Effects of COVID 19 School Closures on Learners with Disabilities in Kenya.

The presentation will report on a study that investigated some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on learners with disabilities in Kenya. Specific focus was also laid on the application of digital technology to facilitate learning during the pandemic. The key finding was that the social distancing and other Covid19 restrictions made learners with disabilities more socially distanced and disadvantaged. There was significantly less learning occurring among them, they were more stressed, and their families were in more financial distress compared to their counterparts without disabilities. The study recommends measures that different stakeholders (parents, communities, non-state actors, governments, and especially the Ministry of Education) should put in place measures to avert further physical and psychological trauma on the learners with disabilities currently and in the future.