December 29, 2023
One Health Trust researchers Deepshikha Batheja and Srishti Goel co-authored a systematic review that investigated the impact of COVID-related school closures on educational outcomes and the physical and mental health of school-aged children with special needs (CWSN).
The study found that online learning and teaching models did not meet the needs of CWSN as they often catered to school children without special needs and thus did not incorporate supportive resources for CWSN. Children with autism were found to face challenges in adapting to the home environment for learning. CWSN scored lower in all measures of a test that evaluates household and school participation compared to children without disabilities in India. Furthermore, the pooled prevalence of deteriorating mental health in CWSN in three studies was 55.5 percent.
Online learning also increased screen time and decreased in-person social and educational interactions for CWSN. Notably, these changes had a larger impact on students with hearing disabilities as inclusivity is necessary to improve the health and educational outcomes of deaf children.
While school closures negatively impacted educational outcomes, the use of innovative learning tools was cited as a positive development resulting from mandated distance learning. Virtual group music-making activities were helpful for children including CWSN to express and manage their emotions, restore self-confidence, and maintain social connections. The authors concluded that CWSN and their families could benefit from a hybrid model that combines traditional in-person learning methods with novel innovative teaching tools to improve their educational and health outcomes.
Read the full article here.
