Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities across the country have rushed to move courses online, potentially overlooking the needs of students with intellectual, physical, emotional and behavioral disabilities.
Dr. Jessica Hunt, associate professor of mathematics education and special education in the College of Education at North Carolina State University (NC State), said “one size definitely does not fit all” when it comes to students with disabilities.
“The critical question becomes how to make sure remote learning is accessible and minimize barriers students may have to accessing and making sense of information as well as receiving services in the home,” she added. “In terms of access, it is also important to note that students need options and choices to work successfully from home. This is especially important from an equity stance more broadly because not all students have access to devices or reliable internet services.”
Professors and administrators should communicate with students and families about their needs, create a community of educators across disciplines, have a plan for remote instruction and establish a network of support, said Hunt.
To prepare for online coursework, Hunt also suggested only using technology and digital materials from a core set of tools and resources.
“Consider using tools that students are already familiar with,” she said. “If you find the need to introduce new tools or materials, this is a great time to consider that what is necessary for some is often good for all in terms of the accessibility of technology-based resources and materials.
Additionally, the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials recommended that, in order to make online tools accessible, the reading experience should be personalized by using tools such as speech to text and creating high-quality sound videos.
