Social exclusion and gender inequality faced by students with disabilities during the COVID pandemic

Sudeshna Mukherjee (), N. Rajendra () and Priyanka Dwivedi ()
Additional contact information
Sudeshna Mukherjee: Bangalore University
N. Rajendra: Bangalore University
Priyanka Dwivedi: Reva University

Journal of Social and Economic Development, 2025, vol. 27, issue 1, No 3, 25-40

Abstract: Abstract “Persons with disabilities are among the world’s most marginalized and stigmatized even under normal circumstances” (Jane Buchanan, deputy disability rights director of Human Rights Watch, 2020). COVID pandemic exacerbated marginality by aggravating mental and physical health risks, educational outcomes and career prospects for students with disabilities. The impact of the COVID pandemic on students has been enormous, with a rapid shift to online learning with inadequate and scant access to communication tools and technology resulting in isolation under lockdown conditions. In addition, their stress is further compounded by financial stress and preexisting conditions. The temporary closing of educational institutions with the perceived threat of contagion affected all students, but more students with disabilities were left behind, particularly those with intellectual disabilities. For them, pedagogy is equally essential. Based on qualitative case studies, this paper assesses the impact of the COVID pandemic on educational access to students with disabilities, the challenges they face in accessing remote learning and how especially women with disabilities face further exclusion due to preexisting gender inequalities. Further, the paper aims to see disability as a “capability” deprivation and suggests how that can be bridged through technological intervention. It further proposes solutions, for the inclusion of students with disabilities during times of distress and natural calamities.

Keywords: Students with disabilities; Pandemic; Gender inequality; Social exclusion; Online learning; Education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s40847-024-00404-x Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:jsecdv:v:27:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s40847-024-00404-x

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/40847

DOI: 10.1007/s40847-024-00404-x

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Social and Economic Development is currently edited by M.G. Chandrakanth, D. Rajasekhar, Anand Inbanathan and S. Madheswaran

More articles in Journal of Social and Economic Development from Springer, Institute for Social and Economic Change
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().