Strategies to Increase Online Student Success for Students with Disabilities

Abstract

Online learning provides extensive opportunities for individuals with disabilities to enroll in degree and certificate programs. However, accessibility must be central to online course development since this can have a profound effect on student engagement, academic performance, and completion rates. This article provides a unique perspective on accessibility in online learning. One current online student and three alumni of online programs provide video self-introductions, an overview of their online experience, and strategies for increasing student success in online courses and programs for students with disabilities. Strategies are also shared for integrating accessibility as a critical component into faculty development to ensure accessibility goes beyond the office of disability services and becomes an integral part of online teaching, learning, and assessment.

Developing E-Authentication for E-Assessment – Diversity of Students Testing the System in Higher Education

“…Besides technical reliability, accessibility issues must be managed when developing an authentication system, such as ensuring adequate colour contrast, a clear font and alternative text for images (Macy et al, 2018). These features are beneficial for all students, but they are necessary for students with SEND (Betts et al, 2013;Macy et al, 2018). Equally important is that the overall layout of the e-authentication system and the DLE are understandable and self-directed.…”

“…In the context of online education, recognizing students' special educational needs can be even more difficult than in traditional campus education. Therefore, accessibility must be a self-evident part of the online course design, not something to address after a student has disclosed a disability (Betts et al, 2013;Ladonlahti et al, 2020).…”

“…Inclusive and accessible online learning requires an approach that addresses both technology and pedagogy (Kent et al, 2018). Access to education should always mean that, for example, course contents, learning activities and all services that students need are accessible (Betts et al 2013). If online education is created in an accessible way, this will open up more possibilities for all students to study (see Macy et al, 2018).…”

Online readiness in universities from disabled students’ perspective

“…This situation shows that, in terms of performance and success, online universities have not yet achieved an appropriate institutional culture of accessibility and wider, more in-depth research is needed. (Betts et al, 2012).…”

Online Education and Workforce Development: Ten Strategies to Meet Current and Emerging Workforce Needs in Global Travel and Tourism

“…In the United States, research reveals that approximately 20% of the general population and 11% of postsecondary students self-identify as having a disability. However, IHEs often state that student reporting is less than what is shared nationally [26]. For IHEs, this means that students with disabilities may not be getting the services they need to succeed in their courses and programs.…”