Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 MA in Education & Human Resources Development, Exceptional Education Teacher, Gonabad, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of of Educational Management, Allameh Tabatabae’i University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the views of teachers and parents of students with learning disabilities about the benefits and challenges of online education and their educational strategies during the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus. To achieve this goal, an exploratory case study research design with qualitative and quantitative data was used.In order to collect the teachers' opinions, a semi-structured interview, the questions of which were developed based on the STAR technique and according to the teachers' lived experiences, was held with six teachers of the Radiation Learning Disabilities Center of Gonabad city, and with the method of thematic analysis and coding, Qualitative data were analyzed.By adapting the online education questionnaire (Paudel, 2021) and adjusting it according to the purpose of the researcher and the studied society, the views of 100 parents of students with learning disabilities were collected. The results of the qualitative data analysis showed that during the online education implemented for students with learning disabilities, the teachers of the three stages "starting crisis and online education", "continuation of online education" and "institutionalization of online education" identified in seven dimensions "negative emotions", "interaction in class", "executive infrastructure", "teaching", "educational limitation", "Parental compatibility" and "students with learning disabilities". Finally, despite the increase in the media literacy of teachers and parents and the greater awareness of parents about special education and the expansion of the use of communication tools in the teaching-learning process, the attitude of teachers regarding the results of online education was negative. Quantitative data analysis showed that parents were not satisfied with online education and they believe that virtual classes in the dimensions of "student learning", "readiness for online education", "negative habits" and "suitability and modernity" "It is damaged.
Keywords: Learning Disabilities, Covid-19, Online Education, Education of Students with Special Needs.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
During the COVID-19 pandemic, online and distance learning emerged as a pivotal strategy to ensure educational continuity (Aliyah et al., 2020). While this digital transition offered unprecedented flexibility in terms of temporal and spatial access to curriculum (Meins et al., 2009), it simultaneously introduced formidable challenges, particularly due to the systemic lack of preparedness for such a sudden pedagogical shift (Zahra & Kirillova, 2020). These difficulties were notably pronounced for students with learning disabilities (LD), as well as their educators and parents. Unlike their neurotypical peers, students with LD rely heavily on synchronous face-to-face instruction, nuanced interpersonal communication, behavioral modeling, and the integration of multisensory physical supports—elements that are often diluted in virtual environments. Consequently, the present study sought to explore the perspectives of both teachers and parents regarding the opportunities and systemic barriers of online education for students with learning disabilities, aiming to address the following research questions.
Research Questions
What are the primary pedagogical, technical, and systemic challenges and opportunities perceived by teachers and parents during the online education process for students with learning disabilities?
What are the prevailing attitudes of teachers and parents regarding the academic and developmental outcomes of online learning for this specific student population?
To what extent does the digital literacy and technological proficiency of teachers and parents influence their overall attitudes and perceived efficacy toward online education?
What instructional and interactive strategies did teachers employ to facilitate conceptual understanding and maintain engagement among students with learning disabilities in a virtual environment?
Literature Review
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of online learning strategies offered certain pedagogical advantages for students with special needs, including unrestricted access to asynchronous course materials and the capacity for repetitive engagement with educational content (Boone et al., 2020; Shock & Lambert, 2020). Despite these benefits, the transition to virtual platforms precipitated significant multifaceted challenges. Crucial among these were the heightened reliance on intensive parental scaffolding (Bakanin et al., 2023), the erosion of essential prosocial connections (Zaki, 2020), and the manifestation of psychological distress and anxiety in children (Shaw & Shaw, 2023). Furthermore, prolonged sedentary behavior and increased screen time led to notable musculoskeletal and motor impairments among students (Pottery et al., 2020).
Empirical evidence further underscores the perceived inefficacy of these digital transitions; for instance, Fawzi and Khasuma (2020) reported that 73.9% of educators deemed online education largely ineffective for students with special needs. They categorized the primary barriers into four distinct domains: (1) infrastructural accessibility, (2) network and connectivity stability, (3) pedagogical execution (planning and assessment), and (4) parent-teacher collaboration. For parents, the burden of online education translated into increased temporal demands, a lack of technological literacy, and financial strain due to escalating internet costs (Pottery et al., 2020). Additionally, parents often struggled with a limited understanding of specialized educational concepts and time constraints, both of which adversely affected their psychological well-being and overall mental health (Shaw & Shaw, 2023).
Methodology
The present study employed a mixed-methods research design to elicit comprehensive and multidimensional insights into the experiences of educators and parents of students with learning disabilities (LD) regarding online education.Phase I: Qualitative Component:
The qualitative phase focused on teachers at the Tabesh Learning Disabilities Center in Gonabad during the 2021-2022 academic year. Data were gathered through Behavioral Event Interviewing (BEI), with protocols structured according to the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result). The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic content analysis, involving two stages of systematic coding to identify emergent pedagogical and structural themes.
