THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES DURING AND AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS (2020–2025)

This study examines how the right to education for students with disabilities has been addressed in international scholarship during and after the COVID-19 pandemic by mapping research trends and concepts. Relevant English-language articles indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection were retrieved and analyzed using Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny for performance indicators and science-mapping techniques. Results reveal that publication output intensified during the pandemic period and was highly concentrated in a single specialized journal, while cited sources were dispersed across education, educational technology, special education, psychology, and health-related fields. A small set of authors and documents constituted a conceptual core in an otherwise fragmented knowledge base. Thematic analyses reveal that discussions clustered around digital and distance learning, accessibility, inclusive education, mental health, and support services, with a later shift toward higher education and specific student groups. Interpreted through the availability, accessibility, acceptability, and adaptability framework, these patterns point to systemic vulnerabilities in the continuity of services, digital and informational access, educational quality, psychosocial wellbeing, and the provision of individualized supports. Overall, this study provides a thematic map of this emerging field through a rights-based lens for future research and policy debates.