Challenges experienced by special education and learning support educators during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This study aimed to pinpoint the unique challenges faced by special education teachers and learning support educators in Gauteng amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Four secondary research questions guided the inquiry: (1) What were their primary concerns during this time? (2) What strategies did they employ to tackle these challenges? (3) What were the most significant barriers to effective communication and collaboration among special education teachers, learning support educators, students, and parents during the Covid-19 pandemic? (4) How did the shift to remote and hybrid learning environments during the Covid-19 pandemic affect the instructional methods and support strategies used by special education teachers, and learning support educators? The main research question focused on identifying the specific obstacles encountered by these professionals during the pandemic. This research was conducted as a single exploratory case study within a qualitative research framework. The study explored the challenges experienced by ten participants through qualitative questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group discussion. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed to interpret the participants' subjective experiences. The study drew on two theoretical frameworks: the Conservation of Resources Theory and the Coping-Competence-Context Theory. The findings revealed several challenges faced by the participants, including a lack of resources, work-life balance issues, difficulties in implementing COVID-19 regulations, inadequate online teaching skills, low motivation and self-efficacy among teachers, the need to adapt teaching styles, communication issues between teachers and learners, teacher burnout, and stress; challenges in the implementation of the Screening, Identification, Assessment Support policy; challenges in the creation and implementation of the Individualised Education Plan. These challenges affected both the personal and professional lives of the educators, impacting their well-being, teaching quality, and the learning outcomes of special school students. This study sheds light on the profound impact of the pandemic on special education, and emphasises the need for targeted support to address these challenges effectively. Page | viii A framework was developed from this study which will assist special education teachers and learning support educators in managing challenges more effectively and strengthening their resilience during times of crisis. The framework derived from this research shows that the participants in this study faced many obstacles during the COVID-19 pandemic, but their capacity to overcome these obstacles suggests that they had resources available to help them navigate their way through through these obstacles. Recommendations made from this study include enhancing teacher training for online pedagogy, providing psychological support, improving communication with parents, and promoting curriculum flexibility. Proper resource allocation, workshops, and online counselling are emphasised to address the challenges faced. Future research should involve school management teams and mainstream schools to better understand special education challenges. This study contributes to understanding how SETs and LSEs cope during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating their resilience and resourcefulness. It underscores the need for comprehensive support systems and adequate resources to help educators manage their roles effectively in adverse conditions.