Full exclusion during COVID-19: Saudi Deaf education is an example

Area of Science:

• Education
• Special Education
• Sociology of Education

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated global school suspensions, impacting educational delivery.
• Saudi Arabia implemented alternative educational methods during the crisis.
• The educational provision for Deaf students during this period requires specific investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the educational situation of Saudi Deaf students during school suspensions.
• To analyze alternative education methods and content provided by the Ministry of Education.
• To understand teachers' experiences and perspectives regarding Deaf students' exclusion.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study design.
• Semi-structured interviews conducted with eighteen teachers of Deaf students.
• Thematic analysis of interview data categorized into exclusion status, teacher responses, and reasons for exclusion.

Main Results:

• Deaf students experienced full exclusion from educational services during school suspensions.
• Teachers expressed concerns and challenges in adapting to the exclusion of their students.
• Identified reasons for exclusion related to the limitations of alternative and distance education methods.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need to enhance inclusive practices for Deaf students within alternative educational frameworks.
• Educational organizations in Saudi Arabia should prioritize the development of accessible distance learning tools.
• Facilitating inclusion for Deaf learners in emergency educational provisions is essential for equitable education.