The Utilization of Virtual Kindergarten Application Among Students with Disabilities: Exploring Accessibility, Barriers; Families’ Perspective

Abstract

The early school closure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic had been a great challenge for students with disabilities and their families. Many students with disabilities rely on in-person support and services to access the curriculum. The transition to online learning presented new challenges for these students. In order to support students with disabilities during this time, countries such as Saudi Arabia developed virtual kindergarten applications. The current study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the Virtual Kindergarten (V.K.) application designed for special children in KSA. This study involved semi-structured virtual interviewees consisting of three main themes, i.e., access to the V.K. application, obstacles to using V.K., and strategies to increase its usefulness. A comprehensive thematic analysis was performed to draw valuable insights into the V.K. The results revealed that 70.6 % watched recorded lessons on other platforms, whereas 35.0 % attended classes using V.K. with active participation. Concerning obstacles, most parents had difficulty controlling their kids while taking online lectures on V.K. All the participants believed that there should be a support system available to the parents from teachers with the V.K. platform. To conclude, V.K. has the potential as a tool for communication and collaboration. However, there are some obstacles to using it effectively. By addressing these issues, V.K. can become an even more powerful tool for students with disabilities.