Voices of Undergraduate Students with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Social distancing, lockdown, and other restrictive measures imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic led universities to transfer to remote online instruction. Several studies examined the impact of online instruction on students academic and socioemotional performance, whereas only limited research evidence exists concerning the performance of university students with disabilities (SWD) during online learning. This exploratory qualitative study aims to understand the experiences of nine undergraduate SWD during the COVID-19 pandemic. A thematic analysis revealed that SWD experienced multiple adversities related to academic (e.g., accommodations, communication with university instructors, academic advisor) and socioemotional (stress, routine disruption, lockdown effects) areas. We compared and contrasted our study findings with existing literature on creating equitable academic environments and reducing access barriers for all students.