Phase II: Quantitative Component:
The quantitative phase targeted parents of students referred to the same center during the first half of the 2021-2022 academic year. Using a convenience sampling approach, 100 parents were recruited for the study. Their perspectives were assessed via a modified version of the Poodle (2021) Questionnaire, specifically adapted for special education contexts.
To ensure the psychometric integrity of the Parental Experiences Questionnaire, both face validity and construct validity were rigorously evaluated. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted, identifying four distinct underlying dimensions:
Student-Related Factors,
Readiness for Online Education,
Negative Behavioral Habits, and
Curricular Relevance and Technological Currency.
The instrument demonstrated high internal consistency, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.85, confirming its reliability for measuring parental perceptions in this domain.
Results
Qualitative Results:
The qualitative phase of the study, conducted through Behavioral Event Interviewing (BEI) and analyzed via systematic thematic coding, yielded a comprehensive map of educators' experiences. By employing the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result), the researchers captured the dynamic evolution of online pedagogical strategies for students with learning disabilities (LD). Following two rigorous rounds of coding, the emerging themes were synthesized into the following structural framework, illustrating the trajectory of educational adaptation during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Table 1. Teachers of students with learning disabilities' experiences of online education
Institutionalization of Online Education
Continuation Online Education
Onset of the Crisisand Online Education
Pattern Codes
time course
Teachers' Negative Attitudes to Virtual Learning Outcomes
Efforts to Improve
Confusion
Negative Emotions
The use of communication tools in the teaching-learning process
The effects of communication in increasing motivationLack of warm and intimate communication in virtual education
Lack of face-to-face communication and its impact on the education and treatment processThe importance of communicating with students with learning disabilities in the education and treatment process
Interaction in the classroom
Benefits of Shad Network
Combination of Virtual and Face-to-Face EducationCommunication Channels to Transfer Educational Content to StudentsUsing Media
Ensuring Students' Access to Communication Tools and CyberspaceWeak InternetShad Network ProblemsWaste of Time to Establish Online Education Facilities
Implementation Infrastructure
repeatability of educationIncreasing teachers' capabilitiesTeachers' interpersonal developmentEducation development
Teacher supervisionFace-to-face assessmentPrivatizing education and treatmentFinding appropriate online education contentDifferentiated educationContent production
Forming educational groupsUsing available educational facilitiesAdjusting class timeIdentifying student educational and process problems
Teaching process
Increase in students with learning disorders
Exacerbation of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in StudentsInadequacy of Focused Educational Programs in the Field of Learning Disabilities
Limitations on implementinglearning disability activities in cyberspacePerforming motor tasksInability to take specialized tests from studentsInability to correctly diagnose students' problemsLimitations on learning
Educational limitations
Increasing parental awareness
Using parental cooperation in the process of education and treatment of students with learning disabilitiesNeed for parental cooperationParental reluctance to share photos or audio of their childParental lack of cooperation in educational activitiesUsing parental cooperation in the process of education and treatment of students with learning disabilities
Justification for parents to cooperateLack of familiarity of parents with specific training for learning disabilitiesLow media literacy of students and parentsEstablishing telephone communication with students and familiesDifficulty in implementing online training for parents
Parental Adaptation
The impact of participation in the teaching-learning process
Inappropriate feedback from students and parentsStudents' lack of cooperation in educational activitiesEnergy induction to the teacher Students' fatigue from schoolwork and inattention to homework Learning disorders
Students' unwillingness to participate in virtual classes Learning disabilities
Students with learning disabilities
Quantitative Results:
The descriptive analysis of parental evaluations across the four primary dimensions of online education revealed a predominantly cautious to negative trend. As illustrated by the mean scores, the dimensions of "Curricular Relevance and Technological Currency" (M = 1.84), "Student Learning Outcomes" (M = 2.04), and "Negative Behavioral Habits" (M = 2.25) received the lowest ratings from parents. The only component that garnered a relatively more positive—though still moderate—evaluation was "Readiness for Online Education" (M = 2.64).
Collectively, the data indicate that parental satisfaction across these four dimensions, as well as their overall attitude toward the efficacy of online interventions for students with learning disabilities (LD), remains significantly low (Global M = 2.19). To further investigate the potential influence of socio-demographic variables, parents' perspectives were analyzed based on gender, employment status, and educational attainment. The results of the inferential analysis demonstrated that these demographic factors did not exert a statistically significant impact on how parents evaluated the outcomes of online education. This suggests that the challenges and perceived ineffectiveness of virtual learning for students with LD are experienced universally by parents, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.
Discussion
The thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed that teachers of students with learning disabilities (LD) navigated a complex evolutionary trajectory during the COVID-19 pandemic. This journey was characterized by three distinct temporal phases: (1) The Crisis Onset and Initial Transition, (2) The Sustained Period of Online Instruction, and (3) The Institutionalization of Virtual Pedagogical Practices.
