The Unexpected Benefits of Remote Learning for Neurodivergent Students

Learning disruptions have been an unfortunate but all-too-frequent sight during the pandemic. But not every student felt those effects evenly as schools shifted between remote and in-person options.

Even under typical circumstances, learners with autism or other neurological differences are often more sensitive to changes in their environments. So given the lingering uncertainties about COVID-19’s impact on schooling this fall—and the trajectory of the fast-spreading delta variant—perhaps it’s no surprise that many families with neurodivergent children are opting to continue with remote learning.

Learning in a Familiar Setting

One of the most critical elements to success for any young learner is a strong teacher-student relationship, says Jan Blacher, professor of education and director of the SEARCH Family Autism Resource Center at the University of California, Riverside. Kids with more trusting student-teacher relationships do better academically, have more friends and are less likely to drop out of school, she says.

Online schooling can make socializing difficult, but in-person learning, especially with some COVID-19 precautions still in place, presents its own challenges. Masks and physical distancing in the classroom, for example, can prevent both students and teachers from understanding each other’s expressions and emotional states, Blacher notes.

And families seem to be taking note of those complications. In a survey of more than 3,000 families Blacher and her colleagues conducted with support from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, about 40 percent of parents who have children with autism did not feel comfortable sending them back to school in-person this fall.

Educators and researchers alike have also noticed that the virtual classroom provides some unexpected benefits. Some students prefer a familiar setting—especially if their academic work requires tasks they’re less comfortable with.

Stephen Shore, professor of education and health sciences at Adelphi University, reiterated the importance of giving neurodivergent students more control over their learning environments.

“Autistic people might find it sensorially overloading to go to a physical location that has maybe too much noise or some kind of lighting that’s problematic, such as fluorescent lights, recessed lighting fixtures, even just temperature control.”

Pros and Cons

For special education historians, there’s a cyclical feeling to the current moment for families with neurodivergent children. In 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act guaranteed a “free, appropriate public education” to all students regardless of ability and allowed thousands of children to enter schools for the first time. As Blacher points out, now, many families with neurodiverse students are asking to keep their children at home.

On the other hand, virtual learning isn’t the best option for all neurodivergent students, just as it isn’t always suitable for neurotypical ones. Remote learning often can require significant support work from a student’s family, Blacher says, and can also prevent some learners from developing social skills with their classmates or meeting other objectives in their Individualized Education Plans (IEP).

“When the autistic child is sitting at home, there’s no real chance to work on social communication skills, which is usually an IEP goal. Many of these children have reported to me that they actually feel lonely, they miss their friends,” says Blacher.

And while video conferencing allows teachers and students to communicate without covering their expressions with a mask, it still makes genuine emotional connection difficult.

Ultimately, making sure neurodivergent students get the most out of their classes, whether online or in-person, takes active buy-in from schools—something Arnold has noticed picking up since last year.

Excerpted from “The Unexpected Benefits of Remote Learning for Neurodivergent Students” in EdSurge. Read the full article online.

Source: EdSurge | The Unexpected Benefits of Remote Learning for Neurodivergent Students, https://www.edsurge.com/news/2021-08-04-the-unexpected-benefits-of-remote-learning-for-neurodivergent-students | © 2011-2021 EdSurge Inc

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