technology to Enhance Special Education. Advances in Special Education. Volume 37

"Using Technology to Enhance Special Education," Volume 37 of Advances in Special Education, is a logically, thoughtfully organized, and well-sequenced text. It focuses on how general and special educators can use technology to work with children and youth with disabilities. This cutting-edge book involves researchers, scholars, educators, and leaders who are knowledge producers in the field. It is written to respond to today's changing world where technology has become a very powerful force. As it stands, the world is getting smaller and smaller;and what is happening in a location quickly becomes known everywhere. For example, during the tense periods of the global COVID pandemic, technology became the livewire of our world. This book begins with an introduction to technology and students with disabilities;and the remaining chapters focus on the role of technology in the education of students with learning disabilities, emotional and/or behavioral disorders, and intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, physical and health impairments, hearing impairments/deafness, visual impairments, and traumatic brain injuries. In addition, some chapters focus on the role of technology in achieving equitable and inclusive education, building culturally and linguistically responsive general and special education, and creatively using digital comics to improve written narratives. In the end, this book concludes with a chapter that forward looking ways to infuse technology in special education. We feel that this volume is an excellent resource for special education researchers, scholars, practitioners, and professionals who teach and serve students with disabilities.

Collaborating with parents during COVID-19 online teaching: special educator perspectives

Teachers whose students had trouble independently accessing the online curriculum during COVID-19 online learning had to rely heavily on parents. This paper presents findings from interviews with elementary special educators regarding their experiences collaborating with parents while teaching online. Thematic analysis generated four themes: prioritising non-academic support;increases in mutual understanding;parents implementing educational content;and providing feedback to parents. Teachers emphasised providing socio-emotional support to families and reported opportunities for teachers and parents to learn more about each other. They also highlighted several skills that were not smoothly translating to the home. Implications regarding strong teacher–parent partnerships are discussed.

Supporting Students with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Perspective of Disability Resource Professionals.

Utilizing national survey data, this paper details the academic and access challenges created by the pandemic for students with disabilities, as perceived by disability resource professionals. Data included in this paper capture disability support service challenges at two unique timepoints during the COVID-19 pandemic-May 2020 [n = 535] and January 2021 [n = 631]. Disability resource professionals reported there was difficulty in the initial months of the pandemic for students to provide documentation of a disability to receive accommodations, use assistive technology in the new remote academic setting, and receive testing accommodations within the remote environment. While access and resources improved for students with disabilities over time, a portion of the surveyed disability resource professionals noted no observed improvement in students' with disabilities communication with instructors as well as a worsening of conditions for students with disabilities throughout the pandemic related to access to counseling and mental health services. In addition to highlighting key obstacles faced by this student group during the pandemic, this paper provides recommendations and implications for institutions to better serve this student group, including how institutions of higher education can coordinate a holistic approach to support student mental health.