Autism Spectrum Disorder and Remote Learning: Parents’ Perspectives on Their Child’s Learning at Home

Abstract

The sudden change in educational setting during the COVID-19 pandemic naturally raised questions about students’ educational attainment. Access to in person teaching and special education services became restrictive and parents had to consider becoming more involved in their child’s academic attainment. This exploratory case study examined parents’ experiences in providing support to their child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during quarantine where they engaged in remote learning. The parents were interviewed mid 2021 using Zoom. Interview questions were generated through the lens of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding. The participants consisted of parents (n = 3) with a child who was medically diagnosed with autism. The children (n = 3) were in primary school and between the ages of 5–9. Three major themes emerged in all of the families. Families had a successful transition experience where they were initially concerned with remote learning but eventually became accustomed to the new learning setting. Secondly, families expressed having a productive home learning environment using a routine that incorporated a strong team of educational and therapeutic professionals helping in different areas of their child’s development. Thirdly, all parents provided ongoing parental assistance that established guidance throughout remote learning.