September 2021 LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES & COVID-19 SCHOOL CLOSURES Findings from a Global Survey Conducted by the World Bank’s Inclusive Education Initiative (IEI) © 2021 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW TABLE OF CONTENTS Washington, DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org SECTION A. CONTEXT AND METHODOLOGY OF SURVEY.......................................5 1.0. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................ 5 This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, 2.0 METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................................................. 7 interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. 2.1. Survey instrument.......................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2. Sampling and dissemination................................................................................................................... 7 The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The 2.3. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data..................................................................................8 boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or 2.4. Demographic data of survey respondents.......................................................................................8 the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. 2.5. Limitations......................................................................................................................................................13 SECTION B: FINDINGS................................................................................................. 15 RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages 1.0 CREATING AN ENABLING HOME ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES.......15 dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for 1.1 Financial security............................................................................................................................................15 noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. 1.2 Access to Internet and Devices.............................................................................................................18 1.3 Access to health, nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation................................................................... 23 Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; 1.4. Accessible information............................................................................................................................. 28 fax: 202-522-2625; e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org. 1.5. Safe and secure home environments...............................................................................................30 1.6. Summary and conclusion....................................................................................................................... 33 REMOTE TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES: ACCESSIBLE 2.0.  RESOURCES AND INCLUSIVE PEDAGOGIES.........................................................................................36 2.1 Accessible teaching and learning materials and modalities..................................................36 2.2 Individualized instruction and meaningful curriculum content........................................... 42 2.3 Communication: Ongoing feedback regarding academic learning.................................. 46 2.4 Connection: Socioemotional support and the importance of social networks........... 49 2.5 Support for parents and teachers........................................................................................................51 2.6. Summary and conclusion......................................................................................................................56 LOOKING FORWARD: ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES WHEN 3.0.  RETURNING TO SCHOOL AND IN FUTURE EMERGENCY-RESPONSE PLANS..........................60 3.1 Ensuring learners with disabilities return to school....................................................................60 3.2 Regression and academic needs once in school........................................................................ 63 3.3 Mental and physical health considerations when returning to school............................68 3.4 Forefronting the unique needs of learners with disabilities in response policies...... 73 3.5. Summary and conclusion.......................................................................................................................77 SECTION C: CONCLUSION......................................................................................... 80 BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................................................................83 APPENDIX..................................................................................................................................................................87 2 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: This report is produced by a core team led by Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo with Ruchi Kulbir Singh and Anna Hill Martin. Data analysis was conducted by Wei Chen, Sophia D’Angelo, and Sarah Rotenberg with support from Michelle Morandotti and Rana AlGazzaz. Additional feedback on the survey was received from Deepti Samant Raja, Mari Koistinen and Nidhi Singal. The report was written by Sophia D’Angelo, edited by Cheryl Toksoz and designed by Carlos Plaza. The Inclusive Education Initiative (IEI) acknowledges the support of Norwegian Agency for Development SECTION A Cooperation (Norad) and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for the production of this global public good. The team acknowledges and thanks the peer reviewers Stephen Winkler, Joao Pedro Wagner De Azevedo, Jose Antonio Leiva and Christopher Johnstone. We also extend our thanks to organizations of persons with disabilities and members of the IEI Community of Practice who generously shared the IEI COVID-19 Survey on Children with Disabilities, CONTEXT & METHODOLOGY OF SURVEY and to the many teachers, parents, as well as persons with disabilities who participated in the survey. 4 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 5 1.0. INTRODUCTION stigmatization (UNICEF 2017). Further, even under pre-pandemic circumstances, persons with disabilities face inequalities in accessing public services. For example, persons with disabilities are more than three times as likely to be unable to get health care when they need it, and in some countries more than half of the population of persons with disabilities At the onset of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the world quickly experienced cannot access rehabilitation services (United Nations Department of Economic and Social a crisis within a crisis—a global public health emergency that exacerbated educational Affairs 2019). The overall proportion of persons with disabilities living below the national or inequalities within a “learning crisis” that was already occurring for hundreds of millions of international poverty line is also higher, and in some countries double that of persons without young people who were attending school without acquiring basic skills in literacy and numeracy disabilities (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs 2019). Persons with (World Bank 2019). Specifically, COVID-19 intensified this learning crisis through two global disabilities are less likely to access education, health care, and employment opportunities and shocks to education: massive school closures and a subsequent economic recession (World they are more likely to live in poverty and experience higher rates of violence, neglect, and Bank 2020b). In the spring of 2020, at the peak of the pandemic, 180 countries experienced abuse (UNICEF 2020). COVID-19 further compounded these conditions, disproportionately temporary school closures, affecting 1.5  billion young people or 94  percent of the student affecting persons with disabilities both directly and indirectly. population worldwide (World Bank, n.d.). For more than half of these students, schools would Since the launch of the survey, there has been some emerging evidence of the impact of remain closed for more than seven months. A year after the worldwide spread of COVID-19, COVID-19 on persons—and in few cases learners—with disabilities. Policy analysis suggests in March 2021, schools remained closed in more than 50 countries (World Bank, n.d.). that few countries included any efforts to support learners with disabilities in their immediate Governments tried to respond to these unprecedented times by employing remote learning responses (Caravalho and Hares 2020). A review of 20 global surveys identified various initiatives using both digital and nondigital formats. However, inadequate infrastructure or the challenges as a result of COVID-19 for persons with disabilities, including financial challenges absence of trained teachers who could quickly transition to online models of teaching often due to gaps in coverage of social protection programs; food insecurity; increased experiences limited the effectiveness of such responses. of violence (especially for women and girls); less access to critical public health information due to inaccessible information and mobility restrictions; and difficulties accessing regular health DEFINITION OF DISABILITY care, assistive devices and rehabilitation, and personal protective equipment (PPE) and hand sanitizer (Hillgrove 2020). Half of all persons with disabilities who responded to a global survey Disability has evolved as a concept over time and is now understood as a social, rather reported that their regular services and supports (for example, personal assistance for daily than medical concept. Disability resides not in a person’s specific impairment, but rather care and hygiene, home-based therapeutic interventions, and sign language intervention) had in the interactions between that impairment and the attitudinal and environmental been disrupted because of the pandemic (Hillgrove 2020). The review found limited evidence barriers they face. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), on the remote learning needs and experiences of children (and adults) with disabilities. adopted in 2006, recognizes persons with disabilities as those individuals “who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with This study arose from a deep need to understand the experiences of learners with disabilities various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal during the onset of COVID-19 and the accompanying school closures. The survey was basis with others” (CRPD 2006, Article 1). disseminated in May 2020 to inform the “just in time” issues paper, Pivoting to Inclusion: Leveraging Lessons from the COVID-19 Crisis for Learners with Disabilities (World Bank 2020a) At the time, limited evidence was available on the impact and effectiveness of remote teaching (referred henceforth as Pivoting to Inclusion). The Pivoting to Inclusion report highlighted initiatives on learning, especially for the most marginalized young people, such as learners with important recommendations for policy makers and practitioners to provide an inclusive and disabilities. What was known was that the digital divide resulted in an estimated 40 percent quality education for learners with disabilities during school closures and future emergencies, of disadvantaged learners in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) being unsupported including the use of Universal Design by Learning (UDL) and a twin-track approach to in their education (World Bank 2020a). Lacking in the accounts of global learning barriers, inclusive education sector planning. A twin-track approach involves two basic principles: however, was evidence examining the impact of COVID-19 on the education of learners with (1) ensuring that mainstream education programs are designed for all learners; and (2) disabilities. Research from prior pandemics, such as the Ebola crisis, suggest that lockdown developing targeted support to address the specific needs of children with disabilities (World measures can be particularly harsh on persons with disabilities because of reduced economic Bank 2020a). The findings from this survey show various examples of f these two tracks, as activity, reduced social cohesion, lack of support during quarantines, and the added risk of well as the importance of UDL in remote teaching and learning for learners with disabilities. 6 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 7 Although some of the quantitative data from the survey was presented in Pivoting to Inclusion, 2.2. SAMPLING AND DISSEMINATION this paper serves as a companion piece, adding depth to the survey findings by including The survey was directed at three audiences: the parents/caregivers of children with disabilities, qualitative data from survey respondents. The survey was undertaken when there was no teachers of learners with disabilities, and persons with disabilities. Children with disabilities knowledge, particularly in relation to the impact global health crises have on the education were not included in the survey sample because of issues regarding ethical clearances of learners with disabilities and how parents, caregivers, and teachers were ensuring quality necessary for conducting research with minors. However, adults with disabilities were learning for these young people. There was no available evidence from COVID-19 and limited included so they could complete the survey based on their own experiences growing up in literature about prior epidemics and how they affected the learning of children with disabilities. their education systems and their observations of what was occurring in their home countries. The World Bank’s Inclusive Education Initiative (IEI) created and disseminated a survey Persons with disabilities were specifically sampled based on their first-person standpoints entitled “Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closures,” to fill existing knowledge, and reflections on what the needs of children with disabilities might be during this pandemic. information, and evidence gaps. Survey methodology was applied to seek understanding of the following question: “Do learners with disabilities and their families have access to the supports Survey dissemination included both a purposive and snowball sampling process. First, the they need to continue learning while schools are closed due to COVID-19?” survey was disseminated using the IEI Community of Practice (CoP)1 LinkedIn web page and newsletter. Members of the CoP were requested to fill in the survey only if they self-identified The survey was intended as a quick study with to the goal of exploring the experiences of as any of the three categories (parent/caregiver of a child with a disability, teacher of learners learners with disabilities from the perspectives of their parents and caregivers, teachers, with a disability, or persons with a disability). The CoP was also asked to forward the survey and persons with disabilities during the initial school closures that resulted at the onset of to individuals or organizations that would fall into these categories. Finally, the survey was the pandemic. This report draws on quantitative and qualitative data to examine both the also sent directly to organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs),2 who were asked to challenges that hinder access to quality teaching and learning opportunities for students with disseminate it to their networks. The survey was well received by OPDs, who expressed a disabilities since COVID-19, as well as those promising practices that have been considered strong need for understanding the situation for learners with disabilities and their families. effective by teachers and parents of learners with disabilities around the globe. OPDs requested translations of the survey for wider dissemination, leading to a high demand, that was not anticipated by the IEI team. Several of the OPDs made phone calls to their 2.0 METHODOLOGY members to conduct the survey to ensure participation for persons with disabilities who may not have access to the internet or the appropriate devices to allow for their participation. Organizations that work on disability and/or inclusive education were also contacted so they 2.1. SURVEY INSTRUMENT could share the survey with respondents from their circles. The survey was disseminated in The survey instrument consisted of 38 questions, some of which were directed to all respondents early May 2020 on Survey Monkey and was left open for approximately one month with some and others that were directed to the specific type of respondent (parent/caregiver, teacher, variation across languages.3 or person with disability). Of the questions, 31 were multiple choice and 7 were open-ended 2.3. ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA (see appendix A for a copy of the complete survey in English). Survey questions examined the demographic characteristics of survey respondents, their views on access to technology and All survey data was translated into English before data analysis. Translation of the data into distance learning modes or methods, and their perceptions of challenges and concerns or Arabic, French, and Spanish was done by World Bank interpretation services, while the promising practices relating to the education of learners with disabilities during the COVID-19 Portuguese and Russian data were interpreted by World Bank colleagues whose first language pandemic. Two questions also asked respondents to use a 5-point Likert scale to rate the is the language of the responses. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. education response and the social response of children with disabilities. The survey was Some of these statistics are provided below in relation to the demographic characteristics translated into six languages (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish). of survey respondents, while the rest are presented in Section B in relation to the findings. The translated versions were done by World Bank colleagues fluent in the languages of the translation. Due to the urgency to disseminate it quickly, piloting of the survey was not done.  he IEI CoP is an inclusive and collaborative network, focusing on the creation and dissemination of knowledge within the field of disability-inclusive 1 T education. It is made up of a wide range of stakeholders from government officials, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, donors, civil society organizations, researchers and academics, technical experts, teachers, parents of children with disabilities, and OPDs around the world. The organizations the study team reached out to were both international and regional. They mostly cover all types of disabilities, but some were disability- 2  specific, reaching the community of persons with intellectual disabilities or those who are deaf. 3 The survey was translated from English to Arabic, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 8 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 9 The qualitative data was analyzed using a thematic coding approach. Codes were both Figure 2. Type of Survey Respondents deductive, based on common themes from the literature and the Pivoting to Inclusion report, and inductive, emerging from the data itself. Code sheets were made for all seven of the open-ended questions. To present the findings in Section B of this report, the codes were then 13% arranged based on overarching themes or settings. For example, the first subsection of the I am a parent/caregiver of a child with a disability findings addresses those codes related to the needs of learners with disabilities at home; the 41% second set looks at pedagogical needs, and the third set examines needs in the future (that is, I am a teacher for learners with disabilities while returning to school or preparing for future emergencies). The triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data adds to the validity and reliability of the findings, and both coherences I am a person with a disability and tensions among these two types of data are explored in the findings sections. 46% 2.4. DEMOGRAPHIC DATA OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS ALL RESPONDENTS Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey A total of 3,993 respondents completed the survey (3,107 in English, 444 in Spanish, 367 in Arabic, Figure 3 provides a regional breakdown of where the three types of respondents came from. 36 in French, 23 in Portuguese, and 16 in Russian). All respondents were asked to identify their Parents/caregivers and teachers were mostly from South Asia (28  percent and 23  percent, region of origin (see figure 1). Approximately a quarter of respondents came from South Asia respectively) or Sub-Saharan Africa (22 percent and 29 percent, respectively). It is also important (29 percent) and Sub-Saharan Africa (24 percent). The regions of Europe and Central Asia and to note that more than half of the persons with disabilities who responded to the survey were from North America were the least represented (7 percent and 6 percent, respectively). South Asia (53 percent). Figure 1. Region of Origin of All Survey Responses Figure 3. Region of Origin of Survey Respondents, by Type of Respondent East Asia & Pacific (8%) 8% Europe & Central Asia (7%) (24%) Sub-Saharan Africa 7% 24% 12% Latin America & the Caribbean (12%) 14% Middle East & North Africa (14%) 29% AFR EAP ECA LAC MENA SA NA AFR EAP ECA LAC MENA SA NA AFR EAP ECA LAC MENA SA NA (29%) South Asia 6% North America (6%) Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey Parent/caregiver Teacher Person of a child for learners with a disability Figure 2 provides the breakdown of survey respondents based on the three roles of parent/ with a disability with disabilities caregiver, teacher, or person with disability: 46  percent of respondents were teachers for learners with a disability (1,485), 41 percent were parents/caregivers of a child with a disability • Africa (AFR) • East Asia and Pacific (EAP) • Europe and Central Asia (ECA) • Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) (1,628), and 13 percent were persons with disabilities (520). • Middle East and North Africa (MENA) • South Asia (SA) • North America (NA) Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey 10 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 11 Overall, nearly half of the respondents (46 percent) answered the survey from their experiences Figure 5. Types of Disability by Type of Survey Respondent with a child with a single disability. However, teachers reported that they worked with children with multiple disabilities (figure 4). Specifically, most persons with disabilities (81 percent) and 41% 39% parents/caregivers (51 percent) answered questions from their experiences with learners with 33% 30% 27% one disability, but most teachers (60 percent) worked with a group of learners that captured 23% 25% 26% 24% 23% 20% a range of three or more disabilities. In other words, teachers provided a broader perspective 15% 18% 18% 12% 10% 14% 13% on the various barriers that students may face, since all but 28 percent of them had students 8% 7% 4% with various types of disabilities (and sometimes multiple disabilities) in their classrooms. Visual Visual Visual Hearing Hearing Hearing Other Other Other Emotions Emotions Emotions Communication Communication Communication Learning Learning Learning Mobility Mobility Mobility Figure 4. Number of Disabilities Represented by Survey Respondents /caregiver of Parent/caregiver Parent a child of a witha childwith a Teacher for Teacher for learners children with with Person with Person with a a disability, disability,NN= = 520 520 disability, N = 1,628 disability, N = 1, 628 disabilities, disabilities, N N== 1,845 1,845 Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey Those respondents who chose “other” as the type of disability were asked to write it in their response. These responses included a range of disabilities, such as Down Syndrome, autism ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN spectrum disorder, attention-deficit disorder (ADD) or attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy, posttraumatic stress disorder, hypertension, and dwarfism, among Parent/caregiver of Teacher for learners Person with a disability others.4 a child with a disability with disabilities TEACHERS Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey The teachers who responded to the survey work in a variety of contexts both at the school and The survey respondents also represented a variety of types of disabilities, from hearing and classroom level. Some teachers work in mainstream schools, where learners with disabilities visual disabilities, to learning disabilities and those affecting communication, mobility, and work alongside their nondisabled peers, and other teachers work in special schools, where emotions. Figure 5 illustrates the percentage of each disability represented by the type of learners with disabilities study apart from others in a segregated approach.5 More than half survey respondent. As evident in the data, approximately one-third of parents and caregivers of all teacher respondents work at the primary level (56 percent), 24 percent work in early had a child or children with learning (33  percent) and/or communication (30  percent) childhood education, 14  percent work at the secondary level, and 13  percent work at the disabilities. The most common disabilities that teachers engaged with were visual (41 percent) tertiary level (see figure 6). At the classroom level, some teachers work with students with the and communication (39  percent). Persons with disabilities, on the other hand, represented same disability, while some work with students with diverse disabilities. a more even distribution across the various types of disabilities: 24 percent had a disability affecting mobility, 18 percent had learning disabilities, and 18 percent had hearing disabilities. Despite the World Bank and IEI supporting a social conceptualization of disability (see inset in 1.0 Introduction), the Washington Group Questions reveal important data. This information points to the heterogeneity of disability and the diverse needs of learners with disabilities, It can be inferred from some of these responses that respondents were unsure what category their child’s/students’ disability fell within, and thus these data 4  dictating what effective remote teaching and learning looks like. should be interpreted carefully. It is important to note that the IEI does not support a segregated approach, but rather advocates for an inclusive approach in which learners with disabilities 5  do not just study alongside their peers without disabilities, but they are also afforded the resources and support structure needed to thrive in these mainstream school settings, as discussed further later in the paper. 12 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 13 Figure 6. Education Level Taught by Teacher Respondents 2.5. LIMITATIONS This research provides important insights into the experiences of students with disabilities, 6% their families, and teachers. There are, however, some limitations and threats to the validity 14% 24% Early childhood and reliability of the data. For example, two of the survey questions in the original English survey were not written clearly and thus did not yield reliable data. These questions have been Primary excluded from the findings.6 Due to the surveys not being piloted in any of its languages before dissemination, two translated surveys unintentionally omitted an open-ended question.7 Secondary In addition, survey dissemination required the participation of various civil society organizations. Tertiary During the data analysis process, it became clear that some of these organizations were 56% more involved than others. In South Asia, for example, there were many repeated answers from persons with disabilities. This may be because stakeholders within the organizations Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey provided potential options to survey respondents, who then chose the answer that best fit with their perceptions or experiences. Though the data analyst tried to rectify this during In addition, 42 percent of teacher respondents worked in mainstream inclusive classrooms, in the data analysis process, it has obvious implications for the validity and reliability of the which learners with disabilities studied alongside their peers without disabilities (see figure 7). study. Another limitation was the languages selected for translations. To accommodate the The other 58 percent of teachers worked in special classrooms reserved solely for students unexpected demand for the survey, translations in official UN languages (except Chinese) with disabilities: 44 percent worked in special classrooms composed of learners with a variety were offered, which covered most geographical regions. Due to timelines and logistics, the of disabilities, while the minority (14  percent) worked in special classrooms composed of survey was not available in local languages, which was a limitation for full participation. A children who all have the same disability. These classroom dynamics have implications for the final limitation was that the survey tool was hosted online, which meant the respondents social and educational inclusion of learners with disabilities and are discussed in relation to must have had at least some level of access to the internet and a technological device. This the findings in the following sections. has implications for the demographic characteristics of survey respondents, since the most marginalized communities may not have been reached. Learners with disabilities themselves Figure 7. Type of Classrooms in Which Teacher Respondents Work were also excluded from the sample. However, the voices of persons with disabilities were included as a proxy for students, since they could speak from their experiences, and how it may be for a student with their type of disability during school closures and the COVID-19 14% Mainstream inclusive class with learners with pandemic. disabilities studying alonside their peers Finally, it is critical to underscore that IEI encourages the pursuit of inclusive educational 42% settings and practices as stipulated in Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons Special class comprised of learners with disabilities (a variety of disabilities) with Disabilities. The IEI believes that including children with disabilities in mainstream 44% school settings can play an important role in moving forward the agenda for quality inclusive education for all. Special schools are not something the IEI promotes as an end goal, even if Special class comprised only of learners with disabilities (one type of disability) there are survey respondents expressing opinions in favor of it. The IEI does not endorse those respondent opinions. This report presents evidence of the lived experience and perceptions of stakeholders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey  he Portuguese survey did not include Question 33, “Do you have any particular concerns about girls with disabilities during this time?” and the French 6 T survey did not include Question 37, “What challenges do you expect children with disabilities to face once schools reopen? How do you think these can be best addressed?” For teachers, Question 6, “While schools are closed during COVID-19, does your child have access to accessible learning resources and services?” For 7  persons with disabilities, Question 31, “As a person with disability, if you are a child with a disability trying to continue your education during COVID-19, based on your specific needs, what materials/services/devices would be most helpful to you to continue learning? 