Disabilities and E-Learning Problems and Solutions: An Exploratory Study (Report)

The increased use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in most sectors of society and recent developments in adaptive hardware and software have allowed individuals with disabilities to do things that were difficult or impossible for them to do in the past. For example, it has allowed people who are blind to read using text-to-speech technology, people who are deaf to communicate using chat programs, and people with difficulties using their hands or arms to write and communicate using dictation software (Fichten, Asuncion, Barile, Fossey, & De Simone, 2000). In the postsecondary arena, e-learning (i.e., ICTs used in teaching) are extensively used by professors in virtually all colleges and universities, not only in the United States, but also in Canada (Abrami et al., 2006) and the United Kingdom (Weller, Pegler, & Mason, 2005). Whether it is PowerPoint presentations in class, the use of web-based discussions to further in-class conversation, or courses delivered completely over the Internet, it is clear that such technologies used by professors are here to stay. But how well do the ICTs used by professors in teaching postsecondary courses (i.e., e-learning) meet the needs of students with different disabilities? How successfully do these ICTs interact with adaptive hardware and software that some students with disabilities require? How accessible is the growing array of available e-learning on campus (Konur, 2007; Waddell, 2007)? These are important questions because the numbers of students with disabilities in postsecondary education have been rising both in Canada (Fichten, Jorgensen, Havel, & Barile, 2006; Tremblay & Le May, 2005) and the US (National Council on Disability, 2003), where a recent large scale study showed that in 20032004, 11% of undergraduates had a disability (Snyder & Dillow, 2007). In addition, during the past few years, skill in using ICTs has become mandatory in postsecondary education and the workplace (e.g., Ezziane, 2007; Stodden, Conway, & Chang, 2003). For example, a recent investigation shows that computer use on the job is associated with higher salaries for employees both with and without disabilities (Canadian Council on Social Development, 2004), and that for people with disabilities this is especially important (e.g., Kruse, Krueger, & Drastal, 1996). Abrami et al. (2006), who recently showed how important e-learning initiatives are in Canadian postsecondary education, also noted that we know very little about the e-learning needs and concerns of students with disabilities.