Exploring Parents' Experiences With School-Based Special Education Services for Their Children With Hearing Loss During the U.S. COVID-19 Outbreak: Three Case Studies

Purpose: We gathered stories from three mothers of early elementary–aged children with hearing loss (HL) to learn about their experiences with their children's school-based special education (SPED) services in spring 2020 through fall 2021 when the novel coronavirus outbreak in 2019 (COVID-19) hit the United States. Method: In this qualitative, narrative study, we implemented a collective case study approach and solicited stories from three mothers of children with HL about their experiences with SPED services during COVID-19. Results: We conducted reflexive thematic analysis and uncovered the following themes across all three cases: (a) springtime spirals into uncertainty, (b) schools do not prioritize SPED for children with HL, (c) online service delivery is taxing, (d) the masked school environment is challenging, and (e) educators are supportive. Conclusions: The themes we uncovered revealed that despite their differences in location, age of their children, and educational backgrounds, these mothers had similar experiences with SPED services for their children with HL during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings also contribute a better understanding of the challenges of SPED service delivery for children with HL during the COVID-19 pandemic. This knowledge can be used to support future SPED delivery protocols as well as enlighten professionals in elementary education and hearing health care in an effort to provide more consistent and effective SPED experiences for children with HL.