Academic attainment in visually impaired students in distance education

Abstract

This investigation studied attainment in visually impaired students taking modules by distance learning with the Open University in 2012. Students with visual impairment alone were less likely to complete their modules and less likely to pass the modules that they had completed than non-disabled students, but they were just as likely to obtain good grades on the modules that they had passed. Students with visual impairment plus additional disabilities were less likely to complete their modules, less likely to pass the modules that they had completed, and less likely to obtain good grades on the modules that they had passed than non-disabled students. These findings are in contrast to those of earlier studies, which suggested that visual impairment had little or no impact upon attainment in higher education. The disparity is attributed to a student population which is nowadays much more diverse both in its abilities and in its disabilities.

Readiness of individuals with visual impairments for participation in distance education

“…In Richardson’s (2009) research, DE students with declared disabilities had lower prior qualifications and were more possible to obtain poorer degrees. In another research of Richardson (2015), students with VI in DE appeared to be less possible to complete a course and more possible to fail in the exams of a completed course than students without disabilities. Thus, researching the individual differences—with reference to various variables such as skills, perceived challenges, and motivation—among the future participants in a distance learning program can be the dawning of an attempt to better design the program.…”

Visualizing 3D imagery by mouth using candy-like models

“…An additional 216 million people experience moderate to severe visual impairment (1). Students with blindness or low vision (BLV) face challenges in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) (3)(4)(5). Besides barriers imposed by limited assistive technology (6), students with blindness face bias by educators and peers (7,8).…”

Accessible Inclusive Learning: Foundations

“…While students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties were just as likely to complete their module as students without declared disabilities, they were less likely to pass or to obtain good grades (Richardson, 2015b). In contrast, students with declared mental health difficulties, or with visual impairments, were less likely to complete their modules, and less likely to pass them (Richardson, 2015c;Richardson, 2015d).…”