14 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 15 SECTION B FINDINGS PICTURE CREDIT- WORLD BANK 16 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 17 The findings of this study are presented in three sections. The first section examines the need for 1.1 FINANCIAL SECURITY creating an enabling environment for learners with disabilities at home during COVID-19. The Financial security is critical to creating an enabling home environment for all learners, especially second set of findings identifies accessible teaching and learning materials and pedagogies learners with disabilities. Many survey respondents reported that they suffered from economic during school lockdown. The second section further reports on respondents’ descriptions of hardships before the crisis that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. When parents/ learners with disabilities’ needs for studying at home and the materials, modes, methods, and caregivers were asked to identify the most important kind of support for them and their actors involved in achieving quality distance learning. The third section transitions from the children, many described the need for “financial support to buy essentials” or the need to pay home to the school and examines how respondents reported that learners with disabilities for “extra tuition” or “school fees.” A parent from North America touched on the multitude of must be considered when returning to school and when planning future policy responses costs they had to consider, describing the need for “financial [support], so I can pay for the to emergencies like COVID-19. Interspersed throughout these findings are two types of supplies she needs to succeed while I’m not working and also keep a roof over our heads boxes: “issues focus” boxes that examine more closely the challenges identified by survey and food on the table.” According to quantitative data, of 1,101 parent/caregiver respondents, respondents, and “spotlight” boxes on “promising practices” identified by survey respondents. over half (58 percent) report not having complete access to the financial support they need As stated in the methodology section of this companion piece (2.0 Methodology), the findings (41 percent said no, and 17 percent said somewhat) (see figure 8). present evidence of the lived experience and perceptions of survey respondents (teachers, parents/caregivers, and persons with disabilities) during COVID-19. The perceptions of survey Figure 8. Parents/Caregivers Access to Financial Support participants do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IEI or the beliefs and values it endorses. 1.0 CREATING AN ENABLING HOME ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES 3% “Providing emotional support by telephone, making suggestions for activities and for bio-security measures, organizing food kits to make up for their lack of food. The Yes 17% families have responded positively to all of these measures. WhatsApp is a useful tool, as is the (half hour) of free internet provided by the local government.” — No 39% teacher, Latin America and the Caribbean (Spanish) Somewhat The excerpt above is a survey respondent’s example of “good practices” during school closures. It sheds light on the need for comprehensive COVID-19 responses—packages that include Unsure 41% necessities, such as food and internet, health and hygiene, and socioemotional support for learners and their families. The following section identifies the complex multidimensional nature of supports needed to ensure a safe, secure home learning environment for learners with disabilities during COVID-19. Section 1.1 highlights the importance of financial security and social protection, followed by Section 1.2, which turns to access to, and availability of, digital Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey devices and the internet. Concerns related to health, hygiene, and sanitation are elaborated on in Section 1.3, followed by access to information (Section 1.4), and the need for a safe and secure home environment that are conducive to learning (Section 1.5). 18 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 19 For some parents and caregivers, economic hardships were fueled by losing one’s job because Teacher participants provided similar responses. A teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa described of the COVID-19 pandemic. When asked what type of support they needed, parents from the an overall need for “affordability to pay fees, as parents might have lost income.” On average, Middle East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa wrote “income” in their open-ended 30 percent of all parents and caregivers and 31 percent of all teachers reported “cost” as a key responses. Similar answers were found in other regions. A mother from Latin America and the barrier to accessing the supports needed for children with disabilities to continue their learning Caribbean wrote, “the money does not last very long, and even more so when one is a mother at home. This held true regardless of the type of disability represented by the respondent and who is not working.” This also calls attention to how household dynamics—and differences the education level taught by the teacher. between one- and two-parent homes—may shape the needs and priorities of learners with Figure 9. Proportion of Teachers That Identified Cost as a Key Barrier, by Region disabilities and their families. In their open-ended responses, participants often called on the government to provide these AFR kinds of economic support structures. For example, a Spanish-speaking parent from Latin LAC America and the Caribbean described how the most important type of support needed was “for the government to pay more attention to the population, mainly the vulnerable, such as NA my son, with a view to providing economic, health, and education.” This calls attention to the need for multisectoral COVID-19 responses. Economic support was seen as a foundation for MENA improved health and education. For some, these types of support could come through social protection packages. A parent from South Asia identified “social security” as a need since SA “the government has done nothing, nor the state government.” Their words emphasize the EAP need for government support at both the national and subnational levels. The need for financial security and stability at the household level was seen as a prerequisite ECA for effective remote teaching and learning. Many respondents also described how a “good Proportion of Teachers practice” would address the economic needs of learners and their families. Persons with disabilities, especially those living in Sub-Saharan Africa, recognized this: • Sub-Saharan Africa (AFR) • Latin America & Caribbean (LAC) • North America (NA) • Middle East and North Africa (MENA) • South Asia (SA) • East Asia & Pacific (EAP) • Europe & Central Asia (ECA) “I have no proven experience in this area, but I think that children and their families Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey should be in a sound financial and material position to allow them to continue their Note: Sample sizes range from 107 in Europe and Central Asia to 529 in Sub-Saharan Africa. studies at home” —person with disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa (French) “Most of them they are just at home while parents are busy trying to make ends Monetary or financial support was needed for a variety of expenses that parents and caregivers meet. Some are even begging in the streets due to high poverty levels.” —person had when taking care of their children with disabilities, especially while learning from home. with disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa According to parents/caregivers and teachers this includes the cost of internet data or utilities, technological devices for remote teaching and learning, “educational toys” or reading Similarly, an Arabic-speaking teacher from the Middle East and North Africa wrote: materials, basic needs such as food and water, special assistive devices for those learners with sensory disabilities, money for medicine or health services, and access to specialists, “Caregivers of children with disabilities [have] shared [the] need for cash assistance such as occupational, physical, or speech therapists and psychologists. The following and access to work opportunities and livelihood services in order to provide basic sections examine these needs in more detail. Despite cost being a major barrier for learners needs then supporting their children by providing additional specialized services with disabilities and their families, evidence from the Pivoting to Inclusion report suggests (therapy and basic literacy).” that—as of May 2020—of 60 countries that adopted social programs during COVID-19, only 18 (30  percent) specifically target children with disabilities (World Bank 2020a). For more information on social protection policies supporting disability inclusion during COVID-19, see Section 3 of the Pivoting to Inclusion report. 20 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 21 1.2 ACCESS TO INTERNET AND DEVICES But qualitative data suggests that even families with internet access often faced challenges due to poor connectivity. A parent from South Asia said the most important type of support their Since the survey instrument was hosted online, a certain level of connectivity was needed for child needed was “better internet connectivity.” Data was a common issue raised by parents the participation of survey respondents. Despite this, a common theme that emerged from and caregivers, suggesting that internet signals were unstable in many contexts. As a teacher the data was inadequate internet connection or lack of access to technological devices for from Sub-Saharan Africa reported: remote learning. Approximately one in four parents identified the lack of internet access/data (25 percent) or the availability of devices (23 percent) as a key barrier to learning, while one in “I set up a WhatsApp group and sent out videos to explain the subject matter, translations 10 (10 percent) identified power and electricity as a key barrier. Similarly, 36 percent of teachers of the material into the vernacular (Zulu) and worksheets. Initially participation was good, identified the lack of internet access/data as a barrier for their students’ families and 30 percent but most parents now say they do not have sufficient data to download the materials I identified a lack of assistive devices as a barrier. Figure 10 depicts the proportion of parents that send. Others have said that they often forget to do the homework with their children as identified lack of internet or data as a key barrier to learning for learners with disabilities. As they are constantly anxious about their economic survival.” evident in the data, regional differences mirror the findings above regarding cost as a barrier: Europe and Central Asia and East Asia and Pacific are the two regions where connectivity is less According to some parents, weak internet connectivity caused additional challenges. A parent of a challenge, compared to Latin America and the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa, where of a child with autism from Europe and Central Asia said, “Internet quality can be different and nearly half of teachers report connectivity being a challenge for their students and families. can make [my son] anxious.” Therefore, even when a family has access to internet at home, Figure 10. Proportion of Parents Reporting Power, Internet, and Devices as Barriers, by Region the quality of their internet connection was not always reliable. Figure 11. Parents/Caregivers’ Access to the Internet and Technology Proportion of parents Internet Internet 69% 69% 31% 31% Computer Computer 48% 48% 52% 52% Tablet Tablet 41% 41% 59% 59% Smart Smart Phone Phone 66% 66% 34% 34% Phone MobilePhone Mobile 74% 74% 26% 26% Television Television 90% 90% 10% 10% Radio Radio 59% 59% 41% 41% ECA EAP SA MENA AFR NA LAC 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Yes No Yes No Power/Electricity Internet availability/data Availability of devices Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey Note: Data are from Question 5 (parents/caregivers), “While schools are closed during COVID-19, does your • Europe & Central Asia (ECA) • East Asia & Pacific (EAP) • South Asia (SA) • Middle East and North Africa (MENA) child have access to…” Response rates vary from 2,254 (Tablet) and 2,427 (TV). In other words, not all survey • Sub-Saharan Africa (AFR) • North America (NA) • Latin America & Caribbean (LAC) respondents responded to all questions about each device. Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey For some families, “access” to a device at home did not always translate into access for learners Note: These data are from survey Question 7 (parents), “What are some of the barriers to accessing the supports needed to continue their learning?” Sample sizes range from 124 in North America to 448 in South Asia. with disabilities. Parents sometimes had to use their device for work, for example, or there were not enough devices for all children in the household to use independently. A parent There were significant regional differences in families’ access to assets such as internet and devices. from Sub-Saharan Africa commented on the need for an “extra phone for [my son] to do his For example, while only 21 percent of all respondents from Sub-Saharan Africa reported having work In situations where there were too few devices available for the number of children in internet access, more than twice as many (55 percent) in North America did. It is interesting the household, survey respondents doubted that learners with disabilities would have the to note, however, that even in a region with presumably high levels of connectivity (North opportunity to use these devices. Instead, they believed priority would go to their siblings America), nearly half (45 percent) of survey respondents were still not reliably accessing the without disabilities. Girls were also seen as a more vulnerable group. A person with disabilities internet. from Europe and Central Asia said: 22 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 23 “If the resources in the family are limited (for instance, [if ] there is [a] limited number child with their same disability may be affected by school closures during COVID-19. Figure of gadgets), it is more likely that girls with disabilities will not receive access to them 13 provides quantitative data on what technological tools persons with disabilities believed in order to be able to effectively continue their studies.” to be most useful for students with their particular disability. As evident in the data, persons with disabilities were most confident in TVs, cell phones, and smartphones for learning—a The data points to another important caveat: general access to devices or “assets” was not finding that echoes the perceptions of parents presented above. The important finding from meaningful for all learners with disabilities, depending on their disability. Figure 12 illustrates the data, however, is that the usefulness of each device or material was bound by the physical, parents’ responses to two questions on the survey: access to devices and printed materials cognitive, and behavioral needs of each individual student. The second section of the findings and whether the device is actually useful. For example, even though more than 60 percent elaborates on this finding in relation to effective remote teaching modalities. of survey respondents had access to a TV, less than 20  percent believed that the TV was useful for remote learning purposes. As evident in the data above, parents and caregivers Figure 13. Persons with Disabilities Perceptions of “Useful” Teaching-Learning Devices or believed that computers and tablets were among the most useful devices. For all other Materials devices, however, there is a significant decrease in the proportion of parents and caregivers who reported access and “usefulness.” The “usefulness” of any device or material, would, of 83% 84% 82% course, depend on the type of disability of the learner. 58% 57% Figure 12. Parents/Caregivers’ Access to the Internet and Technology 49% 50% 48% 39% 41% 38% 42% 35% Computer 31% 29% 13% 16% 7% 11% 5% 10% 12% 10% 4% 3% 5% Tablet 25% 27% Radio TV Cell Smartphone Tablet Computer Internet Books/Printed materials Internet 46% 25% Smartphone 41% Accessible 20% Accessible and usefull TV 62% Yes No Unsure 20% 44% Books/Printed materials 18% Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey 38% Radio 18% The lack of access to internet and “useful” devices served as a barrier to learning. When schools 47% closed at the onset of COVID-19, many countries turned to online or blended learning models Cell 16% to support their students. Without access to the necessary devices or adequate internet Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey connectivity to engage in online learning activities, learning inequalities are likely to widen for Note: The data draws on Question 5, “While schools are closed during COVID-19, does your child have access to learners with disabilities. As a person with disabilities from the Middle East and North Africa a [name of device]. Is it accessible and useful for your child with a disability?” Sample size is 1,628. wrote: The perceptions of persons with disabilities are perhaps the most telling of the realities that “At the moment, my country has not considered making materials for special need learners with disabilities experience, as adults’ lived experiences can often inform how they children. Many parents do not have access to internet, laptops and smartphones. interpret current educational conditions. Indeed, this is why persons with disabilities were Not even radios to access educational packages online or those ones aired on radios. included in the survey sample—to reflect on their own lived experiences and share how a Learners with disabilities stopped learning at the time of school closure.” 24 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 25 The survey respondent aptly notes a range of EdTech resources that can be used in school and government responses, including smartphones, laptops, and radios. Unfortunately, however, if Box 1. Spotlight on Promising Practices: Leveraging Community Support learners with disabilities do not have access to these devices—or the ability to use them for “[Our] school buys data [for] all learners. We use WhatsApp as a medium. All learning learning as they have been designed—they will be excluded from teaching and learning activities material is made available in print and audio on WhatsApp. Learners participate using and further marginalized during school closures. In summary, survey respondents described a voice notes. It is not perfect, but it is a good solution under the circumstances.” —teacher series of cumulative challenges that learners with disabilities confronted when trying to access from Sub-Saharan Africa devices necessary for remote learning. These challenges are presented in figure 14. Figure 14. Cumulative Challenges for Learners with Disabilities Accessing Devices at Home “My experience now is working with the ministry of education in [my country], we are giving all classes in accessible format (the national Sign Language) but the principal Preference for Skills or ability lack is... the parents don’t know sign language. My idea is to create safe spaces with Access Enough Sufficient quality siblings without to use tech as internet data devices, and all technology can be used for the children, and in that place to the Internet devices of Internet disabilities, designed for at home connectivity for children to one teacher supporting classes from home. The strategy is to create internet spots with use specially boys learning devices nearly from their homes, with all health procedures, but create accessible places for poor families if they don’t have access to internet and data devices.” —teacher, Latin Financial security to afford basic necessities and maintenance of ICT infrastructure and devices America and the Caribbean Source: Authors “A good practice is to ascertain the child’s needs in terms of technical devices, like Survey participants from all three categories (parents/caregivers, teachers, and persons with computers, for example, and to try to procure them. My student did not have a computer, disabilities) described the role of the government and the donor community in providing these so I put a notice in the provincial newspaper, asking for help. Two days later, she received basic necessities. Open-ended responses frequently described the shortcomings of government a computer, thanks to people’s willingness to help.”—Spanish-speaking teacher from actors and when the government did provide material support, survey respondents seemed Latin America and the Caribbean to have mixed reviews. On the one hand, a person with disabilities from South Asia wrote how the government was “performing their role” and another person with disabilities from Europe The findings explored in this subsection illustrate that wide inequalities exist in accessing and Central Asia described a “good practice” as “providing the children with basic computers/ tech devices and the internet. Although nearly half (49 percent) of the global population uses smartphones or the vouchers to buy some; subsidizing the internet costs for those families the internet, this number drops drastically in low-income countries where only 16 percent of that previously did not already have internet.” the population uses the internet. The digital divide is especially apparent in certain regions. In South Asia (20 percent) and Sub-Saharan Africa (19 percent), for example, approximately While these support structures were less common, it has been found that in some countries—such 1 in 5 people use the internet. But this is only part of the picture.8 As the findings here have as Mozambique and Cape Verde—state-owned telecommunication companies offered significant shown, beyond these global inequalities in broadband access, the education of children with discounts (and in some cases free) internet packages to those in need (see Tsandzana 2020). disabilities is further complicated by both the accessibility and utility of digital technologies On the other hand, a person with disabilities from Sub-Saharan Africa wrote, “[they] don’t have and how children with disabilities are prioritized for learning within households. appropriate learning materials as government only gave general learning materials.” Similarly, a Spanish-speaking teacher from Latin America wrote, “the (half hour) of free internet provided by 1.3 ACCESS TO HEALTH, NUTRITION, HYGIENE, AND SANITATION the local government” is “useful” but that, “it would be important to extend the time, capacity, and A third important component of an enabling home environment is physical health, nutrition, coverage of the internet connection.” According to survey respondents, therefore, government hygiene, and sanitation. This includes food or proper nutrition; water, sanitation, and hygiene efforts often fell short or failed to reach the most marginalized learners with disabilities. (WASH); or other aspects of health and safety. On average, one in four survey respondents For some survey respondents, internet and devices could also be procured at the school level or (25 percent) reported that their biggest concern was “not accessing basic nutritional needs through community support. Box 1 provides three excerpts exemplifying these efforts at the provided at school.” Although only 17 percent of parents reported this, 29 percent of teachers school or community level. As evident from the third example, when schools did not provide did so, and 31  percent persons with disabilities felt that this was a major concern. The students with the necessary materials, some teachers took this on themselves and went to great lengths to procure devices. 8 World Bank database https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.USER.ZS?locations=8S 26 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 27 qualitative data supported this, as many respondents identified the need for “food parcels,” surveys in 45 countries and found that a significant amount of people—especially in LMICs— “food rationing,” and, in particular, the need for a “healthy” or “nutritional” diet. have run out of food or reduced their consumption since the onset of COVID-19. The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) indicates that as many as 96  million School closures seemed to have a detrimental impact on the health and nutrition of learners people across 54 IDA countries were pushed into acute food insecurity in 2020, bringing and their families. Many learners with disabilities participate in school feeding programs. the total number of people with food insecurity to 233 million at the end of 2020 (Townsend Closing schools thus also meant terminating these programs and reducing the amount of and Gautam 2021). It is unsurprising, therefore, that parents and caregivers requested extra food available to these young people. A person with disabilities from the Middle East and support in their open-ended survey responses: “Government support for the provision of food” North Africa wrote, “because of this virus, many learners that come from poverty have not (parent, Latin America and the Caribbean), “support with baskets of basic goods” (parent, received food because they feed by [a] feeding scheme at school.” This seemed to especially North America, Spanish), or schools that could organize “food kits to make up for their lack of be the case for respondents from special schools. For example, when asked to identify the food” (teacher, Latin America and the Caribbean). Comments like these were observed across most important kind of support their child needed, a parent from the Europe and Central Asia all respondents, regardless of regions, type of schools, or disabilities. region said: Many survey respondents described their limited access to health services. Overall, 26 percent of “For those usually studying in the specialized schools some food vouchers to be parents and caregivers reported that it was “very difficult” to get access to health services given to their families, as they will have additional food, internet and electricity costs during COVID-19. Only one-third (33 percent) of parents/caregivers reported having access related to the fact that a child will be at home all the time.” to “every day health services,” and even fewer reported having access to emergency health The perceptions of survey respondents add depth to an already alarming statistic. As of April services (24 percent). Figure 15 depicts the types of health services that parents and caregivers 2020, at the peak of school closures around the globe, the World Food Programme estimated report having access to at the onset of COVID-19 and school closures. In their open-ended that 369 million children (47 percent of which were girls) were missing out on meals (cited in answers, many survey respondents called on government actors for the provision of these the Pivoting to Inclusion report, World Bank 2020a).9 essential resources and services. The absence of a school feeding plan was only exacerbated by economic hardships at home. A Spanish-speaking mother from North America said she needed food, “because there is hardly Figure 15. Parents’/Caregivers’ Reported Access to Health Services any work for my husband.” A parent/caregiver from the Middle East and North Africa wrote: “Food will run out as most parents are home and not getting paid.” Without a healthy diet, Every day health Everyday services health services 33% 33% families become more vulnerable to illness. A teacher from the Middle East and North Africa spoke of this from his/her context, stating “[learners with disabilities] are poor and don’t have Specialized health Specialized services health services 18% 18% access to healthy fresh food which put them at risk due to a deteriorating immune system.” Emergency health Emergency services health services 24% 24% Further, access to food required leaving the house to go to a store or market, which was health Allied Allied services health services 5% difficult for some parents who had to stay home to take care of their child or who simply could not leave the house due to lockdown restrictions. A parent from Sub-Saharan Africa said Remote access Remote access 8% 8% that the most important support needed was “someone to look after [my daughter] so that I Community care Community services care services 14% 14% can get food from the store” and a parent from Latin America and the Caribbean requested food simply because, “we cannot go out.” Food security is essential for young people is very difficult No, itand to get access Noto it health services… is very difficult to get 26% 26% the absence of a healthy diet or nutritious meal ultimately affects young people’s ability to access to the health services my child needs concentrate and learn (see Save the Children 2013). As a parent from South Asia reported, “[the] financial burden and lack of resources is certainly [a] big barrier and sometimes food Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey could be [a] priority [over] education.” Note: Data from Question 9 (parents/caregivers), “Does your child have access to the health services needed during this time (tick all that apply)? Sample size = 1,608 This finding is supported by recent evidence. The World Bank (2021) conducted phone 9 https://cdn.wfp.org/2020/school-feeding-map/index.html 28 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 29 As evident in the data above, less than 1 in 5 parents (18  percent) reported having access Survey respondents also mentioned a multitude of hardships prohibiting them from accessing to specialized health services during COVID-19. In the open-ended questions, respondents health services. Examples of challenges include economic difficulties due to lockdown wrote of a multitude of treatments and services that learners with disabilities needed, measures or losing jobs, limited access to transportation to travel to health service facilities including occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, pathologists, (or not leaving the house for fear of catching the virus), poor access to online/remote services, physiotherapy, Applied Behavior Analysis, rehabilitative services, counseling, psychiatry, or and the reduction of specialist services by medical facilities. This latter challenge is further psychosocial support. supported by the literature: during COVID-19, health services for noncommunicable diseases were severely disrupted, especially in LMICs (WHO 2020b). Survey respondents pointed this These requested services address various physical and emotional support structures for out. When asked to describe the support needed, they wrote: parents. Figure 16 suggests that parents and caregivers generally reported having more access to emotional support than physical support. However, still approximately half of “Access to health services and money. Surgery of our son got postponed due to parents/caregivers reported not having access to at least one of these services. lockdown. And out financial resources went down significantly. So, affording the surgery at the hospital of our choice is now a challenge” —parent, South Asia Figure 16. Parents’ Reported Access to Physical and Emotional Support During COVID-19 “All our appointments were canceled due to COVID-19. It is even difficulty to get to Physical support Emotional support talk to a doctor and we can’t go to the surgery as everything is done over the phone 2% 2% and you can wait hours to hear back from them. My two children with disabilities are finding the whole situation very difficult they don’t understand what’s going on or 14% 15% why they can’t call to a friend or visit family.” —parent, Europe and Central Asia Yes Remote therapies and specialized services are a potential solution to this challenge but may not 41% 51% No address the needs of all learners with disabilities. In the Middle East and North Africa, a national rehabilitation center was identified as providing effective support to parents so learners with Somewhat disabilities could continue therapies at home (box 2). Other survey respondents mentioned “tele-visits” (person with disabilities, North America) or “tele-health” (teacher, Middle East 43% 32% Unsure and North Africa) as “good practices” to support the mental and physical health of learners with disabilities. Unfortunately, however, quantitative data indicates that less than one in 10 (8 percent) of all survey respondents had access to these remote services. Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey Note: Data from Question 10 (parents/caregivers), “What kind of supports do you have to help take care of your child with a disability during COVID-19 school closures? Sample size for physical support is 1,107 and sample Box 2. Spotlight on Promising Practices: Virtual Guidance to Support At-Home Therapy size for emotional support is 1,120. “Despite all the circumstances that have been made available in the country and the Specialized services were particularly important for learners with functional disabilities. A parent world due to the coronavirus, the [national rehabilitation center] continued to provide of a child with visual disabilities, for example, described the greatest challenge as the “inability services to its children through social media and developed a weekly program for each to consult ophthalmologist for [my] child’s eye problem. [This has] exacerbated due to constant therapist who has to send a video with valuable goals and information that the parents screen use and eye strain. And visits to doctor for any other medical problem.” Not only did families can apply to the child through tools available in each home.” —teacher, Middle East and lack access to services, but also health challenges were exacerbated due to the pandemic, due North Africa to isolation during lockdown or the over-use of technology for remote learning. 30 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 31 Qualitative data suggest these remote specialized services were not the most effective for all funding for sexual and reproductive health services and resources tend to be pulled back learners with disabilities. Further, all survey respondents, especially parents and caregivers, (WHO 2020a). For example, a recent report identified various challenges that women with emphasized the need for qualified specialists to provide these services. One parent from disabilities in India faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, including reduced access to Sub-Saharan Africa explicitly said that they need “therapeutic help” because “parent are not sanitary products (Rising Flame and Sight Savers 2020). In addition, emergency food aid and therapists.” Data suggests an overwhelming need for reliable, quality, and accessible therapies WASH interventions have long been part of humanitarian aid packages, but these emergency and specialized health services for learners with disabilities. As a parent from Europe and models are likely difficult to scale across an entire country since they are often adapted from Central Asia said, “therapy and appointments are crucial [for] a child to continue [learning]. development settings with different approaches and timeframes (Yates and others 2017), and Disability does not stop for any virus.” neglect to include the most marginalized, including learners with disabilities. Threats to health, hygiene, and sanitation were commonly addressed as the support learners with disabilities Another health-related issue commonly mentioned was the need for access to WASH supplies. and their families needed. The Pivoting to Inclusion report addresses this need: an estimated 11 percent of the 1 billion persons with disabilities worldwide do not have access to improved WASH (WHO and Many respondents described a general need for “protection from the pandemic” (parent, Sub- UNICEF 2017, cited in World Bank 2020a). In their open-ended responses, all three types of Saharan Africa) or protective measures to be put in place, particularly in relation to COVID-19. survey respondents wrote water or hygiene or recognized the need to wash one’s hands or use As one teacher noted: hand sanitizer. These sorts of comments were made both in relation to COVID-19 and more “[Learners with disabilities] may not access rightful information regarding COVID-19. generally. “Personal hygiene,” “general hygiene,” and the hygiene of girls were all comments They lack WASH items since they come from poor backgrounds and the government made in relation to WASH supplies and services. Parents and caregivers described the need is doing less to help them... Some learners with cognitive disability, autism and for supplies, such as diapers, or pads. A teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa said: “Some learners cerebral palsy may not be aware of the importance of social distancing, regular have other disabilities as well and battle with basic hygiene. Some learners don’t have access washing of hands and wearing masks. This exposes them to danger, majority of to basic things like running water and toilets at home. In townships they are sharing toilets with them have weak immune system which pre-disposes them to COVID-19.” —teacher, other people from community.” A teacher in South Asia said, “some children cannot maintain Sub-Saharan Africa personal hygiene. They need support.” In general, 17 percent of teacher respondents identified access to WASH as a support that their students with disabilities need. Respondents recognized that learners with disabilities were a particularly vulnerable group that could easily contract the virus due to their lack of access to WASH resources and services, Girls had additional hygiene needs. Survey respondents wrote about the need for feminine hygiene or not accessing information on protective measures. products. A question inquiring about any particular concerns for girls with disabilities revealed how feminine products are essential to creating an enabling home learning environment for 1.4. ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION girls. This was especially the case with respondents from South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Across all regions and respondents, was the need for accessible information about COVID-19, a South Asian respondents often mentioned a general concern for the hygiene and “cleanliness” challenge recognized by persons with disabilities. “Information is not disability- [or] gender- of girls with disabilities, and respondents from Sub-Saharan Africa said: and cultural-friendly,” said one person with disabilities from South Asia. A teacher of children “Girls with disabilities will likely be effected most in terms of hygiene where some with autism from Sub-Saharan Africa addressed a need for developing an “understanding of parents may not be able to meet the cost of buying them pads, also the cost of the disease and how to respond in a case where children experience intellectual difficulties and living in this period some girls with disabilities may not be safe in the hands of poor cognitive challenges” and another teacher from the same region described how information parents.” —person with disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa presented on the TV was not accessible to these young people: “The learners are missing out on the information about COVID-19 because the interpreters on TV screens don’t use the “Yes. I believe COVID-19 has affected gender disproportionately. Girls with disability language appropriate to the children level of understanding.” This was especially the case for while staying home are at higher risk of facing more challenges due to for instance learners with sensory disabilities, such as deafness or blindness, who could not access news their sexual health needs.” —person with disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa or information broadcasted from the TV or radio: “The learners are missing out in the information about COVID-19 because the These concerns are very much warranted. Literature suggests that during health emergencies, 32 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 33 interpreters in TV screens don’t use the language appropriate to the children level of Teachers found creative strategies to inform learners with disabilities about the virus and how understanding. Parents don’t know sign language hence making it hard for them to to take care of themselves (see box 3 below). A teacher from Latin America and the Caribbean inform their deaf children on the pandemic. They might be not aware of what they reported that a “good practice” was “explaining in simple terms how to avoid getting infected. should and shouldn’t do. Sad.” —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa children learn more easily by example.” Modelling safe and healthy behaviors and finding clear, accurate, and accessible ways to share this information for learners, regardless of their “In the case of students with deaf blindness, the biggest concern is access to type of disability was imperative. A teacher from Europe and Central Asia said learners with information and communication, as well as access to their surroundings using their disabilities need “information to keep them safe.” mobility with the support of special devices; also concerned about their social and family inclusion.” —teacher, North America (Spanish) Because the internet is an important source of information, those families without connectivity also noted how this was a challenge. A Spanish-speaking parent from North America described the need for “access to the internet to enable my child to keep up with his schoolwork and Box 3. Spotlight on Promising Practices: Teaching Learners with Disabilities about COVID-19 up-to-date with information.” “We used a puppet named Stormy who sneezed on everyone. But then she learned Some survey respondents called on particular actors, such as the government or development how to sneeze and cough without spreading germs to her friends. Her nose/mouth is organizations, to ensure young persons with disabilities receive this information: a squeeze bottle. We also did the glitter (germs) in water. First, they touched the water without soap, [which meant] the glitter stuck to them. Then they put soap onto their “[Learners with disabilities] must keep informed about COVID-19, [to] know how to hands and the glitter jumped away. So, using soap is better when cleaning hands. One apply protective measures to combat the pandemic. Greater assistance is therefore child put glitter on their hands and then gave everyone a high-five. That was to teach needed, either from the government [or] national organizations.” — teacher, Sub- how and how easily germs are spread. We had a theme where they were surgeons for Saharan Africa (French) two weeks. Every day, they had to wash their hands like surgeons do. This taught them Respondents offered solutions such as “training on COVID-19,” or the “guidance of health care how to wash their hands properly. Our health policy states that they [must] sanitize their professionals during COVID-19.” They made reference to a general need to build awareness hands every 2 to 3 hours with SafeCleanse hand sanitizer.” —teacher from South Asia about the pandemic for young persons with disabilities. Picture guidelines on protocols for social distancing or handwashing were suggested as promising practices to inform learners who are deaf or hard of hearing. The use of “social stories” was another effective strategy Access to information is a human right. Article 9 of the Convention of the Rights of Persons commonly mentioned by survey respondents in North America, East Asia, and the Pacific, and with Disabilities (CRPD) holds State Parties responsible for identifying and eliminating barriers Sub-Saharan Africa.1 As a teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa explained: to accessibility of “information, communications and other services, including electronic services and emergency services,”11 and Article 21 highlights the need, “to provide information “Social stories have been published to explain the virus, how to wash hands, and services in accessible and usable formats for persons with disabilities.”12 This holds all importance of washing hands and why we need to wear masks. Social stories are parties accountable, including governments, public service providers, the private sector, and needed when working with Autism Spectrum Disorder learners.” especially the mass media. Though not limited to COVID-19-related information, the global A person with disabilities from Sub-Saharan Africa suggested “visual aids, deaf-to-deaf health crisis—and the need for information on safety and protective measures, and health support” and “drama to teach [deaf children] how to protect themselves from COVID.” services—has heightened the need to ensure accurate information is provided to learners with disabilities and their families promptly. Yet despite this, barriers for persons with disabilities in accessing health services and information have intensified (OHCRH 2020). At the onset of COVID-19, a recommendation was put forward to “make information and communications technologies (ICTs) and assistive technologies that promote communication and autonomy of 11  https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities/article-9-accessibility.html E xamples of social stories about COVID-19 for learners with disabilities can be found HMEA’s Autism Resource Central: https://www.autismresourcecentral. 10  12  https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities/article-21-freedom-of-expression-and-opinion- org/social-stories-for-young-and-old-on-covid-19/ and-access-to-information.html 34 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 35 individuals in emergency situations available to public services and persons with disabilities” Persons with disabilities also recognized the risks of violence at home, and often associated it with (OAS 2020, p. 31, cited in UN-ECLAC 2021). This requires ensuring that persons with different increased stressors in impoverished households or poor communities. A parent from Sub-Saharan types of disabilities have access to the same information that they know how to prevent the Africa described how, “some children live in devastating circumstances with no hope of proper spread of the disease, how to mitigate contamination, and to protect themselves in the case care.” A teacher reported concern for “the safety of learners in abusive households and food of contagion. Barriers that persons with disabilities may have in accessing public health security for learners in poor communities.”  In Sub-Saharan Africa, a person with disability information, and in particular information on COVID-19, will increase their risk of infection, described how, sometimes, the abuse may come directly from parents or relatives: “those [girls] thus jeopardizing their safety and security (WHO 2020b). with intellectual difficulties are vulnerable as most of the rape cases are from relatives. Hence this time they are more endangered.” Girls with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to abuse 1.5. SAFE AND SECURE HOME ENVIRONMENTS when lockdown measures are in place (see box 4). When asked to identify what their students need “most” during COVID-19 school closures, over a quarter of all teacher respondents (29  percent) reported that the “most” important Box 4. Issues Focus: Girls and the “Shadow Pandemic” need was “access to safe, secure home environments,” followed closely after by “mechanisms to support parents and caregivers” (see Subsection 2.5). The previous sections have addressed challenges for learners with disabilities in general, and girls and female adolescents with disabilities in particular. Limited access to Figure 17. Teachers Report What learners with Disabilities Need “Most” during School Closures sanitary products for feminine hygiene was one example. Gender-based violence (GBV) 3% is another. Many respondents (parents/caregiver, teachers, persons with disabilities) Access to medical services from all geographical regions mentioned the risk of GBV, verbal or physical abuse, 6% Access to rehabilitation services domestic violence, intrafamilial violence, physical, sexual, or psychological violence, 7% and even rape. Girls with disabilities were also often viewed as lacking the right to say 29% Access to nutrition no to marriage proposals, and thus more at risk to sexual violence, if they are neglected 11% by their family members. A person with disabilities from South Asia even recognized Information about COVID-19 new risks due to remote teaching, such as cyberviolence. Girls face discrimination Access to WASH everywhere, and this in large part due to deeply entrenched social norms around gender roles (see, for example, Harper et al. 2020). According to respondents, this inequity 17% Mechanisms to support parents, caregivers only intensified during COVID-19. A person with disabilities from an organization in 27% Europe and Central Asia described this: “We work with girls with disabilities and during Access to safe secure home environment quarantine, discrimination and violence against them increased. They are considered useless and superfluous since they cannot work and buy food.” The concerns expressed Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey by survey respondents is supported by recent evidence. GBV has increased in many Note: Data draws on responses to Question 24, “In your opinion, what do you think that your students with disabilities need the most during the COVID-19 school closures other than education?” Sample size is 1,845, but parts of the world, leading to what the UN Women (2020a) call the “shadow pandemic.” 762 respondents did not answer, so total responses were 1,083. And girls with disabilities are some of the most vulnerable to this sort of domestic abuse (UN Women 2020b). A person with disabilities from a Francophone country Safety and security at home seemed to especially be a top priority for teacher respondents. in the Middle East and North Africa wrote how girls with disabilities face a “double Qualitative data suggests that teachers’ understanding of the issues affecting the safety and vulnerability.” Their response resonates with intersectionality: gender and disability security of learners with disabilities at home went far beyond COVID-19. Teachers spoke intersect, creating further risks for girls with disabilities. of the risks of violence and abuse at home and in the surrounding communities. A teacher from the Middle East and North Africa said that their main concern was, “Protecting learners with disabilities from abuse and neglect during COVID-19” and a teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa explicitly stated that learners with disabilities “could be exposed to abuse” during school closures. Teachers from Sub-Saharan Africa described a range of safeguarding issues including social, economic, sexual, and physical abuse of learners with disabilities. 36 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 37 Economic challenges, a global health crisis, and school closures combine to create a volatile Survey respondents offered few solutions to address issues of safety and security. A teacher from home environment. Some teachers went as far as to recognize how COVID-19 impacted the Sub-Saharan Africa suggested “calling, texting, [or] making regular contact to make sure well-being and mental health of caregivers, which meant it could exacerbate tensions and [learners with disabilities] are safe.” And a person with disabilities from Europe and Central cause some to resort to violence or abuse: Asia described a “good practice” as “pastoral support”: “Like always, our children are marginalized—authorities must be reminded that they “Pastoral supports—where school staff are checking in with children even without exist and should be taken into consideration in educational and other strategies. their parents’ input. Private conversations, which are really tough in these times. Although the only option I see for our children is that of home programs during Someone to check on them to ensure they are not being abused at home. A social COVID 19, I am worried that their parents/guardians (often grandmothers or older worker and a therapist.” siblings in our context) do not have the emotional resilience or practical ability to The survey respondent raises several important points. First, they name various actors cope with the children day after day. Emotional and other abuse may follow. We that play an important role in ensuring the safeguarding of children with disabilities. Social therefore need to intensify our support to the family and support system around the workers and therapists, and teachers and school leaders, can all check in on their students. child during this time.” Second, they clearly state these check-ins should take place “even without their parents’ Since lockdown measures were put in place during the onset of COVID-19, reports of input,” therefore recognizing that young persons with disabilities are capable of identifying domestic violence have increased between 20  percent and 150  percent in some countries their needs, and that, indeed, spaces and opportunities for them to voice their concerns are (Child Rights Now 2020), including reports of violence against children. In India and critical, especially when their abuser may their parent or caregiver. Third, there is a need for Bangladesh, for example, there was a 30  percent and 40  percent increase respectively in children with disabilities to have opportunities for “private” conversations with adults who calls to child helplines (Peterman et al. 2020). Exacerbating factors include tension caused by can act on their behalf. Because children with disabilities are at home—in isolation with their food insecurity or financial struggles, cramped living conditions, isolation with abusers, and abusers and with restricted mobility—it is important that safe mechanisms are in place for movement restrictions among others (UN Women 2020a). children to report cases of abuse and seek help (UNHCR 2020). The dangers reported by participants appeared to largely be attributed to increased stressors 1.6. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION in the home. In addition, there are research reports that highlight that abuse of children with The findings above illustrate how survey respondents describe the importance of fostering an disabilities is also shaped by cultural beliefs that disabilities are in some way cursed and enabling home environment for learners with disabilities during school closures at the onset therefore physical abuse or corporal punishment are acceptable practices (Etieyiibo and of COVID-19. An enabling home environment requires financial security; access to the internet Omigebe 2016; Njelesani et al. 2018). From this survey there was no data to confirm the risk and devices for remote learning; physical health and nutrition, including access to essential of abuse was due to cultural practices, but widespread family stress, mental health crises for therapies and water, sanitation, and hygiene resources and services; accessible information caregivers, and neglect within families. Nevertheless, negative perceptions toward learners regarding the pandemic and how to take care of oneself; and safety and security, free from with disabilities—and the stigmatization of disability in general—were mentioned by several risks of physical, psychological, or sexual abuse, especially for girls. Girls with disabilities also survey respondents. A parent aptly noted: have specific needs at home, including access to female sanitary products. Because social “Some [learners with disabilities] are oppressed, repressed and undermined and taken norms that value boys over girls, girls with disabilities are also more likely to not have access as a curse, and thus may not start [school] unless parents have paid for their hearing to tech devices available at home. Table 1 summarizes the key challenges and solutions children fast (sic). Reporting of child protection and having a referral web could end suggested by survey respondents (persons with disabilities, parents, and teachers). this… Some [learners with disabilities] are forced to be married as they are seen as a burden, so even when the schools open, they will not get a chance.” 