Parents helping a child with disability learn at home during COVID-19: Experiences from Slovenia and Canada

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused much disruption in many global sectors, including education where schools were closed in most countries and children had to learn remotely from home. This was particularly challenging for children with special learning needs and disabilities, often already somewhat marginalized, as they were more likely to be left behind and less able to adapt easily to remote online learning. This study inquired into the experiences of 67 parents from Slovenia and 15 parents from Canada who helped their children with special learning needs or disabilities learn remotely. Parents in both countries identified several specific advantages and disadvantages to learning remotely from home. The Slovenian children spent more hours per day at their lessons and attended more lessons than the Canadian children. Both samples of parents received some support from their schools, although the Slovenia parents perceived these as more satisfactory. This study provides a unique opportunity to study the effects of remote learning during a prolonged crisis situation, and it provides valuable lessons for how both families and school personnel can work to improve the potential educational experiences of students who are required to learn remotely. A 12-point framework for planning for future emergencies is provided.