JAASEP SPRING/SUMMER 2026 Part 4 of 7
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In late December 2019, the World Health Organization identified COVID-19 in China (World Health Organization, 2020). By January 21, 2020, the virus had entered the United States and reached pandemic status in March of 2020 (World Health Organization, 2020). By December 2021, there were over 271 million cases worldwide, with over 5 million deaths (World Health Organization, 2021). In the United States specifically, over 50 million cases and 800,000 deaths were reported (World Health Organization, 2021). Following the beginning of the pandemic, the impacts of the virus continued to wax and wane throughout the United States, with the end of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency declaration released in May 2023 (CDC, 2023).
Montague et al.
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) was a fast-spreading airborne virus that produces illness ranging from asymptomatic, mild symptoms, to death. The virus is life threatening, especially for those with underlying medical conditions (e.g., asthma, obesity). As the Delta variant of COVID-19 swept across the U.S. during 2021, hospitalization among unvaccinated youth under 18 increased (Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], September 2021). However, a September 2021 poll indicated that over 20% of Americans will not vaccinate (Saad, 2021).
Abstract
This paper explores the disproportionate impact of school closures and remote learning on students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple narratives, including those of a student with a disability, a parent, a special education teacher, a student teacher, teacher educators, and disability researchers, illustrate how the pandemic disrupted the special education system. The paper delves into how the experiences of learners and teachers intersected, revealing how the pandemic complicated and interfered with the shared goal of educating students with disabilities. Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and critical disability theory, the authors synthesize these perspectives to demonstrate the ripple effect of the pandemic across various educational systems—from classrooms to higher education to educational research. These narratives reflect diverse experiences across different states, towns, school districts, and universities, collectively highlighting the significant and disproportionate challenges faced by students with disabilities during this period.