Page 66 - Issue 112 May-June 2021

ASD The disproportionate impact of the pandemic on children with SEND: is technology the key? Debbie Craig explores the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on children with SEND and how innovative technology can help improve outcomes. 66 No-one would dissent from the view that education should be inclusive, providing equal opportunities for all learners, and that nothing should disproportionately impact those with special or additional educational needs or disabilities. Covid-19, however, has had a disproportionate effect on many such learners. There were large numbers of students who missed their routine, and have not coped well with heightened anxiety levels and disruptions to their daily lives, and it’s vital that any recovery plan should take this into account. As an example, autism is a lifelong developmental condition, and autistic people see, hear and feel the world differently. Unlike Covid-19, these neuro-diverse characteristics are not easily distilled down into a handful of symptoms. They impair everyday functioning, and the three most common characteristics of ASD are difficulties with social interaction, social communication and social imagination. Yet there are many strengths with which to work. Autistic people feel their traits are a fundamental aspect of their identity and typically, are immensely loyal and honest. Supporting them means embracing this positively, not merely trying to mask issues. “Neuro-diverse characteristics are not easily distilled down into a handful of symptoms” ASD education in a pandemic The impact of autism on a child’s educational experience is significant. Many autistic children who require routine and consistency to help them better understand and adapt to unexpected changes, struggled to cope with school closures, as well as the many challenges faced throughout lockdown. Equally, teachers educating children with SEND were under enormous pressure, working in unique conditions never experienced before. Many faced the greater challenge of teaching in school whilst also remotely supporting the parents of those being home-schooled, as well as supporting the children’s learning needs, without being able to provide the same level of interaction and individual attention as they would SEN112 senmagazine.co.uk