Benefits of Virtual Learning for Students With Mental Health Needs

During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of students across the United States suddenly found themselves in a new situation: continuing their education at home through distance or virtual learning. While online learning has grown exponentially since the turn of the century, at no point have quite so many students and teachers needed to adapt to virtual education at this scale.

As we head into the fall, the need to provide services virtually will continue to grow. Students can stay continue to make academic progress no matter where they are located, while still receiving support and instruction from a teacher or tutor. This increased flexibility is just one of the many benefits of distance learning.

There are many benefits offered by distance or virtual learning. The internet offers the ability to connect face-to-face remotely through videoconferencing technology with the abundance of online educational resources to support instruction. Additionally, learning online can support increased student engagement.  These benefits support student learning that takes place in a variety of non-traditional environments. Additionally, there are benefits virtual learning offers to best support students with mental health needs.

The Benefits of Virtual Learning for Students with Mental Health Needs

How can distance learning and virtual educational services benefit students with mental health needs?

• Convenience – Students with mental health needs may be receiving treatment during the traditional school day, which may mean they are looking for educational support at different times throughout the day. Virtual learning offers students and teachers the ability to access and make progress on coursework from anywhere at any time, which allows them to work around scheduling difficulties.
• Accessibility – For students who are in the hospital or a treatment program for mental health needs, they are unable to attend their home school during the day and therefore unable to access their curriculum or teacher support. Online learning allows them to continue to make academic progress during treatment. Some virtual programs also coordinate with the student’s home district so they can receive instruction on their individual curriculum.
• Personalization – Students with mental health needs may benefit from additional personalization, especially if there are particular subject areas that are more stressful and challenging. Providing students with an instructor virtually offers flexibility for a specific teacher or tutor subject area expertise as well as the ability to provide a personalized experience depending on the skills and needs of the student or classroom.
• Engagement – Technology is a big part of both the school and home environment. Children and adolescents find learning virtually to be engaging in a different way than traditional in-person instruction. Virtual instruction provides the opportunity to incorporate different multimedia into instruction.

Virtual learning may be appropriate for a group of students receiving mental health treatment in a hospital or facility as a flexible option to support your school-aged patients while minimizing disruptions in the event of a future crisis. Additionally, one-on-one instruction may be best provided through distance learning; students can be matched with a tutor best meets their needs. The flexibility that virtual learning offers can change the way you view education.

Virtual Academics and Virtual Tutoring at LearnWell

At LearnWell, we offer both group Virtual Academics During Mental Health Treatment and Virtual Tutoring for one-on-one support. We help school-aged patients continue to sustain academic progress both during mental health treatment and when transitioning back to the school environment. We partner with hospitals and treatment centers as well as school districts to support students throughout their continuum of care. Contact us to learn more today.