Many students are finding the transition to online classes difficult with the lack of in-person interactions. This transition is hard for everyone, but for those with learning disabilities, finding proper and adequate accommodations is even harder.

Online learning often negatively impacts students with attention-deficit disorders, hearing impairments and other disabilities. Some may find it hard to focus when they’re not forced to interact with other students. Students with hearing impairments may have a harder time watching a lecture without subtitles or an interpreter.

The era of online learning is a new journey for most. To be inclusive and accommodating for students with learning disabilities is important and must be taken into account when creating a curriculum and learning environment.

Learning disabilities can vary from student to student, said Alan Foley, an associate professor in Syracuse University’s School of Education.

“For students with learning disabilities, it presents accessibility challenges beyond just the learning disability itself.” Foley said. “No two people who have the same diagnosis of a disability experience it the same.”

Making a classroom as inclusive as possible is important to ensure all students are having the most accessible and normalized learning experience.

“Professors at SU have been provided with resources such as the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence in order to be better equipped with creating these environments,” Foley said.

While part of this responsibility lies on the university in providing these resources, professors must also know how to use and distribute them to students.

“The important question is not whether this class is a good fit for this student or not, but rather, how can we ensure that this class will be a good fit?” said Beth Ferri, a professor of education at SU.

Professors also have to think about barriers to technology in the classroom, Ferri said.

Not every student has access to those resources. Students taking classes at home may share a computer with others, have a loud background at home or lack internet. For those of us who don’t struggle with these hurdles to learning, being mindful and supportive of classmates who do when working on group assignments is important.

There are also many ways professors can be supportive.

“I would make sure that your materials are accessible for screen readers or text to speech tools,” Ferri said. “If your student needs a notetaker, for instance, it may be that lots of your students might benefit from a common set of notes.”

Becoming frustrated when a classmate can’t submit work on time, meet in a quiet space or understand material at the same rate can be easy. However, putting ourselves in the shoes of a student who has different educational needs is crucial.

“It’s also true that the pandemic brings up a lot of emotional difficulties for students who may feel isolated, disconnected or stressed out. Faculty too are stressed out — it’s not easy to juggle everything we are all trying to juggle,” Ferri said.

These students deserve support from fellow peers and classmates if all accommodations are not able to be met. The pandemic has affected everyone differently, but being able to work with one another to succeed is a characteristic every student should strive to achieve.

Feryal Nawaz is a senior political science major. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at fnawaz@syr.edu. She can be followed on Twitter @feryal_nawaz.

Published on September 9, 2020 at 12:32 am