Accepting Uncertainty: Teaching Special Education in a Pandemic

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

Abstract

School closures in March 2020 due to COVID-19 affected over one billion students worldwide (UNESCO, 2020). In March, the pandemic's impact reached Minnesota as teachers shifted to distance learning for the remainder of the school year. In this study, we examine the experiences of special education teachers in Minnesota as they managed and adapted their work during pandemic conditions. Data collected through a statewide survey identifies how special education teachers provided specialized programming and coped with the changes in their work. The findings present gaps in instructional technology and digital communication for students, yet reveal the positive coping approaches teachers used to deal with the challenges.

Authors

• Laura Medwetz, University of St. Thomas

• C. Candace Chou, University of Saint Thomas

• Laroye Lynn Stansberry-Brusnahan, University of Saint Thomas