38 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 39 Table 1. Summary of Challenges and Solutions Suggested by Survey Respondents DIMENSION OF DIMENSION OF ENABLING HOME CHALLENGES SOLUTIONS ENABLING HOME CHALLENGES SOLUTIONS ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENT Economic hardships due to • Create and disseminate • parents losing their jobs information that is disability- Social protection policies • Inaccessible information regarding • • Costs of “essentials” (for inclusive, culturally relevant, and inclusive of learners with protective mechanisms such example, food, water, medicine, gender-responsive FINANCIAL SECURITY disabilities as social distancing and mask assistive devices, health services, ACCESSIBLE Sign language interpreters on TV • Cash transfers • wearing specialists and therapist, INFORMATION Creative ways of teaching about • education materials) Reduced school fees • Information about COVID-19 • COVID-19 (for example, through presented on TV do not include E xtra tuition or school fees • social stories, visual aids, or sign language interpreters puppets) Identify ICT needs of each learner • Model safe and healthy behaviors • with disability Provide learners with disabilities • Lack of access to tech devices • with accessible devices through Pastoral support from teachers, • social protection policies or • Neglect at home social workers, therapists, or Not enough devices for learners • other members of the school and with disabilities, especially girls community donations Risk of psychological, physical, or • wider community Devices that are inaccessible or • Vouchers for families to buy • sexual abuse, especially for girls ACCESS TO INTERNET SAFETY AND Contact learners with disabilities • do not fit the needs of learners devices Increased volatility and risk of • AND DEVICES SECURITY to ensure they are safe— with disabilities Lack of internet Governments or schools to • abuse from parents or other provide private channels of connection or high costs of data subsidize internet costs family members, due to economic communication to ensure learners packages E xtend the time, capacity, and • hardships and tense households can safely report cases of abuse • Unstable internet connection coverage of internet connection from parents or family members provided by local governments Create safe spaces as internet • hubs within communities The above solutions and challenges are limited to those explicitly suggested or referenced by survey respondents. Further detailed and contextual solutions are recommended in the • Economic hardships and loss of • Provide food parcels or Pivoting to Inclusion report (World Bank 2020a). Section 3, for example, highlights how social jobs leading to inability to buy food “rationing” protection are essential to bolster income security and access to health care, and to contribute • Not access to basic nutritional • Continuing school feeding to disability-related expenses for learners with disabilities and their families. Because many needs provided at school schemes learners with disabilities get their only nutritious meal in schools, ensure accessible food • Childcare responsibilities • Offer remote therapies, tele- distribution sites and food rations respond to the specific needs of learners with disabilities prohibiting parents from going to visits, or tele-health to support during school closures. Schools and governments should ensure information is wide-reaching ACCESS TO HEALTH, the supermarket the mental and physical health of NUTRITION, AND and available in multiple, accessible formats. It is also critical to support child protection HYGIENE Limited access to health services, • learners with disabilities and other social workers in their response to violence against children with disabilities and especially therapies or specialists,  ubsidize costs of essential health •S due to costs, reduced services, or gender-based violence, and to increase the number of mental health and psychosocial support care services and resources, restrictions to transportation including feminine products, services, which are insufficient. Future research should examine the feasibility of the solutions • Limited access to water, sanitation accessible personal protective suggested, particularly in relation to the unique needs of learners with disabilities, and the and hygiene resources and services, equipment (for example, face local and national contexts in which they live. especially feminine products shields), and hand sanitizer 40 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 41 2.0. REMOTE TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES: ACCESSIBLE Figure 18. Concerns about Remote Teaching Resources and Modalities, by Type of Respondent RESOURCES AND INCLUSIVE PEDAGOGIES They will not have accessible 32% “Keeping contact with beneficiaries. Encouraging safe hygiene practices. Sending 49% educational materials audio and/or video training to those who have facility. Follow-up comprehension of 60% lessons. One-on-one home visits with safety mechanisms. Report back. Food parcels to the needy.” teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa They will fall behind in learning 60% due to inaccessible distance 56% learning modalities 58% The excerpt above summarizes the elements that make remote teaching and learning both accessible and effective for learners with disabilities. The next set of findings explores these They will no know how to use 45% themes through survey respondents’ perceptions of remote teaching and learning during the technology appropriately to 47% school closures. It examines the challenges that learners with disabilities face when engaging continue their learning 47% in remote teaching activities, and promising practices that have helped them learn while studying at home. Section 2.1 explores the importance of providing accessible digital or non- Parents/caregivers Teachers Persons with dissabilities digital teaching and learning materials and modalities to learners with disabilities. Section 2.2. Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey turns to how these materials and modalities can best be leveraged, by providing individualized support or differentiated instruction, and meaningful curriculum content. Next, Section 2.3 Parents/caregivers requested resources and devices appropriate for the particular disability of their looks at the importance of communication and fostering feedback loops to assess the learning children. A common theme in the data was the need for “accessible” or “meaningful” teaching needs of, and explain, learners with disabilities, especially when remote learning is conducted and learning resources and materials. “Visual aids,” “audio format books,” and “learning asynchronously. Section 2.4 then examines the importance of human connection and how resources with an interpreter” were among the materials and support structures identified learners with disabilities can be provided socioemotional support through fostering social by parents and caregivers as something they perceived was needed for their children. For networks outside of school. Finally, Section 2.5 turns to teachers and parents/caregivers, both other survey respondents, there was a demand for “practical work” or more interactive of whom are facilitators of learning during school closures, and thus need to be supported so teaching and learning strategies that allowed for sensory stimulation. One parent from East they can better support learners with disabilities. Asia and Pacific whose daughter is deaf, said the support needed was “relevant materials in line with my daughter’s disability.” Their response points to an important point: learners with 2.1 ACCESSIBLE TEACHING AND LEARNING MATERIALS AND MODALITIES disabilities have diverse needs and there is not one specific educational material or approach In general, the most common (58 percent) concern across all respondents was that learners that effectively facilitates learning for all. To be effective, learners with disabilities must receive with disabilities would fall behind in learning due to inaccessible distance learning modalities. educational materials and modalities tailored to their unique needs. Nearly half of all respondents (48  percent) were concerned that learners with disabilities Interpreters and devices to support deaf and hard of hearing learners reappeared in respondents’ would not have accessible education materials, and 42 percent shared a concern around their open-ended answers. Teachers, parents/caregivers, and persons with disabilities wrote of a not being able to use technology properly (for example, because of physical impairments or multitude of assistive technologies they needed—including low-tech devices, such as walking not having the assistance they typically received in classrooms). Figure 18 below provides the sticks, reading stands, writing slopes, wobble cushions, or glasses, and high-tech devices, such breakdown of these responses by type of respondent. As evident in the data and predicted as educational apps with built-in sign language interpreters. Audio books, audio translated in our sampling plan, persons with disabilities seemed to have a heightened understanding materials, audio descriptions, and books with large print were identified for learners who are of the challenges that learners with disabilities face: 60 percent of persons with disabilities blind or have low vision. Sign language interpreters, closed captioning, or recording devices reported concerns about learners with disabilities not having accessible education materials, were needed for learners who are deaf or hard of hearing. Teachers from Sub-Saharan Africa compared to 49 percent of teachers and only 32 percent of parents and caregivers. In addition, described the most important support needed for their students with disabilities: many parents and caregivers said that the most important support their children needed were printed or digital resources for learning. There is a “huge lack of resources,” said one “Distribution of braille materials, optical magnifiers and hearing aids for easy content parent from Europe and Central Asia and another parent from Sub-Saharan Africa asked for delivery. Introduction of sign language classes  and sign language interpretation “accessibility to gadgets to use [for] learning.” Other open-ended responses included support during online classes via internet platform.” —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa in “study materials,” “learning materials,” “reading materials” or “lesson plans.” “Providing blind learners, learners with weak motor abilities and learners with 42 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 43 intellectual impairment with recorders so that they can record the lessons being taught content relevant. In Sub-Saharan Africa, a parent pointed this out, writing, “the content on on radio and television, which they can use as their remedial during their free time. television and radio is not relevant for my child who is in a special school as the curriculum is Assigning learners with hearing impairment and those who are deafblind interpreters not the same”13 and a teacher requested “reading materials for those with disabilities on TVs, so that they learn effectively and do not forget the sign language.” —teacher, Sub- radios and newspapers just like they’ve did for mainstream schools.” Third, even when the Saharan Africa content was relevant it was too advanced for some learners with disabilities. A teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa described the support needed for their students as, “TV lessons to fit As a person with disabilities from Sub-Saharan Africa noted, “materials and equipment should [learners’ with disabilities] levels.” Lessons on TV must also fit the sensory needs of learners, be available according to specific needs of each learner.” especially those with difficulty hearing or seeing. This is the fourth reason TV programs were Unsurprisingly, when the survey asked respondents to identify a “good practice,” many persons not accessible to many learners. Survey respondents across various regions commented on with disabilities referenced the importance of understanding the particular needs of learners with this, suggesting that TV and radios programs—particularly those set up by the government— disabilities. For example, a person with disability from the Middle East and North Africa wrote did not reach learners who are deaf or hard of hearing, and/or blind or have low-vision that a necessary step would be to “identify these learners.” Indeed, Article 25 of the CRPD respectively: addresses the need for the early identification of disabilities, although it is likely that special “The government started an educational TV channel. It’s good. But it’s not fulfilling education needs evaluations paused at the onset of COVID-19 and school closures (for the requirements of vulnerable community and students because of its access and example, NCLD 2020). A common theme in the data from persons with disabilities in South quality. —teacher, South Asia Asia was the need for recognizing “differences” both in the “academic requirements” and “services” provided. Only once the unique situation of each individual learner was understood, “TV courses can’t be understood by persons with visual disabilities. As [of] right now could proper accommodations be made. As a Portuguese-speaking person with disabilities there are programs in English and short films with sign language that the visually from Latin America and the Caribbean wrote, “it is necessary to know the specifics of each impaired cannot see or understand. Furthermore, the questions do not stay on the student and provide different resources.” Indeed, there are no silver bullets to effective remote screen for a long enough time.” —parent/caregiver, North America (Spanish) teaching, especially for learners with disabilities. This response was especially common in the region of Sub-Saharan Africa: A common way that governments attempted to bridge educational gaps was through “TV stations and Radio educational programs should also include assistance for blind television programs. Survey respondents had mixed reviews of this intervention. Many survey and deaf children as well as children with intellectual disabilities.”  —person with respondents spoke highly of these remote teaching modalities were described as “good disabilities, Sub Saharan Africa practices,” especially because they required less support from parents and caregivers. A teacher from South Asia wrote, “Being able to follow lessons on TV seems to work well. “Deaf learners prefer visual texts and a lot of information using the interpreter. There They learn and are occupied. Less stress on the family who needs to take care of them.” should be signs created for them to keep being informed of what is happening as they Broadcast media, such as TVs and radios, are two low-tech options that have been found to don’t have access to hear [what’s] on radios. TV programs are not benefitting [deaf be effective for learners in LMICs (Damani and Mitchell 2020; Watson and McIntyre 2020). learners] because there are no interpreters, and some cannot lip read.”  —teachers, This general finding of this survey, however, contrasts earlier claims of effectiveness. A person Sub-Saharan Africa with disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa explicitly stated the opposite: Respondents identified a particular need for interpreters. A person with disabilities from Sub- “Learners with disabilities cannot learn on their own by just looking at the TV. They will Saharan Africa described, “[the] government [is] sponsoring lessons on TV without including need guidance someone to make them understand the reason why animations are interpretation.” Another respondent in the same region, a teacher, described how the use very good particularly for deaf learners.” of interpreters on the TV was a “good practice”: “Those [learners with disabilities] whose parents have TVs are included in [remote] teaching, especially the hearing impaired because Another reason respondents complained about TV programming is that educational TV there is a sign language interpreter  in every lesson presented.” It was unclear from which programs were not accessible for many learners. There were four main ways respondents country this respondent came. identified inaccessibility. First, not all learners with disabilities have access to televisions. Second, the TV programs were generally designed to teach the mainstream school curriculum, E xamples of social stories about COVID-19 for learners with disabilities can be found HMEA’s Autism Resource Central: https://www.autismresourcecentral. 13  which meant those learners from specialized schools with different curricula, did not find the org/social-stories-for-young-and-old-on-covid-19/ 44 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 45 Survey respondents also suggested that parents and teachers knowledgeable of sign with long hours on games.” Further, learners with physical disabilities may be unable to hold language could interpret television content for children who are deaf. In the Middle East and and manipulate tech devices. A parent from the Middle East and North Africa illustrates this in North Africa, several teachers suggested that they themselves serve as interpreters for their their open-ended response, when they describe how their daughter is in “surgical boots plus deaf learners, so these young people could benefit from lessons broadcasted on TVs: hand splints” making it nearly impossible to engage with any handheld technical device. A person with disabilities from East Asia and Pacific suggested learners with disabilities would “For my learners [who] are deaf, the provision of tablets and TV screen and internet need “interactive, friendly and accessible online learning platforms… [and] accessible and connectivity should be more helpful and provision on sign language interpreters. Like interactive education materials,” emphasizing the need for not just accessible remote teaching me, I am ready to give that support.” —teacher, Middle East and North Africa and learning opportunities but also those that are child-friendly, fun and dynamic. Similarly, a “The education of Ministry of Education and Sports, and district education officials parent from sub-Sahara Africa also wrote the support their children needed was “stimulating should provide teachers of learners with SEN with all the support so that all children and easy to use Apps.” “[My son] cannot read or write,” the parent said, but [he] can play with SEN learn with their counterparts the lessons being conducted on radio and TV.  music, movies, [and] games, [so] I’d like more of these to be educational.” The use of multiple This is best done by identifying those teachers and facilitating them to reach all the modes of teaching and learning creates a more inclusive learning environment and is aligned children.” —teacher, Middle East and North Africa with the principles of Universal Design by Design by Learning (UDL). For more on the UDL see Section 2.1 of the Pivoting to Inclusion report. There are no one-size-fits-all approaches for effective remote teaching modalities and methods, especially for learners with disabilities. As one teacher from North America wrote: Non-tech resources, however, were also important teaching and learning tools, especially for those learners and families with limited access to technological devices or internet. Survey respondents “Best-practice in the inclusion of children with disabilities in the COVID-response to offered a multitude of nondigital and digital devices and resources in their open-ended education would simply be to actually meet their needs within their new learning responses, and the effectiveness of each could be determined only by the unique situation environment none of which is truly being done. Ingenuity in inclusion isn’t helpful if it of each learner, their disability, and their home situation. Ten percent (10 percent) of parent/ isn’t truly meeting student needs for learning within the learning environment.” caregiver respondents reported that they were “unfamiliar with how to use technology.” This A theme emerging from the data, therefore, was the importance of finding what works for also came up in teachers’ responses—teachers wrote of parents/caregivers, especially older each individual student, depending on their cognitive and physical needs, and finding ways to grandparents who look after children with disabilities and who are unfamiliar with new digital get supports and resources to them. Survey respondents addressed the multitude of options technologies. for remote teaching and learning resources and devices: It was therefore up to teachers and parents to find what tool worked best for each learner. “Even if parents do not have laptops for their children to use, they all have cell phones A teacher from a Hispanophone country in Latin America and the Caribbean touched on and can learn via YouTube videos, Google and WhatsApp support. There are also many this in their response—a “good practice” was, to the respondent, “using a variety of tools to educational games on [Google] Playstore to use for free via cellphone. Many learners contact the students: WhatsApp, telephone calls, Zoom, private Facebook groups, distribution have a TV and additional channels.” —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa of documents door to door.” For this teacher, finding the right fit for individual students was determined through trial and error—experimenting with the available resources until “We have created a digital platform using Google Classroom, where they can access they found the one that would work for each learner with disabilities. Survey respondents the material [that] we create. This way they make good use of their leisure time and at addressed both challenges and solutions for identifying accessible and “useful” digital and the same time they enhance their knowledge. We also have Skype meetings with our nondigital teaching and learning materials for learners with disabilities. Figure 19 summarizes students in order to maintain their social skills and at the same time to organize some these findings, including the considerations that must be considered, and the no-tech, low- useful activities linked to those they used to do.” —teacher, Europe and Central Asia tech, and high-tech resources that teachers and parents identified as “good practices” for learners with disabilities. Technology-based learning can present opportunities, but also introduce new barriers or other detrimental impacts. Learners with epilepsy, for example, cannot sit in front of screens for long periods of time, as it can have detrimental effects on their health. A parent from Sub-Saharan Africa pointed this out: “Children are using tablets, phones and other devices for long hours, playing games. This is disturbing them during the nights. One of our members has got seizures 46 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 47 Figure 19. No-Tech, Low-Tech, and High-Tech Resources and Materials Identified as Effective Additional forms of differentiation suggested by survey respondents include allowing for extra time to finish assignments, providing one-on-one support or individualized attention, Considerations when choosing accessible and and simply having patience, compassion, and understanding. One teacher from Sub-Saharan useful teaching and learning materials for • Work packets Africa described tailoring instruction to students needs as “individuality.” A good practice for learners with disabilities • Reading materials inclusion identified by one respondent was “for [learners with disabilities] to produce given No-Tech • Study materials Access to devices/connectivity • Educational toys tasks in their way, in their time. If not written, then [through] voice notes... [for teachers] to Relevance of material/content accept a way in which [learners] are comfortable with producing their work. They tire easily, • Pre-recorded lessons Alignment with cognitive needs •S ocial media platforms: WhatsApp, so a no rush approach is necessary.” Age-appropriateness Facetime, Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams •M  ultimedia resources: The need for differentiated instruction was especially a concern for learners with disabilities in Physical ability to hold/manipulate device Low-Tech Digital presentations, (PPT), visual Sensitivity to screens or white light aids (images, photos, pictographs, mainstream schools. Although this was apparent across regions, two responses from parents infographics, audio clips, videos) Availability of translators or interpreters •B  roadcasting media, radio, TV in Europe and Central Asia shed light on the matter. One parent wrote that the most important Level of digital/ICT skills of learner/caregiver support needed for their child was “differentiated work compared to [my son’s] peers in •L  ive online classes Access to parental support •V  irtual learning platforms (Google, mainstream” and another commented: Hi-Tech Classroom) •A  pps: BooksRapid, Google Playstore, “Because teachers and the education system do not think my son should be in a AVETTI learning, Sikshya •S  oftware and video games mainstream school there are no plans for him to be educated there—hard to see that changing.” Source: Authors A teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa agreed, “[learners with disabilities] need a different 2.2 INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION AND MEANINGFUL CURRICULUM CONTENT protocol than mainstream learners.” Effective remote teaching and learning is not just determined by the resources, tool, or device. Besides differentiated instruction, learning content should be meaningful and relevant. When Rather, two additional factors play a role in shaping the effectiveness of such materials: how asked what the most important support needed for their child, a parent from Latin America learning is facilitated and the content of the material. Remote teaching may involve purely and the Caribbean said: digital content, face-to-face teaching, or hybrid approaches. Teaching and learning activities may also take place synchronously (that is, in real-time through Zoom meetings and virtual “That all the teachers demonstrate an awareness of and concern for the importance of lessons) or asynchronously (for example, through recorded lessons or videos that students providing a meaningful learning experience, one that is useful for the life of the child. must watch on their own). Survey respondents wrote of these diverse approaches in their They focus on imparting content that will not be applied in real life situations, and that open-ended answers. is difficult for the children to understand because of their disabilities.” “Students with disabilities need accommodations and modifications to distance Some teachers found creative ways of teaching the school curriculum. When asked to provide learning materials. Tiered work and the ability to have assistance with assignments “examples of good practice in the inclusion of children with disabilities” (Question 25), they through one-on-one tutoring sessions would be helpful. Parental involvement listed a range of activities, such as storytelling and games, creative arts through drawing and and support, internet availability, and measurable goals are key to successfully coloring, sports, dance, musical instruments, and other interactive activities. In the absence communicate during this time.” —teacher, North America of materials, teachers and parents suggested using everyday household items. A teacher from North America wrote that one example of good practice is “assignments that encourage a child “When giving out tasks, the children with disabilities should have their tasks modified on to safely explore the nature in their backyards for a biology lesson, rather than visiting public the side. It’s the same work as the rest of the class but modified for easy understanding. spaces” and a teacher from South Asia wrote how learners with disabilities “can do activity- The total number of subjects given to the children with disabilities should be reduced based learning through available things at home.” Some schools went above and beyond in case they’re struggling somewhere. Emphasis should be put on the main scoring to find ways to provide meaningful learning opportunities for their students with disabilities subjects for now so that they aren’t overwhelmed with work.  Teachers should be (box 6). considerate and flexible. They should not forget about the existence of children with disabilities.” —teacher, sub-Sahara Africa 48 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 49 and individualized attention during the onset of COVID-19 and school closures. Overall, only approximately a fifth of parents/caregivers (22 percent) reported believing their children with Box 6. Spotlight on Promising Practices: Innovative Online Classes to Engage Learners disabilities were engaged in “meaningful” learning opportunities while studying at home, “A specialized school for the blind supported its students to set up an online discussion compared to 36  percent who reported they were not. Similarly, 19  percent of teachers felt room. Every week they are hosting an interesting person, to whom the rest of attendees their students were continuing to learn during the time schools were closed during COVID-19, can ask questions. The discussion is attended by a teacher.” —person with disabilities, and more than twice as many (40 percent) believed they did not (figure 18). Therefore, while Europe and Central Asia the data suggest that a third of parents/caregivers and teachers were “somewhat” sure that learners with disabilities were continuing their learning, it was still more common for them to “Learning games. Not face-to-face, but online games. Computer games imitate reality, doubt the quality of the teaching and learning opportunities at home. it can be the same with the learning process. For example, if it is a history lesson, the game should be based on history, allowing yourself to feel it. It’s not about playing fights in war, but the history of the great discoveries and biography of leaders. Or, for example Figure 20. Do You Believe Learners with Disabilities Are Learning during School Closures? chemistry, I had a game on my computer, the game takes place in a professor’s house, the professor was gone. And your task would be to solve riddles and create a chemical Persons with dissabilities 20 36 43 1 product, for example, soap. Or clear water from other elements or create metal and so on. This will help to increase engagement.” —person with disabilities, Europe and Central Asia (Russian) Teachers 19 33 40 8 Parents 22 33 36 9 Other teachers looked beyond the curriculum for new ways to engage learners with disabilities in meaningful ways. For example, many teachers suggested developing life skills to support 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% learners with disabilities—skills that would allow them to develop independence and to Yes No Somewhat Unsure participate in everyday activities around the house, such as brushing one’s teeth, getting dressed, cleaning up or cooking. Survey respondents called these “Activities of Daily Living” Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey or “Skills Training and Learning Methods.” One teacher admitted that they “emphasized the Note: Data drawn from Question 8 (parents/caregivers), “Do you feel that your child with a disability is learning mean- Activities of Daily Living more than academic [activities]” due to her students’ needs and a ingfully compared to your children without disabilities during this time when schools are closed due to COVID-19?”; teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa wrote: Question 20 (teachers), “Do you feel that your students with disabilities are continuing to learn during this time when schools are closed due to COVID-19?; and Question (persons with disabilities), Given your lived experience of dis- ability, how confident are you that children with disabilities are receiving education and support during the COVID-19 “In my case [my students] need their teacher (because of autism they will not accept lockdown? Sample size is 1,187 parents/caregivers and 1,845 teachers. someone else) and individual help with their activities. I have a 10-year-old who is not even on a 1-year-old level academically. So, we teach them to dress, brush teeth and many selfcare things. Also, fine and gross motor activities. Not so much academic.” Despite individual innovations, few learners with disabilities seemed to receive this tailored 50 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 51 Figure 21. Parents’ Beliefs about “Meaningful” Learning, by Type of Disability 2.3 COMMUNICATION: ONGOING FEEDBACK AND EXPLANATIONS REGARDING ACADEMIC LEARNING No 31% Besides having accessible teaching materials and modalities, a common theme in the data was HEARING Yes 19% the need for teachers to provide ongoing feedback and explanations to learners. Parents and Somewhat 39% caregivers—and persons with disabilities—often described this as a “support” that learners Unsure 10% with disabilities needed, and teachers described it as a “good practice.” Persons with disabilities wrote about the ways in which these communication channels could be established, and the No 31% diverse actors involved: Yes 28% VISUAL Somewhat 33% “Follow-up teachers and supervise children through social communication with the parent” —person with disabilities, Middle East and North Africa Unsure 7% “Direct and reliable communication from the school and local authorities” —person No 43% with disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa LEARNING Yes 17% Parents and caregivers described disconnected schools, or teachers that would simply Somewhat 30% hand out teaching and learning materials providing no sort of explanation of the instructions Unsure 9% and content. When asked to describe the most important kind of support needed, parents/ caregivers addressed the need for “clearly outlined work” with due dates (Sub-Saharan Africa) No 45% or for teachers to “get in touch to explain” (Latin America and the Caribbean) or to provide MOBILITY Yes 19% “positive comments” (Europe and Central Asia) to support learners. They wrote: Somewhat 30% “Explain the goals in a simple manner and continuous communication.”