Rural educational leader perceptions of online learning for students with and without disabilities before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors

  • Todd H. Sundeen University of Northern Colorado
  • Michelle Kalos University of Northern Colorado

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3776/tpre.2022.v12n2p105-128

Keywords:

rural, disabilities, technology, broadband, internet, connectivity, teaching and learning technology

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the temporary closing of many brick and mortar school buildings in fall 2020 while substantially changing the delivery of instruction for students with and without disabilities in rural schools. This article describes the qualitative results of an online study completed between August 2020 and October 2020 that investigated rural educational leaders’ perceptions of the use of online instructional technologies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rural educational leaders also shared how special education services were delivered and how parents felt about their children’s learning. The early school year in fall 2020 was a critical period for rural educational leaders as they were managing persistent and evolving issues related to providing quality educational opportunities to all students. This article provides a unique portrait of that crucial moment for educators, students, and parents.

Author Biographies

Todd H. Sundeen, University of Northern Colorado

Todd H. Sundeen, PhD, is Associate Professor in the School of Special Education, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). His primary areas of specialization are inclusive practices and co-teaching especially in rural settings. He also focuses his research on instructional interventions for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities with a specific emphasis on classroom learning strategies, interventions, and assessments for mathematics and expressive writing. 

Michelle Kalos, University of Northern Colorado

Michelle Kalos, is a doctoral student in the School of Special Education at the University of Northern Colorado. Her research includes post-school transition, self-determination/self-advocacy, and rural education for students with disabilities. She has a Master's in Special Education: Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She has worked as a Special Education Teacher since 2006.

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Published

2022-11-04

How to Cite

Sundeen, T. H., & Kalos, M. (2022). Rural educational leader perceptions of online learning for students with and without disabilities before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Theory & Practice in Rural Education, 12(2), 105–128. https://doi.org/10.3776/tpre.2022.v12n2p105-128

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 2 (2022): Theory & Practice in Rural Education: Special Issue on Rural STEM Teacher Development

Section

Research Forum

License

Copyright (c) 2022 Todd H. Sundeen, Michelle Kalos

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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Articles will be published using a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Sharealike license. (For more information on this license, please visit the Creative Commons license page.) Please also note that the authors are explicitly granting permission for Academic Library Services to store a copy of the article in The ScholarShip, ECU's Institutional Repository under the terms of the current ScholarShip license. As a North Carolina agency, ECU contributes copies of all publications to the North Carolina State Archives.