Across these three phases, the teachers' experiences were manifested across seven core dimensions:
Emotional Landscape: Predominantly characterized by "negative emotions" and professional anxiety.
Pedagogical Dynamics: Focused on "classroom interaction" and "instructional delivery" (teaching).
Structural Constraints: Involving "executive infrastructure" and "educational limitations" inherent to digital platforms.
Ecological Adaptation: Pertaining to "parental adaptation" and the unique needs of "students with learning disabilities."
Synthesizing the interview data in response to the research questions, the following key thematic outcomes emerged:
Challenges and Limitations: Barriers to Pedagogical Integrity
Teachers identified a series of multifaceted barriers that impeded the educational and therapeutic process for students with learning disabilities (LD). These challenges were categorized into four primary domains:
- Clinical and Diagnostic Constraints: The transition to online platforms led to a significant erosion of face-to-face synergy, which compromised the diagnostic accuracy of identifying students’ process-related issues. Furthermore, teachers observed an exacerbation of comorbid conditions, specifically obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and a notable absence of the "warm and empathetic" rapport essential for LD interventions.
- Methodological and Ethical Hurdles: Educators emphasized the limitations of virtualizing specialized LD activities, noting that many tactile and kinesthetic interventions lost their efficacy. Concerns regarding academic integrity (cheating) and the inadequacy of standardized centralized programs (e.g., the Shad network) were frequently cited.
- Home-School Ecology: A significant barrier was the parental literacy gap regarding specialized LD training. This was compounded by low media literacy among families, a lack of collaborative engagement, and "privacy-related hesitance," where parents were reluctant to share multimedia evidence (audio/video) of their child’s progress.
- Technological and Engagement Fatigue: Persistent infrastructural issues, such as unstable internet connectivity, coupled with student burnout—manifested as assignment fatigue and diminished attention toward specialized remedial tasks—remained pervasive.
Teachers’ Global Perception of Online Intervention Efficacy
Despite the identifiable professional and systemic advancements during the "Institutionalization" phase, a profound consensus emerged regarding the overall pedagogical efficacy of virtual learning for students with learning disabilities (LD). The qualitative synthesis indicates that teachers at the Tabesh Learning Disabilities Center maintain a predominantly negative attitude toward the long-term results of online implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While acknowledging the benefits of digital literacy and content diversification, educators consistently argued that virtual education fails to reach the clinical and therapeutic threshold of face-to-face instruction. The primary concerns cited were:
- Instructional Inferiority: A pervasive belief that the digital medium is fundamentally "less effective" than traditional classroom settings for students requiring multisensory and tactile interventions.
- The Diagnostic Gap: The inability to replicate the nuanced, real-time feedback loop inherent in physical presence, which is critical for correcting processing deficits in LD students.
- Affective Deficit: The loss of the "intimate therapeutic rapport" which teachers viewed as the cornerstone of psychological and educational remedial work.
In conclusion, the teachers’ perspective aligns with the parental quantitative data (M = 2.19), suggesting a cross-stakeholder skepticism toward the permanence of online education as a primary mode of delivery for this specific student population.
The Trajectory of Digital Proficiency and its Impact on Educator Attitudes
The analysis of teachers’ experiences reveals a dynamic skill-acquisition curve that significantly influenced their adaptation to virtual environments. This evolution can be categorized into two distinct stages:
- The Initial Skill Gap (Crisis Onset): At the inception of the transition, educators faced substantial technical constraints. Their limited proficiency in digital tools and the lack of experience in mediating the "teaching-learning process" through virtual communication channels contributed to the prevalence of "Negative Emotions" and professional anxiety.
- Iterative Professional Development (Continuation to Institutionalization): As the pandemic progressed, teachers transitioned from passive users to proactive digital practitioners. This growth was facilitated by a tripartite strategy:
Collaborative Peer Learning: Leveraging collective experiences and knowledge-sharing among colleagues at the center.
Formal Professional Training: Active participation in specialized in-service courses focused on the Shad network ecosystem and multimedia content production.
Self-Directed Learning: Utilizing autonomous web-based research to bridge pedagogical gaps.
The findings of this study underscore a significant divergence between technical adaptation and perceived instructional efficacy. While the "Institutionalization" of online education facilitated a systematic enhancement of digital pedagogical literacy—allowing educators to move beyond initial crisis-management and basic troubleshooting—it did not fundamentally alter their core professional skepticism.
This leads to a critical interpretive conclusion: Professional competence in digital tool usage did not translate into a positive attitude toward online outcomes for students with LD. Teachers remained acutely cognizant of the inherent limitations of the digital medium, specifically regarding the loss of multisensory synergy and therapeutic rapport.