—parent, East Unsure 5% Asia and Pacific No 46% COMMUNICATION “For teachers to explain some work and not just email all the activities without any Yes 17% explanation.  Thus, to make some videos while explaining the work will be very Somewhat 26% helpful especially for every subject, not just mathematics.”  —parent, Sub-Saharan Africa Unsure 10% The above excerpts depict how this ongoing feedback and support for academic learning No 46% serves multiple purposes. On the one hand, feedback loops provided explanation on the EMOTIONS Yes 15% learners’ academic progress—it allowed teachers to assess what the learners were or were not Somewhat 29% understanding, to explain to the learner how to correct their mistakes, and to provide general Unsure 10% feedback on their progress, in relation to the school’s curriculum and learning objectives. It also allowed parents to follow deadlines and work schedules, to follow-up with their children No 27% and ensure they meet deadlines or “due dates.” Another reason for these feedback loops Yes 22% provided positive reinforcement for learners with disabilities, to encourage them and recognize OTHER Somewhat 45% their achievements. These are standard practices that are highly effective at the classroom level. Parents thus realized their importance and the need for teachers to continue with these Unsure 6% feedback loops even during school closures and when learning from home. Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey Note: Data from Question 8, “Do you feel that your child with a disability is learning meaningfully compared to your children with- out disabilities during this time when schools are closed due to COVID-19?” Sample size is 1,187. 52 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 53 Teachers also described in-person or virtual feedback loops as examples of “good practices.” A teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa wrote of “home programs with small teams going to the Box 7. Spotlight on Promising Practices: Creative Ways of Establishing Learning Feedback homes [of students] to demonstrate” how the teaching-learning activities are done, while Loops another wrote of online assessments and feedback. A teacher from Latin America and the “Well, everything that we have managed to do with the students and their families so far: Caribbean wrote that a good practice was, “providing children with feedback for every activity we have a new plan to use Zoom to carry out the proposed activities. Families may film the they do” (emphasis added), and a Spanish-speaking teacher from North America wrote about children as they are engaged in their activities, even if they have not been able to access the usefulness of “training and support online or by telephone.” This was particularly important Zoom. We edit the footage and upload it to Facebook, where they can see themselves for learners engaging in asynchronous remote teaching modalities. For students who were and be encouraged to do their work.” —teacher, Latin America and the Caribbean asked to watch prerecorded lessons or follow along on TV—without a teacher supporting them in real-time—it was critical that they had some follow-up with their teacher to ensure “We have constant communication with the families of the students through the that they understood the new content. A teacher from a Francophone country in Sub-Saharan applications of visual communication and guide the families and train the children and Africa emphasized the importance of “real-time assistance from teachers for children with then send videos to give feedback” —teacher East Asia and Pacific (Arabic) disabilities” and a Spanish-speaking teacher from Latin America and the Caribbean provided an example of what this may look like. “We are not a school, but a company that is providing skills development programs to our candidates so they can get employment. We have had to swiftly move to online “There is an established practice of three synchronous sessions per week and learning to ensure our learners continued to get their training. We have combined the use asynchronous sessions in the form of three weekly videos. In addition, the teachers of the facilitator as well as the Sign Language Interpreter on the WhatsApp video facility. monitor their groups every day.” Our facilitators give the instruction via WhatsApp and then [the] SASLI [South African Language Interpreter] makes a video explaining the instruction and the learners do their Some schools seemed to find creative ways of fostering these feedback channels. Box 2 below exercises. Learners also do a video asking for clarity or explaining concepts back and provides an example of “good practices” in which videos are sent between students, parents, this is shared among all the learners to assist everyone to understand. We were skeptical and teachers to monitor learners’ progress. The examples illustrate the impact of feedback to do this before as we felt our learners with hearing loss need to have the SASLI and loops on student learning and engagement. Feedback loops serve multiple purposes. They facilitators face-to-face with them in the classroom but with us having no option but to not only support learning, but they are also a way of encouraging students. Several other go online, we have found that the challenge is not as huge as we anticipated. In fact, teacher respondents also described how parents could foster these feedback loops during some of the learners who were somewhat shy and cocooned in the classroom have remote teaching. For example, parents could take photos of their children or student work now opened up and participate more in this form of learning platform. They are freer and send it through WhatsApp (South Asia). Any form of text, video, audio, or image allowed to express themselves and take part in the activities given to them. This was indeed a teachers to see student work, identify mistakes, and provide feedback. welcome surprise which has prompted us to think more about the possibilities of offering our programs in this way. We will have to do more sampling so we can be assured that this method will work universally.”—teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa 54 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 55 Communication channels should be established across the three actors most intimately involved 2.4 CONNECTION: SOCIOEMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS in the teaching and learning processes: parents, teachers, and the learners themselves. A parent A common theme in the data was  the need for communication, connection, or support from Latin America said that the support needed was “More personalized communication networks, across teachers, peers, and friends. When asked to describe the most important between the teacher and the student and parents when the work activities are assigned.” support needed for their child, a parent from Europe and Central Asia wrote “human support. Similarly, a teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa wrote, “Communicate with parents but also The isolation is causing regression [in my child’s] behavior.” with learners, where possible. Two-way communication. Get feedback about work and give feedback about completed tasks.” This idea of feedback being received and reciprocated by Opportunities for social interactions for children with disabilities was an important theme in learners with disabilities emphasizes the importance of ongoing communication channels. the data. As a teacher from North America wrote, “Social learning experiences are often as Survey respondents commonly described how these communication channels, illustrated in critical as academics (sic) and they have been extremely limited.” Many learners—especially figure 22, involved three actors who each play key roles in the education of learners with those accessing asynchronous remote learning modalities—did not have opportunities to disabilities: parents, teachers, and the learners themselves. interact with their peers or teachers on an everyday basis. These sorts of interactions are critical to developing all young learners, and especially those with disabilities. Learners with Figure 22. Three-Way Communication Channels between Parents, Teachers, and Learners communication or psychosocial/emotional disabilities must learn to socialize effectively with others to be self-sufficient. “My son has autism, so it is most important he interacts with other Teachers people for his communication and social impairments” wrote a parent from the Middle East of learners with and North Africa. The need for social interaction—and the risk of isolation—was particularly a disabilities concern for learners with disabilities related to hearing and sight. Survey respondents wrote of how many of these young people lived with parents/caregivers or family members that did not know sign language: “Social interaction especially for those with communication challenges as they are forced to remain at home with parents and relatives who don’t understand sign language. Also, those with specific difficulties such as autism who cannot be confined.” —person with disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa “Also, the parents of children with  hearing impairment to be taught sign language Parents Learners immediately [when] a deaf child is born in the family. All the family members to learn of learners with sign language. In every country in the world, sign language to be the second national with disabilities disabilities language to be taught as compulsory subject in all levels of education in the country.” —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa Source: Authors Parents and caregivers recognized the need for “maintaining connectedness” during school Some parents even wrote of other actors at the local or national level that should be involved closures. This sentiment was most evident in responses from Europe and Central Asia and in these conversations. They described the need to involve “local authorities” (parent, Sub- North America. Participants wrote of how their children missed their classmates and friends. Saharan Africa) or “a competent authority and treatment specialists” (parent, South Asia). A parent from Europe and Central Asia described a feeling of “loneliness.” “Not seeing other Academic support was intrinsically linked with other forms of support, from subnational children is a real concern,” the parent wrote, “the concept of the closure and staying at home or national actors, and especially health service providers. Parents described how these I’m not sure [my son] understands.” Another parent wrote of the need for “group sessions communication channels should be “direct” and “reliable”—it was through communication with the community of people [children with disabilities] used to see on [a] daily basis before with teachers, schools, local or national authorities that learners with disabilities and their lockdown. The loss of routine and personal interaction is hard for her to understand.” A parent/ families could stay informed on educational matters. It was also through these communication caregiver from North America also addressed this: channels they could receive socioemotional support. 56 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 57 “Social connection with friends and teachers is highly motivating for children and 2.5 SUPPORT FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS without it they feel less motivated and overwhelmed. They miss sports and other A fourth critical component of effective teaching and learning during school closures activities that motivate learning. The social relationships with coaches, admin staff supports parents and teachers. During remote teaching, the roles of parents and teachers and teachers inspire learning and without it they struggle. Also, they are worried and change drastically. The qualitative and quantitative survey data suggests that both parents scared and if children have anxiety this is very difficult.” and teachers felt overwhelmed in their positions. Lack of personal assistants or additional Parents/caregivers requested, “being connected to schools and peers,” “socialization,” “social academic support was the most common barrier to continued learning that parents identified peer groups,” “social communication,” “structured interactions with typical peers” and “the (40  percent), and the second most common barrier to continued learning that teachers company of children.” There was a recognition this would be nearly impossible in person, and identified (35 percent). therefore survey respondents provided alternative methods. Two parents from Sub-Saharan At the household level, parents felt overwhelmed and unprepared to take on their new role as Africa, for example wrote of “online contact time with teachers and therapists” and “contact teachers. They often had to support their children’s learning and take care of household duties (via social media) with family and friends.” Lockdown and school closures—and the ensuing or their jobs. Juggling multiple responsibilities, on top of feeling unsupported by schools feeling of isolation—was an important concern for many parents and caregivers of learners and teachers, meant added stress for these parents. When asked to describe the support with disabilities. One parent from Europe and Central Asia wrote structures they needed they wrote of these challenges: “I have had to prioritize my son’s social inclusion over academic inclusion and, because “My child has a learning barrier problem, [as well as a barrier in] speech and the school didn’t really understand that they have excluded him within the school so comprehension. [He/she] needs a lot of attention and as [a] parent I don’t have the that he mainly only interacts with other disabled children. At this time, they are all skills to support my child 100 percent but I do assist her with homework every day.” struggling with communication.” —parent from Europe and Centra Asia —parent, Middle East and North Africa During school closures, it was important for survey respondents to address the socioemotional “Sensory support and autism specific anxiety and behavior management tools to keep challenges learners with disabilities confronted by providing support, contact, and connection. him calm and allow him to engage in learning at home. I do not know how to do these Teachers also recognized this, and wrote about it in their responses regarding “good” practices: things. We are in lockdown for over six weeks with only text communication from his “Regular nonacademic personal contact with students and parents kept them special school. —parent, Europe and Central Asia positive.” —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa The data above suggests that parents of learners with disabilities felt unprepared to support “Maintaining open communication with our students, to give them support, a their children’s academic learning and psychological or behavioral needs. Because of this, sense of security, and showing them affection.” —teacher, Latin America and the they often described the need for training and support from teachers and specialists. Caribbean Teachers also identified “good practices” as strategies that supported parents/caregivers and better As evident in the data, however, check-ins were also important for learners’ parents, caregivers, equipped them with skills to support their children. Teachers from the Middle East and North and families. This leads to the final finding in the section on effective remote teaching during Africa wrote of the need for “constant communication” in the form of verbal, written, or visual COVID-19: the paramount need to support parents, and teachers, so they can better fulfill information, by “sending awareness leaflets to parents,” uploading “training videos” on the their duties and pass on that support to learners with disabilities. school’s website, or sending lesson plans in “a simple and clear way” through social media. A teacher from Latin America and the Caribbean wrote: “During this lockdown period, we teachers continue working to ensure that our pupils do not fall behind. We prepare videos and slides explaining various activities that can be done at home, so that the children can keep up with their classes. Unfortunately, not all parents have internet, or some don’t even know how to use social networking, smart devices or computers that they can use to keep in touch.” 58 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 59 Many parents and caregivers also asked for “reprise.” Parents generally felt they needed an extra support parents. A teacher from Latin America and the Caribbean, wrote: “There may be good set of hands, so they themselves could rest or take a break from their multiple duties. A parent examples of inclusiveness with siblings, mother, father, [or] grandparents when they engage from Europe and Central Asia highlights this as one of their “other concerns”: in activities that include their children.” Another teacher wrote, “In homes where siblings are not disabled,” learners with disabilities could get “help from a buddy” (Sub-Saharan Africa) “Too much onus on parents as replacement for teachers when parents have other and other “students can use their brothers, sisters and parents to read for them” (Middle East children other relatives to care for as well as work, but no school and no childcare. and North Africa). Involving diverse actors created a more conducive learning environment Concerned that parents will be burnt out and also don’t have the same skills or time at home: availability as special education teachers.” —parent, Europe and Central Asia “Children without disabilities (siblings/friends) can teach the children with disabilities Quantitative data also indicates that only 14  percent of parents reported having access to because they learn from peer group quickly. One of my hearing-Impaired students community care services. For parents with young learners this was especially a challenge. studying in 5th grade and her class friend is a good interpreter and learned sign Teachers also recognized this. It was more likely for teachers of younger students to report language too. She explains everything to her (hearing Impaired girl) that teacher the need for personal assistants.14 Parents who constantly had to look after their children teaches in the class.” —teacher from East Asia and Pacific with disabilities meant that they did not even have time to handle day-to-day tasks. Working parents had to juggle their jobs and facilitating remote learning. A parent from Latin America “Involving parents, siblings and other relatives in caregiving to the learners with and the Caribbean wrote that the support needed was simply “flexibility and willingness of disabilities. In the past weeks since the lockdown started in my country, we have been my employers to allow me to telework during the pandemic” so that they could be home and engaging parents of learners with disabilities in online discussion about how to keep take care of their child. helping them from home. We have so far received positive responses from them on improved functionality.” —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa Many teachers seemed to recognize the need to support families. Teachers identified the need to provide socioemotional support to caregivers, by creating parent support groups or virtual A person with disabilities from Sub-Saharan Africa also addressed this need for collective social networks across the school community. Teachers suggested that counseling sessions for support from the family. When asked to provide an example of a “good practice” they said: parents, social networks where parents could share ideas or solutions for the challenges they “Parents of young children with disabilities needs to be provided with stimulation face during remote teaching, or to simply share information about the virus and other matters: and intervention guidelines to implement at home whilst under lockdown. When all “Online counseling session for parent groups—recommendations for parents from children in the household engage in their education, children with disabilities too can speech therapists and psychomotor therapists.” —teacher, Middle East and North be part of that teaching and learning circle.” Africa (French) At the school level, however, teachers also needed support systems. Less than a third of teacher “Using Facebook groups to make it easier for families to participate.” —teacher, Latin respondents believed they were receiving adequate support to continue helping their students America and the Caribbean (Spanish) with disabilities learn compared to their students without disabilities (see figure 23). “Parents and caregivers should  be invited on WhatsApp group for coronavirus in- depth information sharing. It is important for challenges be shared, for other parents to support each other. This will include the easy exercises, importance of preparation of cheap nutritious food, educational games to play at home, stories to read, to test memory and comprehension.” —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa (English) Further, teachers described “good practices” that involved other members of the household to or example, 58 percent of early education teachers and 60 percent of primary school teachers reported a need for personal assistants, compared to 14 F 48 percent of tertiary level professors. 60 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 61 Figure 23. Do Teachers Feel Like They Have the Supports They Need to Continue Helping Their Teachers often described opportunities for training and collaboration at the school level as “good Students with Disabilities Learn Compared to Their Students without Disabilities? practices.” A teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa wrote of “training, collaboration [and] support,” for example, and a teacher from North America described how training for teachers should focus 4% on “how to provide differentiated instruction alongside the accommodations and modifications students need for success.” A teacher from South Asia suggested allowing teachers to engage Yes in online professional development to improve their capacity to use digital technology for 27% remote teaching, thus “maximize learning opportunities.” In their response, however, they also No 33% explicitly identified the role of the government in providing these opportunities for teacher Somewhat professional development: “Special provisions can also be made for allowing special educators to undertake Unsure online classes to maximize the learning opportunities for them. Deploying E- learning 36% methods can also assist special educators to reach many children simultaneously. All of this is possible only when the government takes an active interest in building Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey technologies and capacities to make education truly inclusive and universal.” — Note: Data based on 1,100 responses by teachers. teacher, South Asia Figure 24. Proportion of Teachers Who Feel Supported to Help Their Students, by Type of School There was particular reference to various types of teachers and the role of “interdisciplinary” teacher teams. Collaboration among, for example, “general education teachers,” “special 41% education teachers,” “subject teachers,” and “teacher assistants” was critical for effective 33% 36% 33% 31% 32% 32% remote teaching. Some responses even included other actors in these teams, such as school 28% 23% leaders, therapists, or specialists. For example, a teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa wrote that a good practice was when, “Learners have access to specialized teams that are working with them, for example, psychologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists and also 4% 4% 2% specialized teachers who care for them.” A teacher from Europe and Central Asia recognized the importance of “teacher support forums, coming together and sharing good practices.” Yes No Somewhat Unsure Yes No Somewhat Unsure Yes No Somewhat Unsure Teacher collaboration was particularly important in mainstream schools, since there were less qualified specialists who knew how to support learners with disabilities. In open-ended responses Mainstream Special - Multiple Special - Single from parents and caregivers and teachers from mainstream schools, there was often mention of the role of the Special Education teacher or the need for this person to get more involved. Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey A parent from Europe and Central Asia said the most important support needed was “[my Note: Data from Question 22, “Do you feel like you have the supports you need to continue helping your students son’s] one-to-one daily sessions with his special education needs teacher” and a parent with disabilities learn compared to your students without disabilities during this time?” Sample is 1,100 teachers. from North America wrote, “Specially designed instruction at my child’s level based on the general education curriculum.” Similarly, in response to the question, “what are the supports you would suggest to enable children with disabilities to continue their education during this time of school closures?” a Spanish-speaking person with disabilities from Latin America and the Caribbean wrote: “Look for special education teachers for young children with different disabilities, 62 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 63 such as Down syndrome and motor function impairment. There are no teachers in For remote teaching to be effective, it was important to have instructional support from special place now to deal with such cases.” —person with disabilities, Latin America and the education teachers or other teachers who were trained in inclusive teaching practices, but Caribbean not an over-reliance on special education teachers at the expense of children’s meaningful participation in mainstream activities. The participation of the special education teacher was of paramount importance to ensure all learners with disabilities were being taught by qualified personnel. As a parent from North America said, “These are unprecedented times.  Everyone is trying their best.” Supporting teachers and parents ultimately results in a stronger team of adults that Parents and teachers pointed out that sometimes the special education teacher was the only can facilitate learning for learners with disabilities. Both parents and teachers recognized the teacher involved, meaning learners with disabilities did not have opportunities to interact or need to work with one another to develop not just skills but also to foster understanding and learn alongside their peers without disabilities. This was particularly evident in the responses of empathy across the home and school contexts. COVID-19 has not been easy for anyone—and teachers from mainstream schools. In mainstream schools, over-reliance on special education what emerged from the data was the need for a sense of mutual respect and collaboration. teachers may lead to the segregation of learners with disabilities. In response to “what kind of When identifying “good practices” for inclusion, teachers wrote of a range of potential solutions, supports do learners with disabilities need most?” one teacher wrote: many of which are summarized and presented in box 8 below. “My students are given access to specials classes (art, music, PE, library) the same as their general education peers, and a few were invited to their general education teacher’s Zoom meetings. Otherwise, the students are being taught 100 percent by their special education teacher without inclusion.” —teacher, North America Box 8. Spotlight on Promising Practices: Fostering Connection within School Communities Therefore, for mainstream schools, especially, survey respondents expected a balance between To foster connection and build stronger, more positive relationships between teachers inclusive practices with the general education population, as well individualized support by a and learners with disabilities, their parents and families, teachers offered the following qualified special education teacher. Two survey respondents from North America described suggestions: what this might look like: Get to know your learners with disabilities and their parents and families better “Most of the students with disabilities are getting instruction from the general Try not to create added pressure for parents and families—be flexible if they do not always education teacher with access to a special educator throughout the day. Students follow up on their child’s work or progress immediately who want to do well will make sure to reach out and take advantage of the additional support of the special education teacher.”  —teacher, North America Involve parents in decision-making processes, particularly around scheduling of classes, therapies, or other trainings for their children “So, I am super lucky. I am a teacher so easily able to instruct my disabled child… What [my daughter] benefits most from are modifications to the general education Be patient—it takes parents’ time and effort to try and support their child’s learning, and curriculum sent home. Much of the time those modifications are being made by me.  many of these parents do not have pedagogical training or knowledge of how to provide I wish her special Ed teacher and special ed teacher were a bit more proactive. My academic support daughter also misses all her classmates from whom she learns so much.” —parent, North America And another teacher from South Asia wrote: “[Learners with disabilities] are all included well along with their peers in mainstream classes and inclusive educators are working with them using various means to provide intervention with whatever resources [are] available to both students and teachers. [Also, by] continuously providing [learners with disabilities] counseling.” —teacher, South Asia 64 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 65 2.6. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION DIMENSION OF The findings above illustrate how survey respondents describe effective remote teaching EFFECTIVE REMOTE CHALLENGES SOLUTIONS LEARNING efforts for learners with disabilities during school closures at the onset of COVID-19. Effective remote learning requires: accessible teaching and learning modalities; individualized Tailor curriculum content to the • instruction and meaningful curriculum content; communication from schools and feedback cognitive needs of learners (for loops on academic progress; socioemotional support and social networks; and support for example, Universal Design by Learning) teachers and parents. Table 2 summarizes the key challenges and solutions suggested by Differentiate instruction and adapt • survey respondents (persons with disabilities, parents, and teachers). Instructional methods are • teaching methods to learners not accessible for learners— Provide extra time and be flexible in • they are too difficult or only Table 2. Summary of Challenges and Solutions Suggested by Survey Respondents what is demanded of learners fit the needs of nondisabled INDIVIDUALIZED peers Provide one-on-one support to learners • DIMENSION OF INSTRUCTION with disabilities EFFECTIVE REMOTE CHALLENGES SOLUTIONS AND MEANINGFUL Create meaningful learning • LEARNING CURRICULUM CONTENT Learners with disabilities • opportunities (for example, storytelling are not being engaged and games, art, sports, music, or • Lack of teaching and in “meaningful” learning exploring in the garden) learning resources and/or opportunities while studying Identify the unique needs of learners • at home Invite guest speakers to provide special • devices with disabilities, and/or draw on diverse online classes Inaccessible education • tools or modalities through trial and Focus on life skills development, for • materials error example, Skills Training and Learning Inability to use technology • • Provide materials that are relevant Methods or Activities of Daily Living properly and accessible to the unique needs of ACCESSIBLE TEACHING AND LEARNING Inaccessible distance • learners with disabilities (for example, MATERIALS AND learning modalities (for audio format books, assistive devices, E xplain learning objectives in a simple • MODALITIES example, TV programs visual aids, interpreters) and accessible manner Assignments are unclear • without sign language • Use non-tech resources where Provide clear instructions with • interpreters) Assignments are too difficult • deadlines for assignments appropriate for learners with disabilities Screen time and long • • Leverage parents, teachers, school Follow-up with learners to ensure they • periods of immobility Asynchronous teaching and • are understanding, especially when staff, or learners’ peers to support in exacerbating physical health COMMUNICATION: learning modalities result teaching is conducted asynchronously interpretation or academic tutoring conditions (for example, ONGOING FEEDBACK in assignments being given without explanation from Provide virtual or in-person feedback • seizures) AND EXPLANATIONS teachers loops between teachers, parents, and REGARDING ACADEMIC learners with disabilities (for example, LEARNING Teachers and schools • through WhatsApp, Facebook groups, are disconnected, do not house-visits, and so on) so teachers can check to ensure learners respond to learners’ needs with disabilities are understanding, or to provide Establish direct and reliable • feedback loops communication channels with local authorities, specialists, health providers, and other relevant actors 66 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 67 The above solutions and challenges are limited to those explicitly suggested or referenced DIMENSION OF by survey respondents. But many of these solutions are recommended in the Pivoting to EFFECTIVE REMOTE CHALLENGES SOLUTIONS Inclusion report (World Bank 2020a). The need for accessible educational materials and the LEARNING importance of Universal Design by Learning (UDL) as an inclusive pedagogical approach are both promoted by the IEI. Teachers should be trained in remote learning strategies based School closures have led to • on UDL principles, and the curriculum should be focused on the safety and well-being of feelings of isolation, anxiety, and fear learners with disabilities, rather than their academic outcomes. Community support groups (for learners with disabilities and their parents or families) can be established, as well as Some learners with • disabilities do not phone-based psychosocial support. Future research should examine the feasibility of the Provide opportunities for social • understand why they cannot interaction, which may be just as solutions suggested, particularly in relation to the unique needs of learners with disabilities, see their friends or go to important as academic learning and the local and national contexts in which they live. school Maintain connectedness through group • 3.0. LOOKING FORWARD: ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES WHEN CONNECTION: Limited access to social • sessions, or one-on-one sessions SOCIOEMOTIONAL interactions causes with various actors, including peers, RETURNING TO SCHOOL AND IN FUTURE EMERGENCY-RESPONSE PLANS SUPPORT AND SOCIAL some learners with teachers, school leaders and staff, or NETWORKS disabilities to regress (for “Difficulty in grappling with missed lessons that will probably kick off at a very fast specialists example, learners with pace making those with learning/intellectual disabilities to fail. Failure by parents communication/social Establish regular, nonacademic, • personal, and positive contact with to raise school fees. Some children may not report back to school. Lack of transport impairments) learners and their families facilities and restrictions on space on passenger vehicles. Difficulty in complying to Disruptions to learners’ • social distancing and inaccessible environment coupled with lack of information. Most routines and lack of physical exercise exacerbate children get basic information from school, for instance the Deaf. Provision of financial mental and physical health aid for children with disabilities through sponsorships. The majority comes from poor challenges families. Sensitization at school on COVID-19. Support to special needs schools to have user friendly methods of association and hygiene.” —person with disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa In the above excerpt, a person with disabilities from sub-Sahara Africa lists the myriad of challenges and concerns that must be considered when schools reopen and learners with disabilities return to school. The third and final section of findings addresses these needs, and the potential solutions that will support learners with disabilities on returning to school. Section 3.1 explores survey respondents’ concerns about learners with disabilities not returning to school, and how these concerns can best be addressed. Section 3.2 turns to what happens once learners with disabilities are in school, particularly in relation to addressing their learning needs, learning loss, and regression that may have occurred during school closures. The next section (3.3) examines the importance of continuous support for the mental and physical health of learners with disabilities. Section 3.4, the final section, transcends the school level to examine the importance of designing COVID-19 response policies that forefront the needs of learners with disabilities. In doing so, this final section of findings summarizes the learnings from this companion piece to inform future emergencies and school closures. 3.1 ENSURING LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES RETURN TO SCHOOL Survey respondents generally shared common concerns regarding the academic challenges 68 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 69 that learners with disabilities would face when schools reopen. On the one hand, many Economic hardships at home were one factor seen as inhibiting learners with disabilities from respondents believed that some learners with disabilities would simply not return to school. Both returning to school. This was the case in all regions, but especially Sub-Saharan Africa and parents and teachers—especially from Sub-Saharan Africa—wrote of increased “dropout” South Asia. Survey respondents listed “cost,” “financial issues” or “poverty” as challenges that rates and the threat of learners with disabilities not being able to return to school. In South learners with disabilities would face. In Sub-Saharan Africa, a teacher described how some Asia, a parent and teacher reported that learners with disabilities may not “show interest to learners may not return to school on time, due to their financial struggles, and a person with come [to school] again” or that they would “lose their desire to go back to school.” Similar disabilities wrote how economic insecurity may prohibit them from “meeting their educational concerns were found across other regions and actors. For example, persons with disabilities and other needs.” Many survey respondents described how families of learners with disabilities agreed: came from marginalized households or communities, including migrant workers in South Asia. It was also mentioned that “parents might have lost income” and for that reason schools “Most [learners with disabilities] would have lost out on the school year, and if they needed to make school more “affordable.” Survey respondents wrote of a range of costs, don’t have supper at home, they are not going to make it back. To address it, they including reading materials, internet, and technology. As a parent from South Asia wrote, “[my would need support in all kinds of ways.” —person with disability, Middle East and son’s] specific needs would require a caregiver. And we don’t have money to pay the caregiver North Africa in school.” Even in North America, a person with disabilities wrote, “the financial situations of “Due to social distance, the children with disabilities might have to face social and families may make it impossible for the child to continue in school.” assistance-related problems. Due to fear of virus, other students will keep distance Finally, transportation to schools—and its associated costs—was another common theme from children with disabilities that may result in absence or dropout.” —person with related to return to school in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North disability, East Asia and Pacific Africa, and Europe and Central Asia. Transportation was especially an issue for those learners As evident in the responses above, persons with disabilities realized the diverse challenges with physical or mobility disabilities, and those who lived in remote or rural communities: that learners with disabilities face at home and at school. During emergencies such as the “Some of these children are from deep rural areas and are wheelchair bound. How will COVID-19 pandemic, education can become less of a priority when learners do not have assistance be provided when they need to use the bathroom on their long journey access to basic needs at home. At the same time, for some learners, these basic needs may back to school and how will social distancing be practiced during these trips? — only be met at school and are not at home. Social distancing measures at school may lead to teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa further feelings of isolation, which may dissuade learners with disabilities from attending. To add to this, some teachers also believed that parents would not want to send their students to Several of these challenges—including the costs of transportation, particularly for learners school, due to fear of catching the virus. Quantitative data indicated that—on average—nearly with disabilities living in remote or rural communities—were barriers to learning even prior one in five respondents (18 percent) were concerned about children not returning to schools to the pandemic. Nevertheless, the Pivoting to Inclusion report recognizes how the global once they reopen out of fear of contagion and COVID-19: 19 percent of parents, 17 percent of pandemic provides a unique opportunity to “build back better” (World Bank 2019a). Moving teachers and 20 percent of persons with disabilities. In response to this, some respondents forward, equity and inclusion must be considered from the design and planning stages to offered possible solutions, such as making home visits to encourage learners to return to ensure that delivery and recovery efforts meet the specific needs of children with disabilities, school or involving parents. especially those living in remote areas. Girls, in particular, were seen as at risk of not returning to school. Two persons with disabilities Survey respondents offered few solutions to address the challenge of learners with disabilities not from Sub-Saharan Africa reported that girls may be forced into early marriages or fall pregnant returning to school. On the one hand, “campaigns” were suggested as a way of encouraging during lockdown, thus inhibiting them from returning to school. Again, these concerns are parents and families to register their children. Financial aid through sponsorships and donor supported by the literature. Research suggests that rates of early, child, and forced marriage, support were common themes in the data. Moreover, many respondents identified the role and unintended pregnancies have increased since lockdown, particularly in low- and middle- of the government in either providing financial support to families or ensuring learners with income countries (Save the Children 2020). Adolescent girls who marry or have children at a disabilities reenrolled in school. Persons with disabilities, in particular, recognized the role of young age are less likely to continue their studies (Wodon, et al. 2017), and in some countries the government: young mothers are prohibited from attending school due to stigma around early age pregnancy “Some may not go back to school. Some may lag behind because of lack of access to (Human Rights Watch 2018). self-study materials before. How to address: the department in charge of disability 70 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 71 in the Ministry [should] follow-up and endeavor to bring them back to school. The further behind. As a parent from Latin America and the Caribbean said, “I think they will be department responsible to mobilize children through radio announcements, the behind, as their learning characteristics were not considered during quarantine.” A teacher ministry and district education office to work together. [For those] lagging behind from North America called attention to how those learners with disabilities who could not there is a need to organize accelerated programs to help children catch up. Provision easily use technology for remote learning would be especially behind their peers: of enough learning materials and monitoring of teaching and learning.” —person with “I think students who need consistency and hands-on practice are going to suffer and disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa lose the progress that they were making, while students who can use tech and Google “Most children with disabilities will not be able to return to schools due to the lack of classroom independently will be okay.” school fees as a result lack of work during the coronavirus. Governments need to offer Teachers in South Asia also drew connections between this learning loss and parents’ inability free education for them sometimes or they need to get some sponsorships.”—person to support their children with disabilities at home during remote teaching: with disabilities, Middle East and North Africa “I think children with disabilities need more attention in school in comparison to Other survey respondents emphasized the need for a collective effort from the government normal students, because most parents don’t know how to support or teach their and other stakeholders of the school community: children academically and they did not know how to use technology for distance “Many [learners with disabilities] may not return to school, especially if there is economic learning.” —teacher, South Asia depression complicating the COVID-19 lockdown. The government needs to be aware “I think that recovering the drawbacks of curriculum is not easy to compare with of the special needs of children with disabilities. Many times, the government in my normal students. Because most of parents of my students are illiterate and they didn’t country hardly have budgetary provision for their education. The teachers too need to know how to [provide] academic support their children in this lockdown period at be motivated, and they can then go the extra mile to assist their students. The parents, home.” —teacher, South Asia as well as the community, needs to appreciate the need to support these children. — parent, Sub-Saharan Africa Other respondents believe there would be new challenges at the school level, which would hinder the academic progress of learners with disabilities. For example, a teacher from North “Children with disabilities should have access for education and the government, America specifically said that “hybrid schedules” or “online learning” would not be “conducive parents and all responsible bodies must have work jointly to achievement.” —person to the learning needs of children with disabilities.” with disabilities, sub-Sahara Africa There was particular concern regarding the inclusion of learners with disabilities in mainstream The above findings are supported by the literature. Children with disabilities are 2.5 times schools. A parent from North America wrote, “I am super fearful that increased segregation more likely to never go to school than their peers (UNESCO 2020). The World Bank seeks to will occur as children with significant learning needs may be sent back separately,” and a partner with governments and local stakeholders in achieving a safe and accessible return to teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa commented, “reintegration into the mainstream classroom school for children with disabilities. might be a challenge.” In addition, many teachers—in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East 3.2 REGRESSION AND ACADEMIC NEEDS ONCE IN SCHOOL and North Africa, and South Asia—reported how pressures to rush through the curriculum or course syllabus may further hamper their learning. A teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa wrote, Once in school, learners with disabilities must address any learning loss that occurred during “teachers in mainstream schools will hardly pay attention to their learning needs as they will school closures. Survey respondents commonly described a concern regarding the learning be rushing to cover up syllabuses,” and a parent added how this pressure may come from loss experienced by learners with disabilities as a result of COVID-19 and school closures. actors at the national level: Students who had “regressed” in their learning or skills development was a common theme in the data, regardless of the category of respondent or their region of origin. Learning regression “As [the] government may want to accelerate activities to comply with annual plans, was generally believed to have occurred in two ways. First, some respondents believed the learning pace may not be adjusted to children with disabilities, who already learners with disabilities would have forgotten what was taught to them before schools shut experience challenges within a normal pace that does not take into consideration of down. Others believed that they simply did not have access to quality learning opportunities their challenges.”  —parent, Sub-Saharan Africa during lockdown, thus hindering any potential progress. For these two reasons, learners with disabilities would be far behind their peers, increasing the learning gap and leaving them The academic challenges that learners would face on returning to school would thus continue to exacerbate their exclusion at the school level, especially in mainstream schools. A teacher from Europe and Central Asia described the sort of challenges that learners with disabilities 72 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 73 may face when their mainstream schools reopen: Middle East and North Africa “The noise, the number of staff and children, the pressure to get everyone back to A parent from East Asia and Pacific also describes what this would look like. After months of where they were before, plus the very obvious fact to children with special education being away from school, learners with disabilities will be expected to “appear for government- needs that it has been so much easier to work and focus at a much less pressured pace. based exams to sit for three hours and write.” Once everyone is back, nobody will have the time again. That luxury will be gone. There was a general understanding among participants that—to address the academic needs There is no way around this, the children without special education needs have to go of learners with disabilities—one would have to be “flexible” and provide “time.” However, this back to school. I’ve begun to see the benefits of special education schools in a new resulted in a trade-off for teachers: on the one hand they would need to continue to teach to light where once I was very much a champion of inclusion.” —teacher, Europe and the curriculum because their job demanded it, while on the other hand, rushing through the Central Asia15  curriculum meant some learners with disabilities might be further left behind. Addressing A person with disabilities recognized this and highlighted the particular benefits of specialized this, therefore, required coordination and collaboration across stakeholders. A person with schools: “special schools should be reopened immediately, but with special care considering disabilities from Sub-Saharan Africa recognized this: the slow pace of curriculum delivery due to various disability needs.” “Teachers or instructors in inclusive school arrangements will be rushed for the so- Some survey respondents provided potential solutions to these academic challenges. Teachers called ‘catch up’ and [as] a result, adequate attention may not be given to learners from East Asia and Pacific, for example, suggested providing “catch-up lessons” for learners [with disabilities]. The approach to prepare for the reopening  of schools is also with disabilities, or simply “refreshing” or “repeating” the material multiple times so that they missing the point. Recently, I was asked  what learners with disabilities should  do could more easily retain the new content. Similarly, respondents from Latin America and the to prepare  for  school when it reopens. I went  to  great length to explain that it is Caribbean wrote about the need to “reteach” or “revise.” A teacher from the Middle East and [up to] the teachers [and] school managers to prepare taking onboard learners with North Africa also suggested “revision [and to] try to cover the syllabus.” In sub-Sahara Africa, disabilities in the new school order. That is the solution. Special needs officers working teachers suggested “curriculum acceleration,” “remediation of learning,” and “mentoring and in consultation with organizations of persons with disabilities should guide teachers coaching.” In South Asia, a teacher suggested “opening [school] early to more quickly address and administrators on how to reintegrate learners with disabilities in the education learning gaps” and parents from Europe and Central Asia suggested providing summer school system.” classes or additional one-to-one support. There were endless potential solutions, but as a Yet many survey respondents also doubted that schools have the material or human resources to teacher from North America emphasized, there were no one-size-fits-all approaches: provide these sort of support structures. Survey respondents from all regions shared concerns “As a special ed teacher myself, I feel that each child needs to be evaluated and put regarding access to various teaching and learning materials. When asked to identify challenges on an education plan independently. Not a one-size-fits-all virtual learning. If a child that learners with disabilities may face once schools reopen, a teacher from North America needs in person education that really needs to be looked at.” said, “definitely access to materials, internet.” Another highlighted that there may be a “lack of material due to budget cuts,” thus calling attention to how the pandemic may have lasting Some survey respondents also suggested making accommodations regarding standardized negative effects on educational institutes just as it did parents and families. A parent from tests or national exams. This was particularly necessary because of the absence of inclusive South Asia added to this list of inadequate physical and human resources at the school level: teaching practices during school closures. For example, a parent from the Middle East and North Africa wrote: “Large class size, lack of child centered and relevant curriculum, limited appropriate teaching-learning materials, teachers lack competence and will to modify methodology “Our children are left out in learning as government has provided Tv and Radio lessons, as per the need, lack of proper infrastructure, lack of access to mainstream and lack of but with no interpreters, yet they all seat the same exam. Our children will not be able participatory activities.” to perform well. Our children need to be given a different set of exams.” —parent, Due to new models of hybrid or remote teaching when at school—and hence a need for more digital technology—survey respondents realized that many schools would need to upgrade As stated in the methodology section of this report (p. 7), we believe it is important to keep the authentic voices of survey respondents in our findings, 15  despite where they may be disagreement with the core values and principles of IEI. Although debates exist for promoting either special schools and their facilities. A teacher from Europe and Central Asia wrote: mainstream schools (see Shaw 2017, for example), IEI encourages pursuit of inclusive educational settings and practices. In particular, IEI believes integrating learners with disabilities in mainstream school settings can play an important role in moving forward the agenda for inclusive education for all. Special schools are not something the IEI promotes as an end goal, even if there are respondents of the survey advocating for it. 74 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 75 “Their equipment may need to be updated these include computers. Seating and of support staff,” and therefore they required “proper support by the department of education tables may need to be adjusted. It may not be possible to have these things in place to all schools [and] replacement of staff that have retired.” from day one of reopening… Many children with disabilities need personal care “Continued lack of supports in schools. Lack of staff, lack of proper accommodations and will not be able to attend school without a Personal Assistant or Special Needs and modifications to curriculum. Lack of access to visual supports and appropriate Assistant.” materials for alternative forms of teaching and learning.   By attaching spec. ed funding Survey respondents frequently suggested that it was the responsibility of the government, civil to the specific child. Not just supporting children with safety and behavioral needs. society, and the donor community to procure materials. This was true across regions. When Children with disabilities deserve academic supports as well in order to access the asked to describe the concerns they had about schools reopening—as well as potential curriculum.” —parent, North America solutions to address these concerns—survey respondents wrote: “[Learners with disabilities] will be left behind. They will be having a lot of notes to “[Learners with disabilities] will face challenges like [a] lack of educational materials copy. Since they are not learning like others. Some may not come back due to poverty and assistive devices. [How to] best address: international or local nongovernment levels. However, they can be given enough time (extra) to cope up. Teachers need to organizations and [the] government [to] support them [with the] necessary education take time and revise all the work that is being learnt. There is need for well-wishers to materials and devices.” —teacher, East Asia and Pacific come up and lend a hand.” —teacher, Middle East and North Africa “Lack of scholastic materials of which it needs donors.” —parent, Sub-Saharan Africa There was a general understanding among survey respondents that—to maximize support for learners with disabilities—coordination, communication, and collaboration across stakeholders “The government should put more things in place for children with disabilities: would be critical. Just as survey respondents believed communication was vital to effective teachers, aides, more schools.”  —parent, Latin America and the Caribbean. remote teaching (refer to section 2.3), so too did they believe this communication should It was not just physical materials that needed upgrading. Survey respondents also continue once schools reopen. At the school level, teacher teams, and “networking with the frequently mentioned the need to train teachers or enhance their skills in inclusive respective departments” was necessary. At home, parents/caregivers and families should education. A “lack of trained teachers” was repeatedly mentioned as a challenge, be involved. But also, at the local and national levels, community members, civil society and a parent from Europe and Central Asia also recognized how teachers may organizations, donors, and government bodies all played a role in providing inclusive education need training in technological pedagogy, as this was seen as a proven inclusive to learners with disabilities. When asked how to address the challenges learners may face approach for learners with disabilities: once schools reopen, respondents wrote: “COVID-19 has made education dependent on the use of technology. This has been “Consultation and communication with parents, teachers, student and communities a positive situation in our circumstances.  We fear teachers will go back to not using at large are necessary to understand concerns and address them.” —teacher, South technology, which will cause difficulties for this student. Education should embrace Asia the use of technology and internet communication in all classes.” “There needs to be continuous dialogue among stakeholders, especially between the A parent from South Asia also described the need for “different types of teachers” including Ministry of Education and special needs schools.” —teacher, Latin America and the a shadow teacher or special education teacher. “[Learners with disabilities] will not be able Caribbean to cope up with the academics as compared to their peers,” the parent wrote, “This can be “Children with disabilities should have access to education and the government, addressed if they are given support of individual attention by a special educator.” Similarly, a parents and all responsible bodies must work jointly to achieve this.” —person with teacher from the Middle East and North Africa wrote, “if possible, the number of specialists disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa can be increased to help [learners with disabilities].” Skills alone were not enough. 3.3 MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS WHEN RETURNING TO SCHOOL Rather, there was an overall dearth in the number of teachers and a need for more teachers and specialized, qualified professionals to support learners with disabilities. Some respondents The mental health and socioemotional well-being of learners with disabilities was a common describe contexts in which teachers had left the school or migrated to other communities on concern across survey respondents. All respondent groups agreed that the isolation experienced the onset of COVID-19. A teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa mentioned that there was “a lack during lockdown measures would have lasting effects on the mental health of learners with 76 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 77 disabilities. As a result, returning to school would lead to distress or “behavioral problems.” calendar year, we could explore closing off this December only for the crucial national They may have “anxiety” or “fear” due to COVID-19, or simply due to the change in environment. holidays, reopening on January 4th and writing exams by end of February and restart the new school calendar year in April 2021. This might help for learners to catch up Returning to school also meant changing one’s routine and getting used to a new schedule and without losing a full school year.” —person with disabilities, sub-Sahara Africa seeing new people. As one parent from the Middle East and North Africa wrote, “[learners with disabilities] will not be able to cope being put in a social environment after a long break. They “Social distancing with younger children especially will be difficult. Young deaf children could feel lost and may throw tantrums being away from home.” The abrupt change could and those with cognitive impairment will find that rule difficult. We will implement bring with it challenges, such as “separation anxiety.” Learners with disabilities already had staggered recess for each class to keep learner numbers on the playground low, to get used to new ways of living once schools were closed, and—as respondents pointed teachers and assistants will be on duty during recess for more adults watching the out—they would now have to readjust to new routines again, once schools reopened. This kids, government is phasing in the youngest learners last.  We also expect several is particularly difficult for learners on the autism spectrum. A parent from the Middle East psychosocial issues and will have to employ our school-paid counselor on more days and North Africa wrote, “it will be like starting over for many children on the spectrum. I as there is no government appointed social workers etc. for deaf children —teacher, expect major undesired behaviors and major impairments in social skills.” Learners’ loss of Sub-Saharan Africa social skills was an especially common theme in the data. As discussed in earlier section, As evident in the data above, innovative and holistic approaches would be necessary to not just many young persons with disabilities—particularly those engaging in asynchronous remote ensure learners with disabilities are included in schools but also to safeguard and protect them learning modalities—did not have opportunities to interact with their peers or teacher while at from physical or mental harm. A parent from Europe and Central Asia described how the school home. Therefore, many survey respondents feared they would lose those social skill that they culture would need to change—that there should be more “familiar staff, access to play, [and had developed prior and struggle to foster constructive relationships when they return to a a] focus on learning through play and well-being rather than academic [learning].” “Guidance classroom environment. counselors” or “counseling” in general—for both learners and their families—was another Some respondents offered potential solutions to these challenges. For example, a teacher from common theme in the data. Respondents generally seemed to agree that a successful return the Middle East and North Africa suggested using “pairing activities to motivate students” to school required all actors at the school level to be “patient,” “supportive” and “encouraging.” and two parents from Europe and central Asia suggested a “phased reintroduction” or “slow, A teacher from South Asia elaborated on this: staged reentry” to support learners’ gradual adaptation to their new learning environment. A “All children love encouragement, and support and for kids with learning disabilities, teacher from North America added to this: such positive reinforcement can help ensure that they emerge with [a] strong sense “I believe the challenges students with disabilities will encounter when schools of self-worth, confidence and the determination to keep going even when things reopen will include socialization, sleep schedules, following rules (behaviors), and a are tough.” more severe loss of gained knowledge. To address these issues the school schedule Another major concern was the physical health of learners with disabilities on returning to school. For could be adjusted to a later start time, blended courses could be offered (online and in some survey respondents, this concern stemmed from prior health conditions that were only person), review rules frequently for the first few weeks, review last semester materials, exacerbated by the pandemic. In North America respondents wrote of concerns for “medically and provide simplified notes for procedures both for in class and materials covered.” fragile students” or “health hazards for immune-compromised children.” Several survey Respondents from Sub-Saharan Africa also proposed new education models for when respondents from Latin America and the Caribbean suggested the need to ensure “proper health schools reopen, calling attention to the government’s role in designing and implementing care” at school, or “to keep [learners with disabilities] safe, as [they] have many health issues.”. these systems: Some survey respondents feared that services available for learners with disabilities, pre-pandemic, “Catching up may be difficult for some of the learners as teachers rush to complete the will not be available once schools reopen. A parent from Sub-Saharan Africa emphasized, curriculum for the year. It would help if the government staggers the year’s calendar “children with severe disabilities need regular check-ups but this service may not be possible,” and changes it to allow more months of teaching. instead of the January to December and a teacher from the same region, wrote, “rehabilitation services [have] largely ceased, so [learners with disabilities are] missing necessary early intervention, and many will not return to this service.” These sorts of comments were made across all respondents and regions. In the Middle East and North Africa, for example, a parent said their child needs one-on-one 78 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 79 services, “which probably cannot happen now” and a teacher showed concerns regarding benefit from lip-reading, masks were seen as an obstacle rather than a protective equipment. “the closure of care institutions due to the deterioration of the economic situation.” A person Respondents wrote of these challenges in their open-ended responses: with a disability from Europe and Central Asia explicitly stated, “the availability of deaf mental “Social distancing has been widely promoted as the best strategy to avoid transmission, health services for the specific group is scarce,” and another from the same region provided [but] that advice may not be realistic for [those] who care for children with disabilities an anecdote to illustrate families’ general inability to access services that were once available: who may require therapy or assistance with daily tasks.” —teacher, South Asia “I learned that a family who had social worker support before COVID-19 was dropped due “Some learners need physical support from the educator, how will that be done if we to high demand from new cases. This shocked me, as families at risk will only worsen under have to practice social distancing. Learners with speech problems are not always clear the current conditions. I understand resources are stretched but this family has probably when speaking, wearing a mask will make it even worse and I’m not speaking about been dropped permanently and will fall through the cracks. It seems that things will only go the deaf learners” —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa downhill for them.” —person with disabilities, Europe and Central Asia Because of this, survey respondents from special schools were particularly concerned about There was an overall concern that—on returning to school—learners with disabilities would reopening schools. This was especially the case for data from Sub-Saharan Africa. A parent, for “not receive the usual interventions” (parent, North America). In fact, some survey respondents example, commented, “social distancing measures cannot be adhered [to] in special schools” believed that even regular activities—such as going outside—would not be possible, thus and a teacher wrote how “COVID would be exceptionally dangerous to a special needs having negative effects on the health and well-being of learners with disabilities: school.” They further explained, “kids with hidden disabilities might have other underlying “My students are severely cognitively impaired students who are aged 18–26. They conditions. But nobody would know because it hasn’t been a problem yet.” One teacher from need community outings as part of their educational experience. I fear these will be Sub-Saharan Africa went as far as to suggest the need to, “close special schools for longer” taken away.” —teacher, North America since “these children are more vulnerable to illnesses.” Even more common were concerns regarding COVID-19. Respondents of all categories (parents, Teachers from both special and mainstream schools shared concerns regarding reopening. A teachers, persons with disabilities) wrote about how COVID-19 would still be a dangerous teacher from North America asked, “Will health fragile children have the immune system, or threat, especially for learners with disabilities who are more vulnerable. As one parent from will there be so much fear, they don’t return?” Others said: Sub-Saharan Africa said, “How safe is it for them to return to school? Because most of the “Health and safety for immunocompromised students with disabilities is our biggest children have weakened immune systems.” Survey respondents also suggested that learners concern. Until we have a suitable treatment or vaccine, I can’t see how it would be safe with disabilities might have trouble following the guidelines or protocols to protect their own for them to return to school” —teacher, Europe and Central Asia health and the health of others. Social distancing in particular was commonly described as something learners with disabilities might not be able to understand, since they may not Learners with disabilities are not the only ones whose health is at risk when returning to be able to gauge the need for “boundaries.” But also, just the simple act of wearing masks school. Many teacher respondents also wrote of concerns regarding their own health. Box would be difficult to cope with for some learners, and in extreme cases could cause anxiety or 9 below provides various excerpts to support this. It is important to remember the needs of distress for young persons with disabilities. For example, a teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa teachers in these discussions, and to ensure precautionary measures are taken to protect the described a major concern for returning to school is learners’ ability to “understand what is safety of not just learners but also those who take care of them. going on.” Because of this, they may face a range of challenges, including: “Not coping with wearing face masks. Being scared of everybody, and especially caregivers and teachers wearing masks. Not adhering to social distancing because of lack of understanding.  Not coping emotionally with all the changes in normal routines, especially in hostel settings.” Respondents pointed out how following certain protocols may not even be possible for certain learners. Social distancing would be difficult for learners with mobility disabilities, for example, or those who require physical therapy. For learners who are deaf or hard of hearing and 80 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 81 Survey respondents pointed again to the government to provide the support structures that Box 9. Issues Focus: Caring for Teachers’ Health When Returning to Schools schools would need to reopen. In particular, teachers from Sub-Saharan Africa wrote of various materials and resources that the government would need to facilitate schools to ensure their “Although the risk to students themselves appears relatively low, reopening schools will safe reopening: also expose teachers to risk—especially those who are older or immune-compromised— and might contribute to higher risk for the larger community. Children’s role in transmitting “Lack of funds for transport to school, fees, food provisions and stationery. Need for the novel coronavirus is still unclear, making it difficult to estimate the extent to which government and donor support.” —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa reopening schools might contribute to resurgence. Potentially relaxed confinement “Provision of food supplements, and food stuffs by our local government. Masks, clean measures outside the education sector add to the uncertainty. Decision makers will water, hand wash and sanitizers and how to use these safely since [my students] are therefore need to determine when to reopen schools in the context of reopening society deaf, blind, visually impaired and [with] multiple disabilities.” — teacher, sub-Sahara at large.” —person with disability, South Asia Africa “My biggest concern is safety of teachers who work with learners who do not understand Some, however, suggested that they had doubts over whether the government would fulfill fully what is happening and the new behavior they have to apply to be at school safely” their duties: —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa “The government has promised that protective masks, which allow for lip-reading will be delivered, but I am worried that this promise will not be fulfilled or that the masks Finally, there was concern over schools not being prepared to care for the physical health and safety will be delivered late.” —parent, SSA of learners with disabilities and the rest of the school community. In some contexts, overcrowded For learners with disabilities to safely return to school, the school environment must also classrooms were already a challenge for teachers. Add to that the need to social distance, and be conducive to learning, and support their basic health, hygiene, and nutrition needs. A many respondents believed that it would simply not be feasible with their schools’ current multisectoral approach—interweaving education and health services and resources at the infrastructure. Even in Europe and Central Asia a parent/caregiver wrote, “It will be very hard school level—would therefore be required to successfully reopen schools. for [learners with disabilities] to socially distance. It is also likely that schools may need to halve classes to distance properly, which will play havoc with routines, and so on.” The size and number 3.4 Forefronting the unique needs of learners with disabilities in response policies of classrooms was thus important to ensure social distancing measures could take place, and Survey respondents described myriad challenges that learners with disabilities faced at the these complications may only bring with them ensuing challenges. onset of COVID-19 and school closures. The majority of respondents from all three categories Survey respondents also wrote of schools’ lack of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) (parents/caregivers, teachers, and persons with disabilities) generally felt unsatisfied with their facilities or resources. For example, a teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa wrote, “the major schools, districts, or governments’ COVID-19 responses. They described the importance of more challenge children with disabilities will face once schools reopen is access to efficient WASH inclusive and equitable approaches to emergency-responses now and in the future. Likewise, to services in the schools.” In addition, many seemed concerned about the protocols that “build back better,” the Pivoting to Inclusion report describes the need to “maintain meaningful would be established should new cases of COVID-19 arise. A teacher from North America consultations/collaboration with families of children with disabilities” (World Bank 2019a: p. 11). wrote, “What happens if someone is exposed, does the whole room shut down?” A tone of This section explores how to do this, according to the perceptions of survey respondents. uncertainty emerged from the data, and survey respondents, regardless of their category or Respondents often described how they felt “forgotten” or “left behind.” In Latin America and the region, seemed unsure of their schools’ capacity to care for the mental and physical health of Caribbean, a French-speaking teacher wrote how “they are not taken into account in mass learners with disabilities. Reopening schools thus presented a trade-off. A parent from South awareness raising” and a Spanish-speaking parent wrote, “I don’t see much willingness on Asia touched on this in their open-ended response: the part of the education center or the teachers to put forward a more suitable program for “As school-system leaders weigh possible timelines, they can consider four interlocking my daughter.” In Sub-Saharan Africa, a parent wrote, “we are not mentioned anywhere,” and components of reopening: risks to public health, schools’ importance to economic persons with disabilities wrote how “[learners with disabilities] and their families are completely activity, impacts on students’ learning and thriving, and safeguarding readiness.” — left out” or “excluded.” This obviously had an emotional impact on survey respondents. As a parent, South Asia teacher from sub-Sharan Africa expressed, “they are sidelined! It hurts!” 82 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 83 Another set of open-ended responses illustrated that even when learners with disabilities were lower expectations even more.” Respondents believed that the lack of inclusion would only get included, they were often an afterthought. A parent from Europe and Central Asia described worse in the future. “There needs will become a lower priority,” a parent from North America how “children with disabilities are always last on the list for very little or no help, support, wrote. “They will be overlooked in the rush to reopen schools,” wrote another. grants.” Two anecdotes below illustrate this: Quantitative data supports the findings above. Respondents were asked to rate the education “They are always thought of at last minute. Like self-study materials were developed response and social response for children with disabilities on a scale from 1 to 5. The data [and] distributed in districts without materials for children. Then, after concerned in figure  25 and figure  26 below demonstrates that, on average, over half of respondents people raised the issue, that’s when they started working on their materials. Therefore, reported a low rating (1 or 2) for both the education response (57 percent) and social response this calls to all planners to always consider disability issues as part and parcel of (58  percent) of COVID-19 for learners with disabilities. There were only slight differences programming.” —person with disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa across survey respondents. The responses below were also highly correlated with each other. In other words, a respondent who gave a low rating for the education response was likely to “They are treated as secondary citizens and no mentioned is made about their needs. rate social response low as well. Moreover, there was a negative association with number of Everyone else is catered for, but they are regarded as byproducts. Their health needs disabilities and a positive association with access to assets. In other words—and somewhat are not prioritized, and these are the people vulnerable to attack. No guidance is given unsurprisingly—respondents of children with multiple disabilities were more likely to rate with regard to their care and prevention of COVID-19 even before the lockdown.” — the responses lower, while those with more access to assets were more likely to rate the parent, South Asia responses higher. A teacher from the Middle East and North Africa wrote the same: “they get forgotten, like Figure 25. Respondents’ Rating of the Educational Response for Learners with Disabilities second-class citizens.” Learners with disabilities being “last on the list,” treated as “second- class citizens” or “byproducts” paints a powerful image and exemplifies the sort of lack of consideration that survey respondents experienced. 35% 32% 29% 30% 32% 32% 31% 33% 27% 26% 26% 24% 26% 28% Teachers working in mainstream schools particularly felt that the needs of their learners with 25% disabilities were not being considered. This was especially the case for data from Sub-Saharan 20% Africa. For example, a teacher wrote, “[learners with disabilities] need full consideration” 15% 11% 10% 9% (emphasis added), “and not to be compared to the mainstream students.” Another teacher 10% 4% 5% 4% 5% wrote a similar comment, and called attention to the role that the government must play in 0% ensuring this: ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE “[The] government should prioritize learners with disabilities as well, and not only Parent/caregiver of Teacher for learners Person with a disability Total focus on mainstream education. [They should] give more guidelines of how to a child with a disability with disabilities handle learners that would not understand the rules in regard to COVID-19 e.g., social distancing, wearing masks.” —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey Note: Data drawn from Question 35, “Given the current circumstances, how would you rate the education response For some respondents, the feeling of exclusion or of being forgotten was always there and the to children with disabilities from 1 to 5?” Sample size is 2,655 total survey respondents (1,187 parents/caregivers, pandemic only exacerbated it. This was especially the case of the data from North America 1,100 teachers, and 368 persons with disabilities). A response of 1 indicates the lowest level of satisfaction with the education response, while a response of 5 indicates the highest level of satisfaction. and Europe and Central Asia. “The system already seemed to neglect them before COVID-19,” wrote a parent from North America, so “a majority of these children are going to be even more left behind.” Similarly, a parent from Europe and Central Asia, expressed, “I feel that our children always come last even before COVID-19. Now my worry is that they will be completely forgotten and certainly not prioritized.” Another parent from North America wrote, “It became clear some of these learners didn’t have quality programs even before pandemic,” and another agreed and continued with, “I am afraid pandemic will be used as an excuse to 84 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 85 Figure 26. Respondents’ Rating of the Social Response for Learners with Disabilities “They should be given the first priority as they are the most likely to lose when school is not in session” —person with disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa 40% 35% 33% 32% 35% 30% 29% “Disability leaners need to be prioritized by government authorities as they are often 33% 25% 26% 27% 26% 27% 26% 28% 25% neglected.” —parent, Sub-Saharan Africa 20% 15% 10% “They should be given priority by the response team when giving out sanitation and 9% 8% 10% 10% 6% 4% 5% 5% food materials.” —teacher, Sub-Saharan Africa 5% 0% “They are forgotten, and their lives and progress are not a concern or priority in ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE government response.” —teacher, South Asia Parent/caregiver of Teacher for learners Person with a disability Total The notion of prioritizing learners with disabilities and their families is repeatedly emphasized a child with a disability with disabilities throughout the Pivoting to Inclusion report. The report highlights how inclusion must be a priority and the needs of learners with disabilities must me prioritized throughout every Source: IEI 2020, Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closure Survey stage of COVID-19 response and education sector planning. This will ensure the necessary Note: Data drawn from Question 36, “Given the current circumstances, how would you rate the education response budgetary and resource allocations are made to support learners with disabilities. “Prioritizing to children with disabilities from 1 to 5?” Sample size is 2,655 total survey respondents (1,187 parents/caregivers, (emphasis added) and targeting financing will ensure that governments are planning effective 1,100 teachers, and 368 persons with disabilities). A response of 1 indicates the lowest level of satisfaction with the education response, while a response of 5 indicates the highest level of satisfaction. emergency programs that genuinely reach the most marginalized and most at risk of being left behind,” including learners with disabilities (World Bank 2020a: p. 51). The social response to COVID-19 was also inadequate according to survey respondents. Parents from North America and Latin America and the Caribbean wrote of concerns about Many respondents also wrote of how they felt certain disabilities were being considered and not “discrimination” and parents from sub-Sahara Africa shared concerns regarding “isolation at others. For example, a person with disabilities from Sub-Saharan Africa wrote that “children school” or “integration in the larger society.” A parent from Europe and Central Asia added with disabilities in general, and deaf children in particular, have been excluded from the to this, explaining they were concerned that “because of [my son’s] disability he will now be response.” There was disagreement across participants regarding who was being more left further discriminated against and maybe won’t be able to go back to school at the same time out. A teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa wrote that “especially the hearing impaired” were as his peers.” A teacher from Latin America and the Caribbean emphasized, “there must be being “left out,” for example, while a second teacher from the same region said, “everything is work done to ensure real, harmonious coexistence in schools… doing away with all forms of focusing on the hearing people.” A parent from Sub-Saharan Africa added to this: “most of the discrimination.” response is being geared to [learners with] visible disabilities. Those with invisible disabilities aren’t getting the attention they deserve.” The heterogeneous nature of disability cannot be According to survey respondents, inclusive COVID-19 responses would require mainstreaming the understated. Learners with disabilities have immensely diverse needs depending on the type educational and social needs of learners with disabilities. A teacher from Sub-Saharan Africa of disability that they have, and recognizing this heterogeneity is vital to effective and inclusive described how they must be “placed at the forefront in terms of support.” Respondents from education sector planning. A recent literature review of EdTech for learners with disabilities all categories frequently wrote of the need to not just “consider” the needs of learners with found that research tends to focus on learners’ with ‘lower incidence impairments’ (for example, disabilities, but to “prioritize” them: visual impairment and deafness) and that few studies addressed ‘higher incidence groups’ (for example, learners with autism or intellectual disabilities) (Lynch, Singal, and Francis 2021). More research is needed to examine how to best address the remote learning needs of these leaners especially. 