Unprecedented has become a common word that has been used to describe the current situation of multiple schools, colleges and universities. Multiple institutions have shifted from in-person classes to online learning for the rest of the 2020-2021 school year due to the concerns surrounding COVID-19. Many universities have been instructing students and professors alike to switch to using online resources such as Zoom, Skype and other video conferencing applications to continue the classes. This is a fairly new situation for many students as it shifts from being able to see their professors and peers in class to seeing them on their computer screen. However this brings concerns for students that don’t have access to reliable WiFi, computers, textbooks and other resources that they rely on to succeed in class. This change has affected many professors as many will have to adjust to using new technology, rearrange their curriculum and also work with students that may face difficulties due to this change.
Students with disabilities are facing an uncertain and very scary horizon because this means that their access to their accommodations and rights are up in the air. Many of the accommodations that these students have used to succeed in their classes may not work for their online classes. Many professors are informed of their students’ accommodations but many students have found some professors don’t meet them halfway there. With this shift to online learning, there is the fear that their professors may not allow the students to have the accommodations that they need for their classes. This may sound ridiculous, but this is a possibility that could affect many students with disabilities. To combat this kind of situation, students with disabilities should work with their college’s office for students with disabilities. These people are there to help these students while helping them advocate for their rights and make sure that their professors understand why they need these accommodations.
Online learning means using new technology and computers, which is something that many current students may be open to considering many may have access to laptops, tablet computers, iPads and other technology. Technology has been evolving over the years but people don’t realize that not all technology is accessible. Video conference applications such as Zoom may not have all of the accessibility that students with disabilities need. Students with disabilities that affect their attention or to process information may find this challenging. They might be in classes that involve large group discussions, which could make it difficult for them to follow along with their classmates. Some students may not turn on their cameras when speaking, which can make it difficult for them to detect who is speaking. There may be students that may rely on seeing their professors’ faces to understand what they are saying in class but sometimes they can’t see their faces at the same time as they are seeing the lecture slides on the screen. Students that rely on sign-language interpreters will have to figure out how to coordinate with their professors and have them being online when the lecture is happening. Although students will have access to lectures with their professors, they may still miss important information due to a technological issue or unreliable WiFi.
Online classes not only mean using video conferencing for classes but also figuring out how to access texts that professors may use to supplement their lectures or for assignments that students will have to complete. This may not seem like a problem, but this could be a problem for visually-impaired and blind students. They may have used resources provided to them such as screen-readers, text-to-audio software and other tools that helped them be able to understand the text that was provided to them. However this could be a problem with online learning as these students may not be able to access this resource from home the same way they are able to on campus. Professors may upload documents that have been scanned, which could be a problem for them. The scanned images may become blurry, which could be an issue for visually-impaired students. Another concern is that professors may have students watch videos on YouTube or other websites where they can access the videos. This is a concern for hearing impaired students because many videos that are online don’t have closed captions. Even though YouTube may have automated captioning available, it’s not always accurate, which is frustrating for hearing-impaired students. Professors may post recorded lectures online but the lectures might not have accurate closed captions, which could make it more difficult for hearing impaired students. Even though the Internet has access to other resources that professors can use for their classes, they forget that those resources may not be accessible for students with disabilities.
Online learning is still a new territory for many students and professors. There are going to be challenges that everyone will face. It will be harder for students with disabilities because they may have difficulty finding a quiet place for their classes at home or wherever they are. Online learning may have been the route that many colleges have taken but many of them didn’t consider the consequences for students that are differently abled than their peers. Technology has been seeing advances but it’s not always accessible for students with disabilities, which could affect their progress in their studies. To help make this journey easier, there should be effective communication from both the professors and students. Professors should be made aware that students with disabilities may not show the same engagement as they always would in person due to the lack of access that they may be facing. Students should work with their college’s office for students with disabilities to help mediate the situation and work with the professors. It’s not an easy situation, but it will become better if everyone works together. Even though these are uncertain times, it’s important that everyone is looking out for their health and well-being too.