The deaf’s e-learning challenges during COVID-19: Moroccan case study

Abstract

Aim: With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown, some incidentally urgent actions and measures have been imposed on the educational and social levels. All schools ceased in-person classes and switched to remote learning. The pandemic has also brought about health and protection decisions, exerting critical impacts on people’s lives, mainly those with special needs. Association Marocaine pour Enfants Sourds (AMES) did not change and enhance innovative methods to accommodate effective remote instructions. This paper investigates the e-learning experience of Moroccan deaf pupils during the lockdown era.Methodology: First, we analyze and discuss the challenges and communication barriers facing Moroccan deaf pupils. After that, we investigate why AMES slammed the doors in the deaf pupils’ faces and left them excluded on the contrary of most deaf schools all over the globe. We adopted a mixed-methods approach, qualitative and quantitative, by conducting a survey and a thematic analysis of data.Findings: This study revealed problems related to education challenges, communication barriers, digital illiteracy, and e-learning absenteeism, among other points. Then some recommendations are suggested.Implications/Novel Contribution: This study is the one to examine the difficulties that deaf students in Morocco experienced when shifting to online schooling during the pandemic. Compared to other nations, e-learning is in its birth in Morocco, and its application has greatly been intensified by COVID-19.