Hey friends. Today, I’m going to detour from my norm just a bit because I want to share about a great project that needs a little help from my friends and beyond.

Since moving to Kansas I have had the good fortune of meeting Dr. Sean Smith from the Special Education Department at the University of Kansas. KU is the leader in special education so what an honor this has been. I call Sean the “technology guru.”  Our other common ground is that we both have a child with Down syndrome. Sean and the Center for Online Learning and Students with Disabilities want to know:

·         Do you have a family member enrolled in a fully online K-12 school? 

·         Do you have a family member that attends their local K-12 school but completes online coursework?

·         Do you know of friends or extended family members enrolled in fully online or blended (combined face-to-face and online) coursework? 

If yes to any or all of the questions above, we would like to hear from you.

The Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities, funded by the US Department of Education, is in the process of conducting research on how K-12 online learning impacts the access, participation, and progress of students with disabilities. To do this, we are seeking to survey and/or interview parents or guardians that have children with disabilities enrolled in either fully online or blended coursework.   The survey will be sent directly to you via a web link allowing you to complete at your leisure.  The interview would be conducted over the phone, Skype, or another video-based option conducive to you and your family.

 Why participate? Research findings will help other parents understand the benefits and challenges associated with online learning.  Likewise, parents will learn about questions to ask and things to consider when determining if online learning is an option for their son/daughter.

Who should participate? Any parent or guardian that has a child with a disability enrolled in online learning.

How much time? The Center staff will work with you in ensuring that the survey completion and/or interview process fits within your schedule.

What are next steps? Please contact Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities staff members – Dr. Sean J. Smith (seanj@ku.edu) or Paula Burdette (paula.burdette@nasdse.org).

This will benefit all of us! Thanks.