An Exploration of E-Teaching Preparedness of Pre-Service Teachers of Learners with Special Needs

The emergence of COVID-19 presented numerous challenges in the educational sector, particularly for learners with special educational needs (LSEN). Teaching LSEN via the digital space was a challenging endeavour for teachers during the resulting lockdown largely because of their limited capacity and experience. Considering this circumstance, this study explored the e-teaching preparedness of pre-service teachers of LSEN in the post-COVID-19 era. The study, which was underpinned by cognitive constructivism, answered three research questions. Seven pre-service teachers were randomly selected for the study from two publicly funded teacher-training institutions in Nigeria. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews based on a set of interview guidelines. Data generated were analysed with the ATLAS Ti software through an iterative process in line with the interpretivist paradigm. Findings indicated that institutional efforts at preparing pre-service teachers for e-teaching were lacking; teacher-training curricula remained the same post COVID-19; and there was a low level of planning and maintenance, unreliable internet connectivity, and an erratic power supply. These as well as inadequate funding were factors that influenced the sustainability of various technological facilities which were needed for e-teaching and learning. Recommendations were made based on the findings.