College and University Students with Disabilities Speak Out on Their eLearning Experiences

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• College and University Students with Disabilities
  Speak Out on Their eLearning Experiences
• Jennison V. Asuncion
• Catherine S. Fichten Joan Wolforth
• Presentation at the NEADS National
  Conference, Ottawa, November, 2006

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Presentation Outline

• eLearning study background
• Research method
• Findings from the student survey
• Conclusions
• Next steps
• More information

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Research Team
Partner organizations Adaptech Research
Network Can. Ass. of Disability Service Providers
in Postsecondary Ed. NEADS Disability and
Information Technology (Dis-It) Research
Alliance Team members Students Disability
service providers Disability activists Professors
eLearning specialists
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eLearning Study Definitions

• eLearning
• Range of ICTs that professors use when teaching
  in the classroom, online, or a combination
• E.g., PowerPoint, online tests, CD-ROMs, WebCT
• Accessibility
• Ability of learners, regardless of their
  disability, to easily and independently use
  eLearning
• For some learners this may require adaptive
  technology

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eLearning Study Background

• Sample research questions
• How accessible are different types of eLearning
  to students with various disabilities?
• What accommodations are presently being made for
  students with disabilities?
• Are there differences between English and French
  speaking institutions?
• What are the barriers?
• What are good solutions?

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Research Method

• 22 key informant interviews with 5 groups
• Students with disabilities
• Campus-based disability service providers
• Faculty
• eLearning specialists on campus
• Postsecondary ePublishing vendors
• Web based survey for 4 of 5 groups above
• No ePublishing vendors
• Recruitment partners, email discussion lists,
  phone

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Research Method

• Web based survey
• 406 participants from colleges and universities
• All ten provinces and NWT
• 245 students
• 77 campus-based disability service providers
• 39 professors
• 45 eLearning specialists

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Findings Students

• Demographics
• n245 2/3 females, 1/3 males
• Mean age 27 yr (range 19-59)
• 38 college, 60 university, 2 other
• Every province except PEI and Territories

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Findings Students

• Students disabilities/impairments
• 240 students indicated 404 impairments
• 44 indicated more than one disability

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Findings Students

• 5 most accessible eLearning types in rank order
• Email
• Course-related files in Word, PowerPoint etc.
• WebCT, BlackBoard, FirstClass, etc.
• Course web pages
• In-class presentations using PowerPoint

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Findings Students

• 5 most inaccessible types of eLearning in rank
  order
• Videoconferencing
• Live online voice-based chat (speaking and
  listening)
• Audio clips / files (e.g., recorded class
  lectures)
• Online content that uses Flash and
• CD-ROM tutorials used in class or computer labs

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Findings Students
Question Mean
At my school there is someone (at department) who makes eLearning accessible to students with disabilities (1 disagree, 6 agree) 4.36
Inaccessibility of eLearning in a course(s) has posed difficulties for me (1disagree, 6agree) 3.44
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Findings Students
Question Mean
When professors use eLearning in the classroom (e.g., PowerPoint, CD-ROMS, simulation software), it is accessible to me (1 disagree, 6 agree) 4.54
When professors use eLearning over the Internet (e.g., downloadable PDF files, course web pages, discussion boards), it is accessible to me (1 disagree, 6 agree) 4.79
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Findings Students
Benefits of using eLearning
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Findings Students

• Problems encountered using eLearning

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Findings Students

• Solutions to eLearning problems

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Conclusions

• eLearning has many benefits for students
• Many popular forms of eLearning are accessible
• Experience varies by disability/impairment
• Most problems are unresolved
• 67 of students reported at least 1 unresolved
  problem!
• Next steps
• Complete data analyses
• Disseminate findings
• Make recommendations

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More Information

• Adaptech www.adaptech.org
• Jennison Asuncion asuncion_at_alcor.concordia.ca
• Catherine Fichten catherine.fichten_at_mcgill.ca