Testing the hypothesis part 2

Before, I asked people I knew had relation to special education- if they were educators, any relation- because I felt comfortable knowing they be more open to this need. Now, I asked people who weren’t as exposed to special education children- teachers for public school, families with children who had no learning difficulties. 

Who: those who fall outside the boundaries are people who have no connection to special needs children- teachers for private and public schools (not special education), parents and family members with children who have no learning difficulties, neighbors who can have normal communication with their other neighbors without any barrier because of special needs.

What: This need differs because it is very specific to just these children with learning difficulties, other children their age without those difficulties would be more advanced.

Why: because the outsider doesn’t have this connection that wouldn’t be in their lives daily, the outsider isn’t constantly exposed to this.

Interview #1: I talked to Sherri, she is an teacher for fourth grade students in public elementary school. Surprisingly, she has been exposed to some students who have had learning difficulties and have needed extra tutoring outside of school. She has no relation to any special education children, though. She didn’t consider during this virus what kind of education special needs children were receiving, she assumes online videos like the rest of the students. She also didn’t think about their involvement in school that their missing right now, activities their missing. She focuses on providing for her students right now and giving online tutoring to the students who need the extra help, which is more now.

Interview #2: I talked to Bill, he is a retired shop owner. When he did work before, he didn’t meet anyone with special needs when selling electronics. He also doesn’t have anyone in his family with special needs. Addressing that special education children were now doing online schooling and missing activities, he didn’t think about them, he didn’t even think about the kids in public and private schools moved to online schooling because of this virus because his children no longer live at home and are no longer in school.

Interview #3: Next I talked to Eileen, she is retired but she worked as the computers teacher for private elementary and middle school students. She did have some students who had special needs and needed extra help while she was teaching. She has no family members with special needs. Both of her children are no longer in school and live across the country, so she hasn’t been thinking about children moved to online schooling. 

Interview #4: Then I talked to Karen, she is a college scout for Flagler College. She doesn’t meet special needs children for scouting. Both of her children are no longer in school and they live on their own. She mentioned how this virus hasn’t been too much of a barrier for her scouting because she was done for the year for the college, she just hopes it doesn’t interfere with next year’s scouting in the fall, for students looking into the college.

Interview #5: Finally I talked to Jim, he is a retired banker. He doesn’t have any relation to children with special needs. His children are not in school and are living on their own. He hasn’t thought not only about special education children’s online schooling, but just kids from private and public school now moved to online. 

Inside the boundary	Outside the boundary
Who is in: Parents and family members to a child with special needs Teachers who teach special education	Who is not: Parents, family members, friends with no connection to someone with special needs Teachers who teach regular schooling, private and public school Workers with no contact during work to someone with special needs
What the need is: For children with special needs to receive the same education and activities they would receive in school if they weren’t online	What the need is not: People not understanding why these children can’t still use regular younger children’s apps, not understanding why they aren’t getting the same amount of activities and education online like other kids
Why the need exists: Because special needs children are more distracted, are less involved in online school and aren’t getting nearly the same amount of activities and education because all school was moved to online	Alternative explanations: Other children are also not getting the same activity time and experience, harder to receive this education through online These special needs children can keep using these younger children’s apps

This time it was more frustrating interviewing people with no connection to this need, even people whose children were no longer in school. It was like they hadn’t ever been in contact with someone with special needs. I know it would be even more confusing to pitch this idea to someone who hasn’t been exposed to children with learning difficulties, or they’ve never had this problem before.