Impacts of COVID-19 on the school experience of children and adolescents with special educational needs and disabilities

This review of research conducted between March 2020-April 2023 summarizes the impact of COVID-19 on the learning and school experiences of children and adolescents with special educational needs and dis/abilities (SENDs) including youth with neurodevelopmental disorders, learning differences, intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities. This research highlights the far-reaching consequences of COVID-19, with the most detrimental effects experienced by students of color, those from under-resourced communities, and those with multiple marginalized identities, whose struggles with systemic inequities have been amplified by the pandemic. To date, most studies have been cross-sectional and utilized qualitative methods. Future research should examine long-term impacts and ways to promote growth in learning and social-emotional functioning among students with SENDs. •COVID-19 altered service and learning environments for students with special educational needs and dis/abilities globally.•Community-engaged solutions are critical for improving learning especially for youth from historically marginalized groups.•Middle and high school students are less likely to continue receiving special education services compared to younger youth.•Many students with special educational needs received inadequate instruction and skills support during COVID.•Research should focus on exploring expanded school mental health services and building capacity in communities on a wider scale.