Inequality in the Schooling Experiences of Disabled Children and Their Families During COVID-19

Abstract

In this chapter, we examine how the schooling experiences of disabled children have changed during COVID-19, how families' engagement, advocacy and support of their children have shifted during the pandemic, and how race, class, and other axes of inequality shape these processes. Methods/Approach:We used a semi-structured interview protocol with families of disabled children, asking them about their experiences with their children's schools before and during the pandemic. We analyzed the interview data using "flexible coding" and the constant comparative method. Findings: COVID has had wide-reaching effects on disabled children's schooling experiences, yet these effects varied, particularly at the intersections of disability with race, class, linguistic status, and gender. Remote learning and other pandemic-related changes to schools exacerbated extant inequalities in children's educational experiences, as well as in families' ability to effectively advocate for their children in school. Implications/Value:This research provides important information about how the pandemic has exacerbated inequality at the intersection of disability, race, and other axes of inequality. Moreover, it provides a lens to examine ableism and other systems of oppression in schools. The findings have crucial policy implications, pointing to the necessity of equitably allocated, high quality, inclusive educational services for disabled students, as well as to the need for special education policy that does not rely on individual family advocacy to allocate appropriate services.

Impacts of COVID-19 on the school experience of children and adolescents with special educational needs and disabilities

“…During school closures, caregivers and family members were expected to implement support at home to facilitate their children’s engagement in virtual schooling and therapeutic services, and many families reported feeling unequipped to support their children’s complex needs [ 29 ]. Several studies identified significant variability in individual family’s capacity to support children’s special educational needs and provide adequate resources to conduct effective remote schooling [ 30.∗ , 31.∗∗ , 32.∗ ]. Critically, these challenges further widened the systemic, pre-existing educational inequalities for these students, as well as in families’ ability to effectively advocate for their children in school [ 17 , 30.∗ , 31.∗∗ , 32.∗ ].…”

“…Several studies identified significant variability in individual family’s capacity to support children’s special educational needs and provide adequate resources to conduct effective remote schooling [ 30.∗ , 31.∗∗ , 32.∗ ]. Critically, these challenges further widened the systemic, pre-existing educational inequalities for these students, as well as in families’ ability to effectively advocate for their children in school [ 17 , 30.∗ , 31.∗∗ , 32.∗ ].…”

“…Robust research supports a complex interaction between disability and other social categories including race, gender, poverty, and linguistic status, whereby youth from socially advantaged backgrounds have greater access to disability diagnosis and education services compared to their peers [ 31 ]. Challenges with changing educational experiences due to COVID-19 have been exacerbated by individual, historical, and structural barriers including increased financial hardships, amplified housing, food, or healthcare insecurities, unmet mental health needs, and pre-existing access issues, all of which perpetuate systemic inequities for students with SENDs and students of color with SENDs especially [ 3∗ , 4∗ , 5∗ , 8 ].…”

“…Racially marginalized and low-income students with SENDs had disproportionately experienced less access to in-person instruction as well as consistent, live instruction during virtual schooling due to limited district offerings, inadequate staffing, deficient access to high-speed internet, variation in health and safety concerns, and trauma from the pandemic more broadly [ 5 , 31 , 39 ]. Under-resourced schools and communities of color often have had limited capacity to provide tablets or laptops for all students or to purchase expensive (though largely untested) educational technology platform subscriptions, which may help promote student engagement among students with SENDs [ 40 , 41 , 42 ].…”

“…Under-resourced schools and communities of color often have had limited capacity to provide tablets or laptops for all students or to purchase expensive (though largely untested) educational technology platform subscriptions, which may help promote student engagement among students with SENDs [ 40 , 41 , 42 ]. These pandemic-driven disparities have widened the already expansive inequalities for marginalized students, including those at the intersection of such identities [ 28 , 31 , 39 , 43 , 44∗∗ , 45∗∗ ].…”