#50 Virtual Students Feel Disconnected? Fix It with These Strategies from Dr. Breauna Wall

Why Distance Learning?

🚨 “Distance learning isn’t the problem—bad implementation is.” 🚨

Too many virtual students feel disconnected and unseen, struggling in a system that wasn’t designed with them in mind. Educators want to create engaging, inclusive online spaces—but without the right tools, distance learning can feel like a barrier rather than a bridge.

🎧 In this episode of Why Distance Learning, hosts Seth Fleischauer, Allyson Mitchell, and Tami Moehring sit down with Dr. Breauna Wall, founder of Collaborative Ed Solutions, to tackle one of the biggest challenges in virtual education: how to build an emotional climate that keeps students engaged—especially those with diverse learning needs.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Why emotional climate is the #1 factor in student success—before grades, curriculum, or even technology.

✅ How online learning can be a game-changer for students with disabilities and marginalized learners.

✅ The difference between access and true inclusion—why simply providing a device isn’t enough.

✅ Proven strategies to foster engagement and connection in any virtual classroom.

✅ Golden moment: How one father’s frustration turned into a powerful breakthrough in student support.

💡 PROBLEM → SOLUTION → ACTION

If your virtual students feel like they’re just a name on a roster, this episode will change the way you think about online learning. Discover practical strategies to build community, engagement, and real human connection—even through a screen.

About Today’s Guest:

Dr. Breauna Wall is the founder and CEO of Collaborative Ed Solutions, a Johns Hopkins University teaching associate, and an expert in special education and educational leadership. With over a decade of experience, she focuses on empowering educators and fostering inclusive, accessible learning environments. Her upcoming book on supporting special educators will be released in 2025.

Guest Links:
1. Dr. Wall's CollaborativeEd Solutions - https://www.collaborativeedsolutions.com/

Host Links:

1. Discover more virtual learning opportunities and resources at CILC.org with Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell.

2. Seth Fleischauer’s Banyan Global Learning provides meaningful global learning experiences that prepare students across the globe for success in an interconnected world.

Research Consulted:

1. Golden, Alexandrea and Emily N Srisarajivakul, Amanda J Hasselle, Rory A Pfund, and Jerica Knox. "What was a gap is now a chasm: Remote schooling, the digital divide, and educational inequities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic." [PubMed Central] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10259090/

2. Pressly, J.P. "Online Learning Can Help Minimize Racism and Ableism In and Out of the Classroom." [Edtech Magazine] https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2022/05/online-learning-can-help-minimize-racism-and-ableism-and-out-classroom

3. Spievack, Natalie and Megan Gallagher. "For Students of Color, Remote Learning Environments Pose Multiple Challenges." [Urban Institute] https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/students-color-remote-learning-environments-pose-multiple-challenges