Abstract
Statement of Problem
At the beginning of 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, public schools were forced to implement safety precautions for staff and students that included transitioning to a fully online teaching model for all teachers in California. The majority of teachers had no prior experience or training in virtual/online teaching.
Sources of Data
Surveys were sent out to participants who were K-5 general education teachers from a school district in the greater Sacramento area that had at least one student with an IEP in their class and taught virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusions Reached
The data showed that incorporating background knowledge/interests, one-on-one or small group lessons, and virtual games for motivation; using text-size options and adaptations for student responses for accessibility; and closely monitoring students for student outcomes were perceived as beneficial for all students. When looking at students with IEPs specifically, cooperative learning methods were rated as the most effective for student motivation, and Universal Design for Learning was rated as the most effective for student accessibility.