Impact of Online Classes on Students with Learning Disabilities

Online learning can improve access to educational materials, but it may also create additional demands for school-aged learners who experience learning disabilities. This study examined perceived academic, emotional, behavioural, and adaptation-related outcomes of online classes among students in Grades 1-10 with learning difficulties, drawing on student, parent, and teacher reports. The dissertation describes a quantitative, cross-sectional survey involving 95 participants and the use of the Learning Disabilities Checklist (LDC), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Online Learning Readiness Scale (OLRS), and a researcher-developed questionnaire. Reported findings indicate difficulties with attention, comprehension, task completion, and motivation in online settings, alongside lower perceived academic performance than in traditional classrooms. Parent and teacher reports were associated with students? reported learning difficulties. A significant association was reported between student and teacher reports, χ2(1, N = 95) = 20.5, p < .001, φ = .465; a similar association was reported for student and parent reports, χ2(1, N = 95) = 21.0, p < .001, φ = .471. Student and parent reports of emotional wellbeing were also positively correlated, ρ = .674, p < .001. The findings suggest that online learning requires structured routines, accessible teaching materials, trained educators, and coordinated family-school support to better accommodate learners with learning disabilities. Results should be interpreted cautiously because detailed descriptive scores and an effect estimate for the academic comparison were not reported consistently in the dissertation.