Remote education trajectories for learners with special needs during the COVID-19 outbreak: An accessibility analysis of the learning platforms

Abstract

The sudden transfer of in-class education to remote teaching and learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic was stressful for all, particularly for the differently abled students. It seems that most of them were literally abandoned and missed out on their education. The learning results of those who were enabled to remotely learn significantly decreased, undermining their already low self-esteem. Even hybrid education challenged the inclusiveness in primary and secondary schools, disabling children with special needs to learn and actively participate in education. On the other hand, remote education enabled modernization of traditional education that will soon become part of the new normal. The main prerequisite to incorporating remote learning and teaching as a complementary part of education is to adapt it to all students, regardless of their abilities. Our major motivation presented in this paper was to resolve the dilemma of whether the essential groundwork for the inclusiveness of remote education exists. The research behind it examined the accessibility of learning management systems, audio and video teleconferencing applications, and massive open online courses, which are crucial to the move from onsite to online education. Four impairments: motor, vision, hearing and cognitive were carefully explored in line with WCAG 2.1 recommendations. The current state of the synergy between the components was assessed carefully and thoroughly. For each of the four impairments, the compliance with WCAG 2.1 is presented in detail and discussed. Based on the research findings, recommendations for making remote learning more accessible to students with special needs are proposed, with the goal of enabling everyone to receive a broad education without discrimination based on disability.