86 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 87 A first step, therefore, would be to consult learners and disabilities and their families, and hear their Table 3. Summary of Challenges and Solutions Suggested by Survey Respondents needs, so that programs and policies can be aligned to those needs. Survey respondents from all categories and geographical regions addressed the need to provide spaces and opportunities DIMENSION OF to listen to the voices of learners with disabilities and their families: LESSONS FOR CHALLENGES SOLUTIONS THE FUTURE “How are [learners with disabilities] coping?  Has anyone taken the time to hear their VOICE?” —parent, Latin America and the Caribbean Campaigns targeting families • Learners with disabilities, • and the wider community, to especially girls, may not return “Where are voices of parents/caregivers of children with disabilities in this COVID-19 advocate for learners with to school once they reopen Era? I seem not to read/hear from them. Are we empowering them to be the change disabilities’ (especially girls’) (for example, due to poverty, reenrollment makers we want to see?” —person with disabilities, Sub-Saharan Africa unintended pregnancies, or ENSURING LEARNERS CEFM) Financial aid through • “[They are] being left out of educational decisions [that are] being made at a strategic WITH DISABILITIES sponsorships and/or donor Parents may not allow their • level by governments. Their voices are not being heard or weighted properly.” — RETURN TO SCHOOL support children to return to school due to parent, Middle East and North Africa fear of contracting the virus Government should offer • “free education” for learners Lack of transportation would • In fact, the survey tool itself was identified as a “good practice” by a teacher from Sub- with disabilities or inclusive prohibit some learners with Saharan Africa: “This survey is also a good practice as it will help improve on already existing education financing more disabilities from attending school broadly education plans for children with disabilities this COVID-19 season.” There was an obvious need to reach the most marginalized and to leverage their voices in COVID-19 response • Learners with disabilities will Provide catch-up lessons and • plans. Consistent with Article 4 of the CRPD, “States Parties shall closely consult with and forget what they learn and extra tutoring to reenforce actively involve persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their regress in their academic studies curriculum representative organizations.”16 It is a human right for learners with disabilities to be involved (especially learners who did not Create Individualized Education • in decisions that affect them. access remote teaching) Plans, curriculum acceleration or • Hybrid schedules or online remediated learning plans 3.5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION REGRESSION AND teaching approaches will not be Assign coaches or mentors to • ACADEMIC NEEDS conducive to the learning needs of learners with disabilities The findings above illustrate how survey respondents describe various considerations that OF LEARNERS WITH learners with disabilities must be considered when designing inclusive and safe return to school policies in response Make accommodations, for • DISABILITIES ONCE IN Increased segregation of learners • example, for standardized tests, to COVID-19 or other emergencies. Effective COVID-19 and emergency-response policies for SCHOOL with disabilities in mainstream national exams, or classroom learners with disabilities must: ensure learners with disabilities return to schools; address the schools assignments (be flexible, provide academic needs of learners with disabilities once in school; provide mental and physical health • Schools may not have the human more time, and so on) support services and resources; and forefront the unique needs of learners with disabilities in or physical resources to provide Leverage multisectoral support • all aspects of policy responses. Table 3 below summarizes the key challenges and solutions adequate support (for example, from the government, CSOs and suggested by survey respondents (persons with disabilities, parents, and teachers). internet and infrastructure, teacher donor community to procure aides, and so on) human and material resources 16 https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities/article-4-general-obligations.html 88 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 89 The above solutions and challenges are limited to those explicitly suggested or referenced by DIMENSION OF survey respondents. But many of these solutions are recommended in the Pivoting to Inclusion LESSONS FOR CHALLENGES SOLUTIONS THE FUTURE report (World Bank 2020a). In particular, the report highlights the need to use Universal Design by Learning principles to meet both the immediate needs and long-term needs of learners • Learners with disabilities may feel with disabilities on reopening schools. In addition, it says, “for caregivers to feel comfortable anxious or fearful due to COVID-19 Use slow, staged reentry to • and confident for their child to return to school, soap and handwashing stations need to be schools or stagger reentry for • Change in routines, due to students accessible to all” (p. 46). Returning to school, “will require children and teachers to accept, returning to school, may adjust, and apply new social and classroom norms, where personal safety will be pivotal and exacerbate mental health Focus on socioemotional • well-being, including learning supports for learning may not be available (p. 7). Finally, the report recommends disability- challenges (for example, separation anxiety) through play inclusive financing, a cross-sectoral approach, and maintaining “ongoing consultations and • Regression during school closures Provide guidance counselors • collaboration with families of children with disabilities, persons with disabilities (including may cause some learners to have or other mental health adolescents and youth), and their representative organizations so that programming is MENTAL AND behavioral challenges professionals reflective of the priorities (emphasis added) and requirements of the target group” (p. 44). PHYSICAL HEALTH Foster supportive and • CONSIDERATIONS E xacerbated health hazards • Future research should examine the feasibility of the solutions suggested, particularly in for some students with encouraging school WHEN RETURNING TO relation to the unique needs of learners with disabilities, and the local and national contexts chronic comorbidities; limited environments SCHOOL in which they live. rehabilitation services Leverage multisectoral support • • Lack of WASH facilities and from government and donors resources at school (for example, to supply accessible PPE (for clean water, PPE, sanitizer) example, clear face shields that allow for lip-reading) and hand Some learners with disabilities • sanitizer, food rationing and may not understand social potable water, and accessible distancing or other protective information on COVID-19 measurements, increasing risks, prevention and mitigation especially at special schools Forefront and prioritize • the needs of learners with disabilities in school and policy Learners with disabilities are • responses excluded from government and FORE FRONTING school responses, especially Leverage the voices of learners • THE UNIQUE NEEDS in mainstream schools and with disabilities and their OF LEARNERS WITH especially learners with certain families (for example, through DISABILITIES IN types of disabilities needs assessments, surveys RESPONSE POLICIES such as this one, and so on) Inadequate educational and social • to understand their unique responses (that is, increased educational and social needs, discrimination and stigmatization) while paying particular attention to differences across types of disability 90 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 91 SECTION C CONCLUSION 92 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 93 As evident in the survey data presented above, there are no silver bullets to effective COVID-19 and NGOs, and social workers and other professionals. Remote teaching and learning cannot response strategies for learners with disabilities. Rather, programs and policies must prioritize just involve providing homework or assignments, or online lessons. It should also include learners with disabilities in their design and implementation and ensure to accommodate their explanations from teachers, feedback loops to monitor the learners’ progress. Good practices diverse needs. One of the key strategies for inclusive education sector planning is to use the involve regular check-ins to assess not just learning but also the socioemotional well-being twin-track approach, which involves two basic principles: (1) ensuring mainstream education of learners and their families. Parents and families should be involved and “empowered” as programs are designed for all learners; and (2) developing targeted support to address the important support systems for learners with disabilities. On the one hand, parents also need specific needs of children with disabilities (World Bank 2020a). To do this, multisectoral reprise and assistants to better support their children. On the other, however, they should be approaches—involving the government, public and private sectors, and civil society, including trained in pedagogical practices. They should be taught how to support their children both organizations of persons with disabilities—are paramount for success. The findings called academically and behaviorally. Those learners with psychosocial or physical disabilities must attention to a wide range of environmental, educational, and health-related challenges that have opportunities for remote therapy or coping strategies that their parents can facilitate to learners with disabilities faced at the onset of COVID-19 and during school closures. There is a ensure their mental and physical health. need, therefore, for comprehensive emergency-response plans that tend to the diverse social, Specialists, social workers, and teachers should work together with parents. Special education cognitive, physical, and psychological needs of learners with disabilities. teachers, in particular, should provide support to mainstream teachers, as they are qualified The first layer of support for learners with disabilities is to create an enabling home environment. in providing inclusive instruction. Opportunities for teacher professional development In particular, survey respondents described the need for financial security, and food security, and collaboration is critical. And this, therefore, requires action from school leaders, local for access to basic health services, and hygiene, and sanitation. Financial security and support authorities, districts, or ministries. Effective remote teaching and learning requires the active from social protection is programs is crucial for families. Safety and security—especially for involvement of the entire school community, including learners with disabilities, teachers, vulnerable learners such as girls or those from lower socioeconomic levels—is necessary to school leaders, parents/caregivers, and policy makers. Survey respondents called on these safeguard all children. In addition, all households involved in e-learning modalities should at various actors—those most intimately involved with the teaching and learning processes— least have access to internet with strong connectivity and EdTech devices. The government— to fulfill their duties. Teachers, parents, and school leaders must support learners and their at both the national and subnational levels—play an important role in providing these cognitive and socioemotional needs. resources and services. Social protection policies, for example, could be put in place. The The final findings section addresses what needs to be done next, when reopening schools or donor community, local and international nongovernment organizations and civil society also planning for future pandemics. Survey respondents feared, for example, that many learners play an important role in procuring financial or material donations. with disabilities would not return to schools once they reopen. Either due to financial hardships The second layer of support involves the use of accessible teaching and learning materials or health challenges, or due to fear of catching the virus, many parents and families may and individualized instruction for remote teaching and learning. Learners’ unique cognitive, be reluctant to send their children back. In addition, girls—who are more at risk of getting physical, and psychosocial needs must all be considered when designing remote teaching pregnant or married during school closures—may be unable to continue their studies. Survey programs. This aligns with the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an approach respondents believed it was the role of national and subnational governments to campaign that asserts that teaching and learning should encompass a multitude of methods to support and advocate for the participation of all learners with disabilities. In addition, schools should all learners (World Bank 2020a). Survey respondents suggested a range of remote teaching make efforts to reach out to their students and their families, and to follow-up if they do not and learning devices and materials, including nondigital and digital, low-tech and high-tech register for school. resources and devices. Some learners with disabilities could access online classes, but others Once in school, students’ learning regression must be addressed. Survey respondents offered could not. Some engaged with learning synchronously with their classmates and teachers. a variety of potential solutions to this, including catch-up classes, extra time to study, tutoring, Others watched prerecorded videos or other asynchronous material. Lessons broadcasted and the continued use of educational technology to employ inclusive pedagogies. In addition, though televisions and radios provide learning opportunities for many. But not those with students mental and physical health needs must be addressed. Survey respondents believed difficulty hearing and/or seeing. In remote communities and households with limited access that school closures will have led to feelings of isolation or experiences of psychological, verbal, to internet and technology, printed materials and books are most effective. or sexual abuse. Hence, it would be necessary to provide socioemotional support at the school According to survey respondents, however, one of the most critical elements of education in a and classroom level. Due to their limited access to therapies and specialized health services pandemic comes from communication and collaboration among teachers, specialists, parents, during school closures, there may also be regressions in other skills. The development and students, and other helping hands, including siblings and the wider family, community members growth of learners with disabilities may have halted due to the abrupt termination of health 94 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 95 services. Again, these findings imply that a cross-sectoral approach would be most effective to address the health and educational needs of learners with disabilities on returning to school. Schools, however, must be properly equipped. This includes not only physical materials, such as educational technologies, and WASH facilities. This also means ensuring that teachers are trained and that enough of the teaching staff return in the first place. Safe and accessible protocols must be established so that leaners with disabilities understand how to take care of themselves and others around them. And of course, the health of teachers must also be central to any school reopening plan. The physical and mental health of the entire school community is essential. An important take away point from this final set of findings is how politicians and leaders must learn from their failures and/or inactions. The impact that COVID-19 has had on the education of learners with disabilities has revealed the multitude of shortcomings and misprioritizations of systems and institutions. If anything has been learned, it is that the world was unprepared for a pandemic. Thus, we should use this as an opportunity to better prepare for the future. Learners with disabilities cannot be an “afterthought.” Their education and health needs must be fore fronted, taking into account the array of needs and the diverse accommodations that each individual requires. In addition, more data are needed to inform these decisions. While this survey has been an effort to fill in the evidence gaps, we encourage others to collect similar disaggregated data to get a more comprehensive picture of how health emergencies affect learners with disabilities. Data addressing the needs and experiences of learners with disabilities can inform the creation of inclusive policies and responses to future crises. Finally, transcending policy and COVD-19 response plans is the need for a humanizing lens when working with and for learners with disabilities and their families. As one survey respondents said, “these are unprecedented times” and everyone has been struggling with the challenges caused by COVID-19. Some have struggled more than others, but all have been thrown into a whirlwind of life changes that is challenging to adapt to. What is needed now is understanding, compassion, and empathy. People involved in the education and health responses of learners with disabilities must be flexible and patient. Survey respondents expressed overwhelming feelings of confusion, fear, doubt, and uncertainty. The only way forward to support learners with disabilities is through teamwork, collaboration, and coordination across all actors involved. 96 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 97 BIBLIOGRAPHY Caravalho, S., and S. Hares. 2020. “More from Our Database on School Closures: New Edu- Peterman, A., A. Potts, M. O’Donnel, K. Thompson, N. Shah, S. 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Allen, M. L. Joseph, and D. Lantagne. 2017. “Short-term WASH interventions in emer- gency response: A systematic review.” International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), London. https://doi.org/10.23846/SR0033 100 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 101 GENERAL QUESTIONS (FOR ALL RESPONDENTS) 1. What region of the world do you live in? o East Asia and Pacific o Europe and Central Asia APPENDIX A: o Latin America and the Caribbean o Middle East and North Africa COMPLETE SURVEY (ENGLISH VERSION) o South Asia o Sub-Saharan Africa LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES AND COVID-19 SCHOOL CLOSURES o North America The Learners with Disabilities and COVID-19 School Closures Survey is being conducted by What are your biggest concerns for children with disabilities while schools remain closed during 2.  the Inclusive Education Initiative’s Disability-Inclusive Education Community of Practice and COVID-19 (please select all that apply and add any comments in other)? Knowledge Hub. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the globe, schools are o They will fall behind in learning due to inaccessible distance learning modalities. closed nation-wide in 192 countries and sub-nationally in many others, leaving an estimated o They will not have accessible educational materials. 1.58 billion children out of school. These school closures put children with disabilities at o They will not know how to use the technology appropriately to continue their learning. an even greater risk of being left behind, but also serve as an opportunity to re-think how emergency educational plans can better include children with disabilities. o They will not go back to school once they reopen. PURPOSE o They will not have access to basic nutritional needs that are typically provided at school. o They will not have access to important therapies, services, or accommodations that they The purpose of the survey is to understand if learners with disabilities and their families typically receive at school. have access to the supports they need to continue learning while schools are closed due to COVID-19. Data collected from this survey will help us to better understand what children with o Other. Please, explain. disabilities do and do not have access to around the world. We hope to use the information 3. Please describe yourself (please select one) we collect from this survey to ensure that solutions are, in fact, allowing children to continue o I am a parent/caregiver of a child with a disability. learning during this health crisis. o I am a teacher for children with disabilities. PARTICIPATION o I am a person with a disability. This short, 10-15-minute survey is meant for parents/caregivers of children with disabilities, FOR PARENTS/ CAREGIVERS teachers of children with disabilities, and persons with disabilities/OPDs. Your responses will remain strictly anonymous. All questions are voluntary, and you may skip 4. What type of functional difficulties does your child have (Please tick all that apply)? any questions you do not want to answer. o Hearing If you have any questions, please reach out to the Inclusive Education Initiative at iei@ o Vision worldbank.org. o Learning Thank you for your participation! o Mobility The IEI team o Communication/Comprehension o Emotions (anxiety/depression) o Other 102 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 103 5. While schools are closed during COVID-19, does your child have access to a: What are some of the barriers to accessing the supports needed to continue their learning? 7.  Yes No Is it accessible and useful for your child with a disability? o Cost o Power/Electricity Radio o Internet availability/data Television o Availability of devices Mobile Phone o Availability of accessible materials Smart Phone o Lack of personal assistant/additional academic support Tablet o I’m unfamiliar with how to use technology Computer o Other. Please, explain. Internet Do you feel that your child with a disability is learning meaningfully compared to your children 8.  Books/Materials in print without disabilities during this time when schools are closed due to COVID-19? Other? Please specify. o Yes o No While schools are closed during COVID-19, does your child have access to accessible learning 6.  resources and services? o Somewhat o Not sure Yes No Not applicable Does your child have access to the health services needed during this time (tick all that apply)? 9.  Braille Materials o Every day health services (i.e. primary care physician, health clinics, etc.) Plain language Materials o Specialized health services (i.e. specialists’ appointments, etc.) Large Print Materials o Emergency health services (i.e. ambulance or emergency room facilities) o Allied health services, like physical therapy Print Magnifier o Remote access (i.e. virtual physiotherapy) Sign Language Interpretation o Community care services Audio Formats o No, it is very difficult to get access to health services during COVID-19 Closed Captioning o Other. Please, explain. What kind of supports do you have to help take care of your child with a disability during 10.  Transcripts of Audio Services COVID-19 school closures? Visual/Tactile Aids E-Readers/Screen Readers Communication Boards Other. Please specify 104 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 105 Support Yes No Somewhat Not sure o Early childhood o Primary Financial support (for medical, therapeutic and learning needs) o Secondary o Tertiary Physical support (for activities of daily living, etc.) 17. While schools are closed during COVID-19, do your students with disabilities have access to: Yes No Not sure Emotional Support Radio Support from teachers- to guide thru lesson plans, Television school tasks and/or online classes Mobile Phone Smart Phone 11. What is the most important kind of support needed for you and your children during COVID-19? Tablet (open ended) Computer Given the current circumstances, how would you rate the education response to children with 12.  Internet disabilities from 1 to 5? Other. Please specify. Given the current circumstances, how would you rate the social response to children with 13.  While schools are closed during COVID-19, do your students have access to the accessible 18.  disabilities from 1 to 5? learning resources and services they need (click all that apply)? TEACHERS Yes No Not applicable 14. What type of classes do you teach? Braille Materials o Mainstream inclusive class with children with disabilities studying along their peers Plain Language Materials o Special class comprised only of children with disabilities (a variety of disabilities) o Special class comprised only of children with one type of disability Large Print Materials 15.  What type of functional difficulties do the children you work with have (Please tick all that Sign Language Interpretation apply)? Closed Captioning o Hearing Audio Formats o Vision Transcripts of Audio Services o Learning o Mobility Visual/Tactile Aids o Communication/Comprehension E-Readers/ Screen Readers o Emotions (anxiety/depression) Communication Boards o Other Books/Printed Material 16. What level of education do you teach? Other. Please specify. In your opinion, what are some of the barriers to accessing the supports your students with 19.  106 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 107 disabilities need to continue their learning? o Internet availability at my home o Cost o Internet availability at my student’s homes o Internet availability/data o Availability of devices to connect with my student o Lack of assistive devices o Students don’t have access to devices at home o Lack of accessible materials o Students don’t have accessible materials at home o Lack of personal assistant o Personal assistant/teacher aide to support child o Other o Parental/caregiver support 20.  Do you feel that your students with disabilities are continuing to learn during this time when o Unfamiliar with how to use technology for distance learning schools are closed due to COVID-19? o Other o Yes 24. In your opinion, what do you think that your students with disabilities need the most during the o No COVID-19 school closures other than education? o Somewhat o Access to safe secure home environment o Not sure o Information about COVID-19 and its prevention in easy, accessible formats 21. Do your students have access to the health services needed during this time (tick all that apply)? o Access to WASH (clean water, basic sanitary toilets, good hygienic practices like hand o Every day health services (i.e. primary care physician, health clinics, etc.) washing with soap) o Specialized health services (i.e. specialists’ appointments, etc.) o Access to medical services o Emergency health services (i.e. ambulance or emergency room facilities) o Access to nutrition o Allied health services, like physical therapy o Mechanisms to support parents, caregivers and families o Community care services o Access to rehabilitation services o Other Can you give examples of good practice in the inclusion of children with disabilities in the 25.  COVID-19 response to education? Please share your experiences, if relevant. (open ended o Not sure response) Do you feel like you have the supports you need to continue helping your students with 22.  Given the current circumstances, how would you rate the education response to children with 26.  disabilities learn compared to your students without disabilities during this time? disabilities from 1 to 5? o Yes Given the current circumstances, how would you rate the social response to children with 27.  o No disabilities from 1 to 5? o Somewhat PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES o Not sure If not, what additional supports would help you during this time to teach your students with 23.  disabilities effectively? 108 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 109 28. What type of functional difficulties do you have (Please tick all that apply)? helpful to you to continue learning? o Hearing o Braille Materials o Vision o Plain Language Materials o Learning o Large Print Materials o Mobility o Sign Language Interpretation o Communication/Comprehension o Closed Captioning o Emotions (anxiety/depression) o Transcripts of Services o Other o Audio Formats 29.  Given your lived experience of disability, how confident are you that children with disabilities o Visual/Tactile Aids are receiving education and support during the COVID-19 lockdown? o E-Readers/Screen Readers o Very confident o Communication Boards o Somewhat confident o Other. Please specify o Not at all confident What are the supports you would suggest to enable children with disabilities to continue their 32.  30. As a person with disability, if you were a child with a disability trying to continue your education education during this time of school closures? (open ended response) during COVID-19, based on your specific needs what technology would be most useful to 33. Do you have any particular concerns about girls with disabilities during this time? (open ended continue your education? response) Yes No Not sure 34. Can you give examples of good practice in the inclusion of children with disabilities in the COVID Radio 19 response to education? Please share your experiences, if relevant. (open ended response) Television Given the current circumstances, how would you rate the education response to children with 35.  Mobile Phone disabilities from 1 to 5? Smart Phone Given the current circumstances, how would you rate the social response to children with 36.  disabilities from 1 to 5? Tablet GENERAL QUESTIONS Computer What challenges do you expect children with disabilities to face once schools reopen? How do 37.  Books/Print Materials you think these can be best addressed? (open ended response) Other. Please specify 38. What other concerns do you have regarding learners with disabilities in the COVID-19 response? As a person with disability, if you are a child with a disability trying to continue your education 31.  (open ended response) during COVID-19, based on your specific needs, what materials/services/devices would be most THE SURVEY IS COMPLETE 110 | INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INITIATIVE SURVEY REPORT | 111