Online Special Education

Online Special Education

This blog talks about online special education. COVID 19 has changed our lives in many ways. The way we teach and learn has completely adapted. Everyone has now moved on to learning in virtual set-ups. Special education is no different. Online special education has become the need of the hour.

 What is special education?

It is the way of teaching children in a way that addresses their special needs. It takes into account their needs and differences. To teach them, individualized plans are made. Suitable teaching methods are adopted. This helps them excel to the best of their ability.

About Online Special Education

Online education represents a new way of teaching and learning. Special Educators conduct sessions through platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet. They are in constant touch with the children and their families. They remain in touch via phone calls, e – mails and video calls. The educators regularly meet to discuss the education plan. Educators also discuss the progress of the child. They make goals which can be achieved in the home environment. They also use easily available things in the house to teach concepts. Educators make use of online resources to teach. Thus, they use different methods to teach. They also focus on hands – on learning. They allow children to learn at their pace. Educators focus on their holistic growth. They focus on self – help skills. They also focus on social learning. Educators help make a routine for the child. Routine gives them structure.

Strategies for online classes are  –

Home based learning plans

Special educators plan the goals of the IEP that can be conducted in the home environment. Educators involve the family in the planning process. They use materials for teaching which are easily available at home. They also guide the parents about the activity to be done. This may include written instructions or videos. It may also include worksheets. They also guide the parents on how to set up the learning area for the children. They use task analysis or chaining to teach the goals. The selected goals are SMART. This means goals are specific and measurable. It also means goals are achievable. Goals are relevant and time bound. They teach concepts using different tools. It may involve hands on learning. They may use videos or games.

 Communication

They are in regular touch with the families of the children. This can be via phone calls, e-mails or video calls. Educators involve the families in planning the IEP for the child. They also guide the parents about the IEP prepared for the child. They help them to carry out the activity easily at home. Behavior management plans are also provided. Educators also regularly review the progress of the child. They listen to the questions and problems of the parents. They answer their queries.

Routine and structure

Educators emphasize the importance of having a routine for the child. They must have structured activities throughout the day. They should also be given regular sensory breaks. Educators also guide parents to prepare a visual schedule of the routine. This helps the child to be aware of the plan for the day. It also helps him in his readiness to attend the online sessions. 

Use of technology

Educators use online resources to conduct sessions. These resources are interactive and also engaging. There are many websites for teaching such children. You can choose the resources as per the need of the child. These can include videos and games. Resources are available for different concepts. This includes social learning. It also includes self help skills and learning concepts. Websites also allow children to learn at their pace. They can refer to these resources at any time. Zoom and Google meet are popular choices to conduct online sessions. These platforms have user-friendly features.

 Online resources for Special Education

Many resources for special education are now available on the internet. This makes teaching online easier and more interactive.  They also help the children understand concepts better. It also makes learning easier. Online resources include interactive games and videos. They also include worksheets. Concepts include number work and grammar. Social skills are also targeted. It also helps to sustain the child’s attention. Resources can be chosen according to the level of the child. It also allows them to learn at their pace. A few websites that offer free resources are –

• Teachers Pay Teachers

• Afirm Modules

• Boom Learning

• Pinterest

• Paths to literacy

• Twinkl

For a detailed list on the best apps and websites for special education, read the following blog posts –

• Best websites for special education

• Effective school based apps for kids with special needs

Benefits of online special education

The benefits of online special education are –

• It saves time.

• It also saves the cost of traveling.

• The parent can record the session for reference at a later time.

• The client can attend sessions even while travelling.

• The sessions are done at the comfort of the client’s home. Thus, this ensures the session is done at ease of the client.

• The client can learn at their pace.

Online Special Education at 1SpecialPlace

We believe each child comes with different abilities. We provide an individualized plan for each child. This ensures the child gets the best education. We serve children with SLD. They also serve children with ID. We also cater to children with autism and developmental delays.

 The features of online special education at 1SpecialPlace are –

1. Comfort of client – We conduct online sessions. This saves the hassle of traveling. They can also study from the comfort of their homes. They can choose the time of the sessions.

2. Assessment – We use standardized assessment tools to determine the ability of the child. The therapist then provides a detailed report to the client. This report highlights the abilities of the child. We also include the areas that needs to be worked upon. We also mention suitable recommendations for the same.

3. Lesson Plan – We give the client an IEP after assessment. This plan is for a duration of 2 months. It includes the skills. It also includes the targeted outcomes. The target goals are SMART. This implies the goals are specific and measurable. The goals are achievable. Goals are relevant and time bound. It also includes strategies for the skills. The number of sessions per week depends on the need of the client.

4. Progress report – The client is assessed on those skills after 2 months. A progress report is then provided to them. This report includes the achievement level of the client. It also includes badges, compliments and areas of improvement. Thus, it shows the growth of the client.

5. Session summaries – After every session, the therapist sends a session summary to the client. This highlights the activities done in the session. They also send the homework to be done.

6. Video recordings – The therapist takes the permission of the client to take video recordings. The sole purpose of these recordings is to show the client their progress. We respect the privacy of the client.

7. Professional Treatment – All the therapists at 1SpecialPlace are thorough professionals. They are also registered with the RCI. The client can also read about the therapist on the website.

8. Confidentiality of data – We believe in respecting the client’s privacy. We take their permission before the video recordings. Therapists also inform that the purpose of these recordings is to show them their progress. We maintain the documents with precision.

9. Parent counselling – We also counsel the parents regarding the plan for the client. We also guide parents on how to do activities at home. They can practice the activities with the child on the days sessions are not conducted. This allows child to practice the skills regularly.

10. Use of online resources – Our therapists use online and interactive resources. They choose resources as per the need of the child. This also makes the session engaging. These resources can include videos. It may also include games. They make use of different websites. They also focus on hands on learning.

11. Admin support – We also have an admin support staff. They address the concerns of the clients. They take care of rescheduling of sessions. It also takes care of session bookings. The clients can contact them during their work hours. They are prompt in their response. The admin answers the queries of the clients.

     

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