>> here is a look at alive coverage for friday. at 11:00 a.m. eastern on c-span, the white house covid-19 response team provides an update on the pandemic. that is followed by the daily white house briefing with press secretary jen psaki at 12:30. then at 2:30 p.m., a discussion on the future of congressional redistricting from the federalist society. on c-span2, witness testimony continues in the trial of former neapolis police officer derek chauvin charged in the death of george floyd. >> c-span is your unfiltered view of government. created by america's cable television companies in 1979. today, we are brought to you by these television companies who

provide c-span2 viewers as a public service. announcer: middleton high school students participated in c-span's studentcam competition telling us what the president and congress addressed this year. all month we are featuring the winners. our second prize middle school winners are dermott foley and tyler foley, six graders from maryland where c-span is available through comcast. their winning entry is titled the crisis within a crisis, children with special needs in the pandemic.

>> -- >> my kindergartner has regressed seriously over the past few months. he has adhd. he will not sit still in front of a computer. >> he is refusing to work, refusing to do any of the materials. virtual therapies are not working and we are seeing regression. >> it is very hard for someone who does not understand. he wants his routine back. >> he is missing face-to-face interaction. >> for the three months of distance learning for her 11-year-old, jesse, as been a disaster. >> we talk about stress, the need for early intervention. children cannot learn to their fullest potential without. >> [crosstalk]

>> across the world many children with special needs are in distress. by the time the coronavirus pandemic ends millions will have been out of school for some period of time. many of them will experience drastically reduced hours of learning. on facebook and other social media, edwards will tunnels with local and state officials. many of the parents of shared stories of students losing skills, turning away from learning, and experiencing mental health breakdowns. >> parents are frustrated because they see their kids regressing not only academically but regressing emotionally, and it manifests itself as behavior. the kids show frustration, show anger or sadness. >> many of the families they work with are the --. their child has a moderate form of autism. he started kindergarten in the

fall. >> in this pandemic you see that difficulty for children on the spectrum. >> i got so frustrated he would start kicking and biting. did not understand how to connect to this person. >> in total about 50% of 17.1 million students in public schools receive special education. -- and the americans disability act. today we take it for granted that children of all abilities can be in the same classroom. it was not always that way. before 1975 many children with disabilities were marginalized, misunderstood, and sent away. this was not only bad for our future but bad for society. the idea behind the ada and ida is about potential, that every person has a right to achieve

his or her full potential. >> the ada is one of the most compassionate and successful civil rights laws in america history. >> many of our most celebrated scholars, actors, politicians, and athletes are people who think, learn, communicate, or get around to for me. the coronavirus is turn everything upside down. therapies do not translate well virtually. they may find it difficult to learn it was they have never met. >> distance learning is not really fulfilling the promises of ida and kids are struggling and not reaching their full potential. >> president biden as pledged strong federal coordination for the safe reopening of schools. as part of longer-term plans biden as called for historic increase in funding for ida -- idea. pres. biden: we make sure the

students have the ability to succeed by fully funding the act. >> biden's the funding within 10 years of taking office but many argued that is too late. especially students need help now. a senator as been calling for dedicated funding as part of coronavirus relief efforts. >> under the idea students who have disabilities have the right to access same educational opportunities as their peers. >> [indiscernible] funding never materialized. now vaccinations are underway. disability rights groups need a plan for moving forward. while distance learning as many catastrophe for many special students there are also those who have managed to or better. gabby is a high school student in montgomery county, maryland and today is her 307th day since she has been in imprisoned school. >> i think we are in a holding pattern but i have to say the

softer skills of adapting to changes has been useful and advanced computer schools -- skills really. i know not everyone in montgomery county is that experience. >> some of her classmates have not returned since the beginning of the semester. all she has managed to keep up with her friends through social media and online chats she says it is not the same as real or in person school. >> she cannot wait to get back. >> all winning entries are available online at studentcam. org. ♪ announcer: veterans affairs secretary dennis mcdonough testified on his agency's covid-19 response as well as what they have focused on during the first months of the biden administration. this house veterans affairs commit