This qualitative insight perfectly mirrors the quantitative data from parents, who, despite having the highest mean in "Online Education Readiness" (M = 2.64), still reported a low overall satisfaction (Global M = 2.19). Together, these findings suggest that for the specific population of students with learning disabilities, the "Digital Silver Lining" of increased skills and infrastructure cannot substitute for the clinical necessity of face-to-face intervention.
The findings delineate a significant strategic shift in the delivery of remedial interventions for students with learning disabilities (LD). Due to the inherent clinical nature of LD therapies—which fundamentally require physical presence and tactile-kinesthetic interaction—the transition to virtual spaces necessitated a reconfiguration of the teacher-student dyad.
- Parental Scaffolding as an Educational Proxy: A primary strategy identified was the transformation of parents into "Educational Assistants" or physical proxies. Since direct therapeutic intervention was structurally impossible in cyberspace, teachers adopted a mediated instructional model, where they provided the pedagogical framework and specialized guidance, while parents executed the physical and cognitive scaffolding required for the student’s specific learning disorder.
- The Evolution of Digital Ecosystems: The communication landscape underwent a transition from fragmented platforms to centralized institutionalization:
Phase 1 (Diversified Channels): During the initial "Crisis Onset," teachers utilized a heterogeneous mix of digital channels, including the Shad network, domestic messengers (e.g., Eitaa, Soroush), and global platforms (e.g., Telegram, WhatsApp). This multi-channel approach was dictated by "Parental Adaptation" levels and the varying digital access of families.
Phase 2 (Systemic Integration): As the "Executive Infrastructure" of the Shad network matured and its usability features (UI/UX) for LD-specific content production improved, the majority of instructional delivery was systematically migrated to this centralized platform.
This strategic evolution highlights that while the "Institutionalization" of the Shad network provided a unified structural base, the actual pedagogical efficacy remained heavily dependent on the quality of parental cooperation and their ability to act as the teacher's physical extension in the home environment.
Parental Experiences:
The second part of this study examines the experiences of parents of students with learning disabilities regarding online education. Based on the analysis of quantitative data and in response to the research questions, the findings are as follows:
Challenges and limitations of online education from the perspective of parents
- Students' difficulties in attending virtual classes and working with digital tools.
- Challenges regarding coordination and time management for online sessions.
- Students' lack of independence and their high dependency on parental support.
- The inadequacy of online education in facilitating deep, lifelong, and continuous learning.
- The high costs associated with participating in online classes.
- The lack of diversity and the uniformity of instructional content.
- The time-consuming nature of virtual classes compared to face-to-face instruction.
- The reduction in social interactions with teachers and peers, leading to social isolation.
- The lack of direct and continuous teacher supervision over educational activities.
- Difficulties in maintaining focus on educational content.
- Students' lack of self-reliance in completing educational tasks.
- Limited and delayed feedback from teachers.
- Lack of access to high-speed internet and technical issues with the Shad network.
- The increase in cheating habits among students.
- The inefficiency of online education for all subjects and its failure to meet the diverse needs of all students.
- The overall inability of online education to provide high-quality instruction.
Opportunities and benefits of online education from the perspective of parents
- Familiarizing students with various digital communication tools.
- Encouraging students to participate more actively in class discussions.
- Providing the possibility of continuous learning from home during quarantine conditions.
- Increasing parents' media literacy and digital proficiency.
Parents' Attitudes Towards the Overall Results of Online Education
Most parents (78.1%) do not have a positive view of the results of implementing online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. They maintain a negative attitude and do not consider virtual education to be as effective as face-to-face instruction for students with learning disabilities.
The impact of parents' skills in using digital tools on their attitudes towards online education
While 36.2% of parents reported having little or very little skill in using digital tools, the majority (63.8%) stated they possess a high or very high level of digital proficiency. However, despite this higher level of media literacy, parents' overall satisfaction with the results of online education remained negative. This indicates that parents' technical skills in using digital tools have little impact on their overall attitudes toward the efficacy of online education.
Conclusion
The truth is that knowledge transfer through e-learning in developing countries often fails, resulting in students being left behind at a critical juncture in their educational cycle (Almantari, Mavlina, & Bruce, 2020). With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the absence of a clear endpoint, the urgent need to maintain educational continuity led schools in our country, like most institutions worldwide, to transition toward online education.Among these students are children with learning disabilities (LD); students who, despite possessing similar intelligence to their peers, exhibit poor academic performance due to genetic and environmental factors and thus require specialized educational and procedural support.Although online education and virtual classrooms enabled learning from home during quarantine and ensured the necessary social distancing for both teachers and students with LD, the overall attitude of educators and parents toward the outcomes of online education remained negative. They did not consider it as effective or efficient as face-to-face instruction and maintained that online education is fundamentally unable to provide high-quality education tailored to the specific needs of students with learning disabilities.
Keywords
)