Digital Teaching, Inclusion and Students’ Needs: Student Perspectives on Participation and Access in Higher Education

Abstract

In this article we discuss the contribution of digitalisation for equal participation in higher education. Its potential is often postulated, but accessibility is seldom examined in this context. Despite the challenges and difficulties created in the summer term of 2020, this semester has provided a great opportunity to collect data on digital teaching, as face‐to‐face teaching needed to be transformed into digital teaching. Based on two surveys conducted in the summer of 2020, current practices and students’ needs regarding accessibility are outlined. Despite the circumstances, it can be derived from the surveys that digital teaching generally provides a variety of advantages for students with disabilities, although some tools and platforms remain not fully accessible to them. Additionally, the results indicate that not only students with sensory impairments benefit from the principles of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (2018). In particular, the principles ‘operable’ and ‘understandable’ are beneficial for students with mental health difficulties. Regarding the assessment of accessibility features, the study shows that the perception of students with and without impairments is very similar.

Learning from digital adaptations to the pandemic: enhancing work-based higher education

“…Different levels of progress are also apparent in moving beyond “ERTL”, with initial progress – for instance creating well-packaged but unexciting learning packages, or well-produced online lectures – not always being followed by the development of more diverse approaches geared to the needs of work-based learners. Attention is also needed to the choice of hardware and digital platforms, ensuring that technology is suitable for work-based applications as well as delivery-based online learning, fully accessible from home and work as well as from the institution, and supportive of accessibility principles such as universal design (Nottingham, 2021; Wilkens et al. , 2021).…”

Academic Perspectives on the Acquisition of Task-Fit Digital Devices in an Open Distance Learning University: Challenges, Constraints and Hassles

“…Research has found that institutions pose a challenge to academics by not providing digital devices such as computers on time; sometimes they are not provided at all. Wilkens et al (2021) maintain that HEIs have the responsibility to provide accessible ICT. Often what staff do receive are old computers and other ICT tools.…”

Digitalisierung (nicht nur) im Dienst der Inklusion in der Lehramtsausbildung der sprachlichen Kernfächer

“…The question arises as to what attitudes and competences these lecturers hold. -beschulung erkannt worden (Rapanta, Botturi, Goodyear, Guàrdia & Koole, 2021 ;Wilkens, Haage, Lüttmann & Bühler, 2021). Dennoch bleibt unklar, inwiefern die Erfahrungen mit digitalmediatisiertem Lehren und Lernen zu einer Neubewertung der Relevanz und einem Verständnis für die komplexe Verschränkung von Medienbildung und Inklusion in den einzelnen Fächern führt.…”

“…. Es finden sich vielmehr Analysen aus fachunabhängigen sowie aus sonderpädagogischen Perspektiven(Wilkens et al, 2021). Die Lücke hinsichtlich Germanistik und Englisch klafft angesichts der Zentralität der Mediatisierung bzw.…”