Reflections From the Pandemic: Lessons Learned

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children experienced multiple challenges while transitioning from traditional to online schooling. Teachers, administrators, and parents were expected to work together to provide students an optimal educational experience through those turbulent times. This experience generated new insights into how to teach deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students and assess their knowledge. New tools were invented and used during the pandemic, and though teachers and students are slowly returning to traditional learning environments, educators now know that alternative forms of teaching and learning exist. We acknowledge the ways teachers, administrators, and parents can innovate and bring new knowledge to the table. The present article introduces an American Annals of the Deaf Special Issue that offers further research and discussion in the event that another, comparable challenge occurs. Multiple issues must be considered in DHH education, from academic rigor to social-emotional wellness.