Online education for disabled students: Bane or boon?

The diverse spectrum of disabilities that we Humans are to come to terms with has created a much-needed space for awareness. Being aware creates future possibilities of acceptance and an inclusive environment for growth. Conventional educational institutions have not been able to justly accommodate the disabilities of their students. While online education for disabled students is now the only solution available, its efficacy is yet to be determined and constantly evolving. There are presently eight different kinds of disabilities: 

1. Medical disability 
2. Mental illness 
3. Mobility disability 
4. Learning disability 
5. Vision impairment 
6. Acquired brain disability 
7. Intellectual impairment 

While the spectrum is truly enormous, these categories make up for a large portion of it. Each impairment requires a very specific approach and sensitivity to tackle the situation. In large conventional educational institutions, it is easy for students with disabilities to get lost and feel misplaced. More than just feeling displaced, students with physical disabilities face the added problem of not being able to access most areas in a school environment. Interacting with peers and teachers also will be different for the various kinds of students with disabilities. 

In conventional schooling environments, the students outnumber the teachers by a massive margin. This makes it tough for teachers to give individualized attention to each student, especially those that require more effort. 

The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the landscape of modern-day education. Online education for disabled students and others has become the primary mode of communication. 

While this mode of teaching is drastically different than the traditional, here are some benefits that it offers depending on the nature of disability: 

1. Students with learning disabilities: 

Learning for such students has always been a challenge. The pace of learning in conventional educational institutions is tough to catch on to for most. Online learning allows learning at their own pace with the possibility of revisiting the material. Making use of software and computer programs prevents disabilities from hindering growth. This includes increasing the font size and changing the style to make readability better. 

1. Students with physical disabilities: 

Online learning is especially beneficial for students with physical disabilities. The cumbersome travel to and from school saves them time and effort. Furthermore, they always have the option of not being limited by school infrastructure, class size, or the nature of subjects. The internet provides a world full of information at the click of a button and prevents unnecessary stress or paranoia. This is also a great opportunity for them to regain their confidence and feel included in the larger learning ecosystem. 

1. Students with visual impairments: 

The biggest advantage for students with visual disabilities is that technology facilitates a speech to text translation. Students needn’t be dependent on aid or a teacher to read out such texts for them. Also advantageous are braille keyboards that help typing and empower students to work by themselves. As conveyed above, online learning for disabled students prevents them from having to travel to school. For visually impaired students, not having to travel helps them be in a better space both mentally and physically. It also reduces the stress that they may be exposed to in a school such as what other peers look like, what their surroundings are, and how they should behave in such a setting. 

1. Students with hearing disabilities: 

Online learning for disabled students permits hearing disabilities to be eliminated by the use of subtitles. In a conventional classroom, students with such disabilities are bound to miss out on key details during classes. Online education allows students to utilise subtitles for lectures and play/pause them when needed. Since text becomes a primary medium of communication, students can feel more comfortable and confident while expressing their ideas. This also reduces the disparity between them and their peers who might be incorrectly behaving due to lack of awareness. While learning from home, students can also be nurtured by their family members should he/she feel low or demotivated. 

1. Students with psychiatric disorders: 

The biggest advantage that online learning offers for students with psychiatric disorders is to function from a comfortable environment. Strange and new surroundings can act as triggers and seriously derail their progress and learning. The two biggest perks of online learning for disabled students are flexibility and comfort. These perks also aid students to make the most out of an environment that they are comfortable in. It is not that students with psychiatric disabilities are incapable of learning but it is their sensitivity towards the environment that can make or break their mindset. 

The situation may seem well enough for the propagation of a sound set of ideals but it is far from that. Surveys have observed that while the advantages are plenty, students are struggling with maintaining their attendance. Since most online classes are planned for a long duration, concentration spans are an inescapable and highly worrisome factor. An approximate 77 percent of students have admitted to not being able to cope with the challenges of online learning. Other than students, it is also their parents who feel that teachers have become less attentive than before and less patient.

Distance learning has a set of challenges that somehow is able to overpower the will to study. As parents scramble to help their children out, they too become stressed for their knowledge of systems and technology is equally limited. Teachers face similar challenges and while they are expected to know all the answers, technology does elude the best of us. 

As our world becomes more enshrined in a work-play mindset, our compassion for others has taken a hit. While there are continued challenges set up against students with disabilities, online learning provides a new dimension that has the potential to heal and restore.