Paradigm Shift of Special Education Teacher Candidates: Impact of Changing Service Delivery From Face to Face to Online Service Delivery

• In Event: Online Service Delivery and COVID-19: Special Education in Uncertain Times

Abstract

This paper examines special education teacher candidates’ perceptions about the impact of shifting from teaching children with disabilities in person to a remote learning delivery. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted formal education and shifted special education service delivery to a “remote modality”. Health restrictions and community lockdowns literally pushed teachers into online delivery systems beyond their own learning experiences and into their students’ homes. The research methodology employed is a grounded theory approach, where the responses from a six-open-question survey will later be deepened via Zoom meetings. Based on these results, administrators and policy makers have to consider changes to accommodate this paradigm shift to better serve students with disabilities, a matter of educational equity and social justice.

Authors

• Gabriela Walker, National University

• Katie Klinger, National University of California

• Nilsa J. Thorsos, National University