The COVID-19 pandemic placed a great deal of stress on students, families, educators, and school administrators and required extraordinary flexibility and patience over an extended period of time. Taken together, the three Access and Engagement studies have documented some of the unique challenges affecting students who are blind or have low vision. As shown in the current report, students and their families faced challenges related to a lack of full access to educational technology, learning loss during the pandemic, and negative impacts on social-emotional well-being. Some of these challenges highlight systemic issues that were present before the pandemic and will continue to limit the educational success of students who are blind or have low vision. These include the limited accessibility and usability of digital learning tools; inequitable access to the Internet and devices; gaps in technology training; and a shortage of service providers and resources, especially in certain areas of the United States. Many of our study participants also believe that the pandemic’s impacts on learning and social-emotional development could have lasting consequences for students, who may need additional time and support to catch up.
Nevertheless, the study participants also demonstrated great resilience and creativity in the face of the pandemic. Some articulated that the pandemic brought unexpected benefits that could carry forward into the future. It is hoped that the pandemic brought important lessons which will guide the future delivery of education to all students who are blind or who have low vision, including those with additional disabilities and deafblindness.
“I believe the environment a child is in seriously impacts how they cope with situations. It’s not allowed to be a factor in our house. We can talk about the positives and the negatives of the pandemic, but life still has to go on.” —English-speaking parent of a 13-year-old who is blind
“I love a good challenge, so I felt like hey, this ended up being one of the most creative stages because you have to think outside the box. It was all about finding strategies to develop connection.” —TVI
