Online learning is no longer a temporary solution. Many school systems now offer virtual options, and in some places, online courses are required for graduation. That shift brings an important question to the front:
How do we make online learning work for students with diverse learning needs—especially students with disabilities, students with attention and anxiety needs, and students who require accommodations?
A 2024 case study published in the Journal of Teaching and Learning listened directly to students (elementary and high school, with and without disabilities) about what helped and what got in the way during pandemic-era online learning. Their message was clear and consistent: online learning can work better when it includes strong connection, clear structure, and flexible ways to learn and show understanding.
As a provider of online therapy services to schools, TinyEYE often sees the same truth: when the environment is designed for access and engagement from the start, students are more likely to participate, persist, and progress.
Two big ideas behind the research: UDL and motivation
The study connects two helpful frameworks:
Universal Design for Learning (UDL): a way to plan instruction so more students can access learning without needing “extra” fixes later. UDL emphasizes:
Multiple means of representation (different ways to take in information)
Multiple means of action and expression (different ways to show learning)
Multiple means of engagement (different ways to stay motivated and involved)
Self-Determination Theory (SDT): a motivation framework that says students engage more when three needs are supported:
Relatedness (I feel connected and I belong)
Competence (I can succeed with the right support)
Autonomy (I have meaningful choice and control)
UDL helps educators design the learning experience. SDT helps educators understand why students may disengage when connection, structure, or choice is missing.
What students said mattered most in online learning
The study followed seven Ontario students (grades 1, 5, and 10–12) across online and hybrid learning in 2020. Students had a range of profiles, including ADHD, anxiety, autism, processing disorders, and neurovisual needs. Across ages and needs, three themes stood out.
1) Connection was not “nice to have”—it was the difference-maker
Students described online learning as isolating. Even when lessons were happening live, many students felt they were learning alone. This mattered for everyone, but it was especially important for students who rely on relationship-based support to stay regulated, attentive, and confident.
Elementary students wanted to talk, share, and be seen. They tried to connect through chat, raised hands frequently, or looked for ways to keep the meeting going after class.
High school students often used chat for teacher questions, but peer-to-peer connection tended to happen outside school platforms (like texting). Some students said they would have welcomed structured small-group breakout rooms.
One student captured a common frustration: when cameras are off, it can feel like “talking to a wall.” That sense of disconnection can quietly drain motivation—especially for students who already find school hard.
2) Structure and guidance drove motivation (and reduced stress)
Students repeatedly returned to the need for predictable routines, clear instructions, and timely feedback. In SDT terms, this supports competence: the belief that “I can do this.”
The study highlighted several structure-related challenges:
Limited variety in curriculum offerings (less arts and physical education), which made days feel repetitive and “boring.”
Unstructured learning time where students were expected to work independently without enough teacher check-ins.
Supervision needs, especially for younger students and students with processing, attention, or executive functioning challenges.
Time management and prioritization, particularly for high school students facing heavy workloads, fast pacing, or multi-step projects.
Importantly, the study observed that students’ focus and enjoyment were often low, even when understanding was higher. In other words, many students could “get it,” but they didn’t feel engaged while getting it. That gap matters because long-term learning depends on sustained participation, not just occasional comprehension.
3) Flexible tools helped—but only when used intentionally
Technology can support UDL beautifully, but the study showed that tools alone do not guarantee inclusion. Students benefited most when teachers used tools to make learning clearer, more visual, and more interactive.
Across grade levels, students strongly preferred visual support, such as screen sharing, whiteboards, and slides.
Elementary students often liked interactive and gamified tools (for example, literacy platforms with audio and rewards). They also enjoyed creative ways to show learning (video, art, manipulatives).
High school students valued chat for quick communication and liked instructional videos best when they could watch them independently (pause, rewind, rewatch). They also reported that long webcam-only lectures were hard to focus on.
A key takeaway: UDL is not about adding more “stuff.” It is about choosing methods that reduce barriers. For many students, that meant making instruction more visible, chunked, and interactive.
Practical UDL moves schools can use right away (especially online)
Based on the study’s findings and what we commonly see in special education practice, here are concrete, school-friendly steps that align with UDL and SDT.
Build relatedness: plan for connection, not just content
Start class with a 2-minute routine: greeting, quick poll, or “type one word” check-in.
Use structured partner or small-group time with clear roles (speaker, note-taker, reporter).
Normalize help-seeking: provide sentence starters like “I’m stuck on…” or “Can you show that again?”
When possible, allow students to choose how they participate: camera on/off options, chat responses, or reaction buttons.
Support competence: make the path to success obvious
Post a simple daily agenda with time estimates.
Chunk multi-step tasks into smaller checkpoints with quick feedback.
Use “I do, we do, you do” even online: model, practice together, then independent work.
Provide a single “Where do I find things?” page in the LMS to reduce cognitive load.
Strengthen autonomy: offer meaningful choice without overwhelming students
Offer two ways to show learning (for example, short written response or voice recording).
Let students choose the order of tasks when possible (must-do, should-do, could-do).
Provide optional supports: graphic organizers, word banks, exemplars, and checklists.
Where TinyEYE fits: online therapy that supports access and engagement
When students struggle online, the solution is rarely “try harder.” More often, the environment needs to change.
School-based online therapy can support UDL-aligned instruction by helping teams identify barriers and match supports to student needs. Depending on the service model, online clinicians can help with:
Building student self-advocacy skills (supporting autonomy)
Developing routines, attention strategies, and executive functioning supports (supporting competence)
Strengthening communication, social connection, and participation (supporting relatedness)
Collaborating with educators to align accommodations with real online tasks (supporting IEP implementation)
When schools combine inclusive design (UDL) with motivation supports (SDT), online learning becomes less about “screen time” and more about “access time”—time where students can truly engage, connect, and learn.
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