Is the Window of Learning Only Cracked Open? Parents’ Perspectives on Virtual Learning for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

• Published in: American annals of the deaf (Washington, D.C. 1886) D.C. 1886), 2023-01, Vol.168 (3), p.17-28
• Main Authors: Alford, Andrea D, Bencak, Jamie M, Tucker, Erich A, Williams, Douglas C, Courson, Frances F, Buchanan, Beverly J, Greene, Ashley N, Clark, M. Diane
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child; Children; Children & youth; Communication; COVID-19; Deaf Interpreting; Deafness; Education; Education, Distance; Educational Environment; Educational Resources; Families & family life; Hearing loss; Humans; Internet; Learning; Learning environment; Online instruction; Pandemics; Paraprofessionals; Parents; Parents & parenting; Persons With Hearing Impairments; School environment; Sign language; Students; Teachers; Teaching Methods
• ISSN: 0002-726X; 1543-0375; 1543-0375
• DOI: 10.1353/aad.2023.a917247

During the COVID-19 pandemic, parents quickly assumed the role of teachers to support their children's learning at home. Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students often rely on additional accommodations to access their education. The authors investigated the perspectives of 40 parents of K-12 DHH students on the use of virtual learning during the pandemic. An electronic survey was distributed through Qualtrics to gain an understanding of the new learning environment of remote instruction. The participants' responses revealed that they felt that challenges occurred in the areas of time management, language access, technology, motivation, and children's ability to function independently. The respondents were almost evenly split between satisfaction and dissatisfaction with their child's overall educational experience during the pandemic. The results indicated that degree of access significantly influenced the children's experiences of education in virtual learning settings.