The team created the personas based on interviews conducted over the summer with a range of experts, including special education teachers, a family engagement coordinator, an attendance teacher, and others from both charter and non-charter schools.
The personas were designed to represent students with disabilities for some of the most common conditions: autism, a hearing and speech impairment, a learning disability, an emotional disturbance, and a health impairment (asthma). They also detail each student’s individual challenges with technology access, family support, and school support during quarantine. Color-coded timeline “alerts” represent real-life events such as holidays, the presidential election, or when someone tests positive for COVID-19—to help take stock of the impact of change over time.
