Distance Learning: Special Education Teachers Share Their Experiences

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

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools around the world shifted the way they provided instruction to their students. This caused stress on teachers, as they grappled with figuring out ways to provide instruction to all of their students. Students with disabilities, for example, often require accommodations to access instructional content, which often must be implemented within proximity to their teachers and paraprofessionals. Thus, special education teachers had additional layers of challenges when providing their students with equitable access to education. In this phenomenological study, we interviewed Illinois special educators to learn about their experiences and perceptions of facilitating distance learning. While there were many challenges, the teachers shared that they experienced success through support, collaboration, and resources.

Authors

• Gina L Braun, Rockford College

• Samantha Walte, University of Louisville

• Christopher R Emerling, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Skip Kumm, University of Alabama