A survey has suggested that students with special educational needs (SEN) are falling behind when it comes to online lessons as teachers had been unable to supply them with tailor-made learning materials.

Youth I.D.E.A.S of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups interviewed 209 secondary school students with SEN and 61 teachers, as part of the survey which ran between November and June – a period which saw classes suspended for months amid the height of the fifth wave of the Covid outbreak.

Over 70 percent of teachers agreed that online teaching had widened the learning gap between SEN students and others, while some even said SEN students weren’t able to take in any knowledge during online classes.

Dicky Kwan, a member of Youth I.D.E.A.S who’s also a teacher himself, said it was difficult to provide SEN students with adequate support when face-to-face classes were suspended.

“We used to tailor-make some learning materials for each SEN student, depending on their ability and situations. But for online lessons, it’s difficult for teachers to tailor-make those materials and deliver them to the students,” he said.

Kwan urged the government to provide more support and resources to SEN students and teachers, adding that he hopes classes won’t be suspended again despite the recent surge in Covid infections.

“They should at least let the students come to school for morning sessions. For afternoon sessions, we may find another way, such as supplementary learning opportunities," he said.