EXPLORING PARENTS' EXPERIENCE ON DISTANCE LEARNING FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

Authors

  • M. Efstratopoulou Associate Professor UAEU, College of Education, Department of Special Education, Greece
  • S. Delligianidou Greek Ministry of Education, Special Education, Greece
  • M. Sofologi Early Years Department, University of Ioannina, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v7i1.3525

Keywords:

ASD, distance learning, qualitative design, interviews, parents

Abstract

During the lock-down period, many educational programs have been changed making possible to continue the learning process for learners with disabilities and particularly for students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). However, changing daily routines can result for elevated anxiety and stress for ASD learners. The aim of the study was to explore the experience of parents on Distance Learning with their children with Autism and Developmental disabilities. A qualitative research design was used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of ASD students discussing about benefits and challenges of the distance learning procedure. Parents’ responses indicated some benefits of the DL procedure during lockdown situations, however many challenges for both the ASD students and their parents were reported. Training for both parents and teachers were highly suggested to overcome the challenges during DL and improve the experience. Their overall experience and their suggestions can be used to improve the quality of the distance learning process for students with Autism and Developmental disabilities.

Article visualizations:

Hit counter

Author Biographies

  • M. Efstratopoulou, Associate Professor UAEU, College of Education, Department of Special Education, Greece
    Dr. Maria A. Efstratopoulou is an Associate Professor in Special Education at UAEU University in UAE. She holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from KULeuven, Belgium and she has many years of experience working in both educational and clinical settings with children and families. Her research interests are on Assessment and Diagnostic Procedures for Children with Emotional, Behavioural and Developmental Disabilities. She is an active researcher and author of several books and articles in the field.
  • S. Delligianidou, Greek Ministry of Education, Special Education, Greece
    Mrs Vasiliki- Sylvia Delligianidou, holds a MA in Adult Education and a M.Sc in Environmental Research. She has many years of experience working as a Head Teacher in Special and Mainstream schools in Greece mainly with children with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities.
  • M. Sofologi, Early Years Department, University of Ioannina, Greece
    Dr. Maria Sofologi is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina Greece. She is a Cognitive Psychologist holding a number of International Publications in Special Education.

References

Abdulrahman Obaid AI-Youbi, Al-Hayani, A., Bardesi, H. J., Basheri, M., Lytras, M. D., & Naif, R. A. (2020). The King Abdulaziz University (KAU) pandemic framework: A methodological approach to leverage social media for the sustainable management of higher education in crisis. Sustainability, 12(11), 22–24.

Bartholomew, A. (2015). Speaking Personally—With Sean Joseph Smith. American Journal of Distance Education, 29(1), 67–72. doi:10.1080/08923647.2014.961885.

Cahapay, M. B. (2020). How Filipino parents’ home educate their children with autism during COVID-19 period. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 1-4.‏

Jameson, J. M., & McDonnell, J. (2007). Going the distance to train teachers for students with severe disabilities: The university of Utah distance teacher education program. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 26(2), 26-32. Retrieved from https://search-proquest com.uaeu.idm.oclc.org/docview/227192430?accountid=62373.

Joan, D. R. R. (2018). Virtual classroom: A gift for disabled children. I-Manager's Journal on School Educational Technology, 14(2), 7-11. doi: http://dx.doi.org.uaeu.idm.oclc.org/10.26634/jsch.14.2.15100.

Kotera, Y., Cockerill, V., Green, P., Hutchinson, L., Shaw, P., & Bowskill, N. (2019). Towards another kind of borderlessness: online students with disabilities. Distance Education, 40(2), 170-186.‏

Lassoued, Z., Alhendawi, M., & Bashitialshaaer, R. (2020). An exploratory study of the obstacles for achieving quality in distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Education Sciences, 10(9), 232. doi: http://dx.doi.org.uaeu.idm.oclc.org/10.3390/educsci10090232.

Menlove, R., & Lignugaris/Kraft, B. (2004). Preparing rural distance education preservice special educators to succeed. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 23(2), 18-26.‏

Moisey, S. D. (2004). Students with disabilities in distance education: Characteristics, course enrollment and completion, and support services.‏

Obrad, C. (2020). Constraints and Consequences of Online Teaching. Sustainability, 12(17), 6982.

Rule, S., & Salzberg, C. L. (2009). Introduction to special topical issue on perspectives on distance education in special education-from test tube baby to freshman: Distance education grows up. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 28(3), 3-4. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.uaeu.idm.oclc.org/docview/815307182?accountid=62373.

Saleh. A. F., M., Farouk, A., A. (2013). Students with Disabilities' Attitudes towards E-learning courses in developing countries. Fourth International Conference on e-Learning Best Practices in Management, Design and Development of e-Courses: Standards of Excellence and Creativity. DOI: 10.1109/ECONF.2013.9.

Downloads

Published

2021-01-09

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2021)

Section

Articles

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

 

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

 

  1. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

 

  1. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).