Abstract
Engaging students in remote learning can be a perplexing and overwhelming process for teachers. This task can present an even greater challenge for teachers who serve students with disabilities (SWD) due to the nature of the diverse and unique learning needs that must be addressed remotely. Thus, to effectively meet the needs of SWD in remote learning, it is necessary for teachers to collaborate with other educational stakeholders. The purpose of this chapter is to outline how teachers and school counselors can collaborate to optimize the remote learning experiences of SWD in grades prek-12. Within this chapter, the authors will discuss the school counselor's role as it relates to collaborating with teachers to serve SWD, provide ideas for collaboration, identify anticipated challenges, and recommend strategies for fostering productive and successful collaborative relationships.
TopIntroduction
The sudden onset of COVID-19 yielded emergency school closures and, as a result, teachers and students were thrust into remote learning without sufficient planning, preparation, or training. While the global pandemic forced many children and adolescents to adjust to alternative methods of learning, it posed unique challenges for students with disabilities (SWD) as teachers were tasked with meeting their diverse needs in the virtual setting (Averett, 2021). Although schools are open, it is important to note that remote learning is still a preferred choice for many students including SWD due to convenience, comfort, flexibility with pacing, accommodations and modifications, and accessibility to technology (Schwartz et al., 2022). However, engaging SWD in remote learning can seem to be a daunting task for many teachers (Crouse et al., 2016). As a result, it is important for teachers to think about collaborative relationships and identify educational stakeholders who can partner with them to best support SWD. Since school counselors have an ethical obligation to collaborate with other stakeholders and serve all students, including SWD (ASCA, 2016), they are in a unique position to collaborate with teachers and come alongside them to fulfill this mission. Although teachers can form partnerships with various educational stakeholders to benefit SWD, the purpose of this chapter is to outline how teachers and school counselors can collaborate to meet the needs of SWD in remote settings.
To fulfill the purpose of this chapter, the authors invite readers to:
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Explore the role of the PSC as it relates to collaborating with teachers serving SWD in remote settings
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Discover specific ways that teachers and PSCs can collaborate to serve SWD in remote settings
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Learn strategies for establishing productive and successful collaborative relationships
Pre-Reading Reflection Questions
In preparation for the chapter reading, the authors encourage readers to reflect on the following questions.
- 1.
As an educator serving SWD, what is your perception of the role of the PSC?
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Based on your current knowledge, how might you see yourself collaborating with the PSC to serve SWD?
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How might a collaborative relationship benefit SWD?
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What obstacles might you encounter when trying to form a collaborative relationship with the PSC?
The Evolution Of School Counseling
To better understand how PSCs and teachers can collaborate to serve SWD within remote learning environments, it is necessary to explore how the school counselor’s role has evolved over time. A historical review of the school counseling profession reveals that the role of the school counselor has adapted over the last 100 years to match societal needs and trends (Gysbers, 2010). Beginning at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the early 1900s, teachers were often called upon to serve as vocational counselors in schools while still fulfilling their primary teaching obligations (Gysbers & Henderson, 2001). Administrators also served in counseling roles as well (Gysbers, 2010). During this time, counselors in schools primarily focused on career counseling as they sought to prepare students for the transition from school to the workforce (Lambie & Williamson, 2004).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Student With Disability/Students With Disabilities (SWD): A student(s) in a prek-12 setting who has been identified as having a disability that falls under one of the 13 categories defined by the IDEA.
Teacher: A licensed professional who teaches students in prek-12 settings.
Remote Learning: The process of taking a course online using a technological device; also referred to as virtual learning.
Bias: Prejudicial thoughts or feelings about groups of people, including students with disabilities.
Professional School Counselor (PSC): A licensed school-based mental health professional who is trained to address the academic, career, and social-emotional development of students in both in-person and remote prek-12 school settings.
Data: Quantitative measures such as academic reports, attendance records, and discipline reports that can be used to identify students in need of services, structure interventions, and address inequities.
Advisory Council: A committee that consists of school and community stakeholders who provide input to school counselors about the school-wide comprehensive school counseling program.
Stakeholders: Individuals, organizations, or businesses directly or indirectly involved in and/or impacted by the school counseling program.
Collaboration: The process of working together to achieve a common goal.
American School Counselor Association (ASCA): The national professional association for professional school counselors.