Online Learning: Designing for All Users
Journal of Usability Studies, Volume 5, Issue 4, August 2010, pp. 147 - 156
Abstract
During the fall of 2008, 4.6 million students pursued their education in online environments in the United States (Allen & Seaman, 2009). Considering that students with disabilities represent nearly 10% of all U.S. college students (National Council on Disability as reported by Frieden, 2003), one can see a need to disseminate information regarding how to best meet the needs of this population as they look to further their education by taking advantage of online learning opportunities. Through this paper, the reader will learn about Universal Design for Learning (UDL), accessibility laws, how the laws affect online education, and how instructional design can be implemented as a way to increase access to education for college students with disabilities. Finally, there will be an exploration of the impact accessibility laws have on instructional design and how an increase in accessibility can improve motivation for all segments of the population.
Note: Although the statistics cited are based on U.S. postsecondary education student populations, the ideas outlined herein can be applied beyond the U.S., as the needs of disabled students are universal.
Practitioner’s Take Away
As the number of students choosing to complete their studies in online environments continues to grow, so will the number of disabled students enrolling in online courses continue to grow. The following points must be considered when an online course is being developed:
- Recognition must be given to the fact that retrofitting accommodations in online environments is not only an arduous task, it is often impractical, necessitating training in concepts such as Universal Design for Learning to be placed at the forefront.
- Importance must be placed on ensuring that instructional designers (including faculty members who design their own instruction) receive the training necessary to become familiar with disabilities and disability related laws.
- Importance must be placed on ensuring that instructional designers (including faculty members who design their own instruction) receive the training necessary to develop the ability to resolve accessibility issues (or to partner in resolving such issues).
- A conscious effort must be made to proactively incorporate accessibility standards into all course rooms, coursework, and course materials, so that all have comparable opportunities to contribute effectively to the educational process.
- All involved parties, including society as a whole, will benefit from a product that is fully usable and accessible.
Article Contents
- Introduction
- The Laws That Govern Accessibility
- Relationship of Laws and Guidelines to Electronic Media
- Accessibility and a Learner’s Social and Educational Environments
- Universal Design for Learning
- How Can Greater Accessibility Impact Motivation?
- The Future of Instructional Design as it Relates to Accessibility
- The Benefits and Limitations of Distance Learning Technologies
- Conclusion and Recommendations
- References
Download Article
Online Learning: Designing for All Users