Access and Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Virtual Learning Environments: Implications for Post-Pandemic Teaching

Porter, Susan G.; Greene, Kai; Esposito, Marco

doi:10.18251/ijme.v23i3.3011

Cited by 13 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…It's possible that this finding could suggest that students valued live lectures over recorded ones. However, as this finding is contrary to similar studies showing that on the whole students prefer recorded lectures (especially those with disabilities and English as a second language e.g., Porter et al, 2021), it would be worth exploring this result in more detail in a future study. Overall, the findings suggest that students working at the first-class level changed their approach to the material, increasing their access, specifically accessing PowerPoints and ancillary material (such as web links or articles).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 83%

How Does Student Access to a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Change During Periods of Disruption?

2023

JHETP

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Higher Education often faces disruptions to teaching due to wider events, such as industrial action by staff or the recent COVID-19 pandemic (Li et al., 2022). Digital learning tools (such as Virtual Learning Environments, VLEs) can be used to support teaching and learning processes reducing the impact of disruptive events. This case study, compares student VLE behaviour across three consecutive cohorts featuring two "typical" university semesters (2016 and 2017), and one semester ( 2018) which featured industrial action. Learning analytics from students' activity on the VLE system analyzed. Findings show that high-and middle-performing students tend to increase their use to compensate for the lack of teaching, whilst lower-performing students reduce their access possibly due to lower levels of self-efficacy and selfregulation. These findings suggest that educators need to consider how VLEs could be designed to support students when learning should be delivered through an asynchronous online learning environment. For example, educators should consider designing VLE spaces that promote flexibility, and supporting selfregulation, whilst also providing clear guidance on structuring learning activities.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 83%

How Does Student Access to a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Change During Periods of Disruption?

2023

JHETP

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“…There were cases of burn-out of teachers and/or other professionals during the pandemic, as shown by other studies as well (Cheptea et al, 2021;Papazis et al, 2023;Vargas Rubilar & Oros, 2021). The challenge of inaccessible platforms and educational material is also reported in many studies conducted worldwide (Jia & Santi, 2021;Porter et al, 2021).…”

Section: Conclusive Remarksmentioning

confidence: 56%

Stakeholders’ Views on Strategies, Measures and Policies Implemented in Education of Students with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece

Papazoglou,

Kalaitzi,

Papazis

et al. 2024

EJIE

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PURPOSE. The pandemic crisis outbreak had a severe impact on all aspects of people’s lives worldwide. Educational systems applied across the globe, were forced to adapt to new, restricting conditions overnight changing abruptly the educational landscape, especially for students with disabilities (SwDs). The lack of central preparedness strategy and the unprecedented conditions called upon the experts, administrators, teachers and parents/carers to interpret and implement strategies, policies, and measures challenging progress conquered in the past years in inclusive education. The aim of the present study was to investigate the experiences and views of key-stakeholders in special and inclusive education in Greece (experts-regional coordinators, administrators, parents/carers) on strategies, measures and policies implemented in education of SwDs during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and to explore potential perspectives emerged in safeguarding the special and inclusive education in crisis times. METHODS. An exploratory qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was applied. The participants of the study were 31 key-stakeholders in total (11 experts-regional coordinators, 10 administrators, and 10 parents/carers who have children with disabilities). Interviews were conducted via video conferencing platforms using three different interview protocols designed by the research team for the purposes of the study. Qualitative data were collected and analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS. The findings reveal both similar and diverging approaches among the stakeholders regarding the strategies, measures and policies as well as concerning the surfaced challenges and proposed recommendations. Emphasis by the stakeholders is given to the lack of systematic recording of needs and preparedness plan before the pandemic outbreak. The lack of central guidance and support is identified as a major aggravating factor regardless of the initiatives taken at individual or local level to promote learning of SwDs. All stakeholders acknowledged the need to develop and use an applicable preparedness plan for schools during crisis, in order to maintain and promote further equal access to education for all students. CONCLUSION. The key-stakeholders of the special and inclusive education in Greece have similar and diverging views on how the special education challenges were addressed during the pandemic crisis. However, all parties concurred on the pressing need for a preparedness plan to be applied to all schools in case of a future crisis. Points of Interest The present paper presents the views of key-stakeholders regarding the strategies, policies, programs implemented for the education of SwDs during the pandemic crisis in Greece. The importance of the study lies in the fact that primary data were collected from the full range of key-stakeholders (teachers/professionals, administrators as well as parents/carers) in inclusive education. The results show views on the following central themes: preparation and operation of schools, educational practices and material, measures, services, educational programs, interventions, emerging needs of SwDs, as well as challenges, recommendations, and feedback. The results reflect an interesting canvas of similar and diverging views across the involved key stakeholders in the education of SwDs during the pandemic crisis.

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“…The widespread earthquakes and the pandemic have made the availability of learning environments necessary for SIP challenging for SWD (Porter et al, 2021). ERT can be considered a student-centered, student-centered method that can be used to maintain the educational activities of SWD affected by both pandemic and earthquake disasters (Slootman et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since distance education is likely to continue in the future, unless changes are made in the access and quality of online teaching in the SIP process, SWD will continue to be left behind by their peers. When implemented with proper planning and adequate teacher training, virtual learning environments and online teaching can achieve positive outcomes associated with face-to-face teaching, especially for SWD (Porter et al, 2021). Although many studies on distance education have been published, only a limited number of studies have addressed the depth of the outcomes, associated challenges, and opportunities of primary school-level classroom teachers' implementation of the ERT method of teaching SWD in the SIP process (Jothinathan et al, 2021;Toquero, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inclusion Practices and Emergency Remote Teaching from the Perspective of Classroom Teachers

BİLGİÇ

2023

Sakarya University Journal of Education

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The recent Kahramanmaraş earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic led to the implementation of emergency remote teaching (ERT) to prevent the interruption of education services. This rapid implementation of ERT in the educational process led to many new experiences for classroom teachers in implementing teaching activities for students with special educational needs (SWD) in terms of successful inclusion practices (SIP). It is essential to have information about the teachers' experiences of SIP through ERT to determine which strategies they used to cope with the difficulties experienced in this process, to assess their needs and suggestions about the process, and to take measures to overcome these difficulties to realize effective teaching in case similar disasters occur again in the future. This study aims to determine the experiences of classroom teachers on ERT practices for effective instruction for SWD in the process of SIP. The study adopts qualitative research, and a phenomenological design was utilized to analyze classroom teachers' experiences on the subject in depth. The participants of the study consisted of eight primary school classroom teachers. The research data were obtained using a semi-structured interview form applied to the participants. Through thematic analysis of the qualitative data obtained, themes, sub-themes, and codes were created and analyzed. The findings showed that the ERT process carried out within the scope of SIP has advantages and disadvantages for teachers and SWD. The Advantages and disadvantages of teaching basic academic skills (Turkish, mathematics, life science, social studies, and science) were also identified. In addition, it was concluded that teachers have needs and expectations in the SIP process for SWD, and if necessary, studies are carried out in this regard; the more comprehensive distance education method can be used in the relevant process instead of the ERT method. Research findings were discussed within the literature framework, and limitations and recommendations were stated.

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Access and Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Virtual Learning Environments: Implications for Post-Pandemic Teaching

Cited by 13 publications

References 25 publications

How Does Student Access to a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Change During Periods of Disruption?

How Does Student Access to a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Change During Periods of Disruption?

Stakeholders’ Views on Strategies, Measures and Policies Implemented in Education of Students with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece

Inclusion Practices and Emergency Remote Teaching from the Perspective of Classroom Teachers

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