Norman Coombs was a history professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology 20 years ago. A blind man who used a computer mainly for speech synthesis, he directed his students to email their assignments to him. In electronic format, the material could be read to him by computer rather than relying on a human reader, and he could respond by email.
This made the educational process easier for him and faster and more efficient for both teacher and student. Eventually, with a grant provided by the university, his idea of using a computer as a communication aide for education blossomed into a pilot program that incorporated a teleconference component into his Modern American History class. Email replaced office visits, and teleconference-ing replaced classroom lectures.
The newly formatted course opened the door for those who did not have easy access to the campus to participate. Over time, new components such as Captioned Video (allowing the course to be taken by deaf students) were added to the online course. Coombs discovered that the newly created program allowed both blind and deaf students to interact in “classroom” activities in a way that felt both more personal and less arduous.
Online Education for Students with Disabilities
Online education classes are exploding in popularity. More and more schools are offering an ever-widening range of virtual classes. Students with disabilities have reaped the benefits. Richard Allegra, the director of Professional Development for the Association on Higher Education and Disability, says that “Anecdotal information suggests that online education classes for students with disabilities are most beneficial simply by nature of being flexible. The classes meet people’s schedules. If someone is at home mostly or doesn’t keep regular working hours, then online classes seem to work well for them. Also, the amount of course material that is offered in alternative formats has increased greatly.”
He continued, “On a personal level, as a wheelchair user, online classes have been beneficial to me. Several years ago a friend and I decided to take a class in travel writing. We both love to travel and thought writing about our adventures would be a good way to defray costs. The day the course was to begin we drove to the school, only to find that the building was not wheelchair accessible. Recognizing my plight, the administrators offered to let me take the course online, for free. Taking that class online held many advantages for me.
Equality for People with Disabilities
“Not only was physical access removed as an issue, but I was able to focus on learning the material without the awkwardness I often felt when sitting in a classroom. I interacted with the instructor via email, which in some ways felt more personal than talking to her face-to-face. I was able to refer back to her lessons as often as I needed to. My fellow students and I exchanged notes and comments on assignments using both email and a virtual whiteboard. I have no idea whether any of the other students in that class had a disability, and it didn’t matter because the course was presented in a multitude of formats.”
Instructors trying to meet the needs of students with a wide range of disabilities strive for a universal design of both courses and materials. Students should be able to access information in a format that is most useful to their particular needs. Students should also be allowed to demonstrate their knowledge in a way that is comfortable to them (written, auditory, multimedia, etc.). Course designers have to find a way to tap into students’ interests. And, of course, making students feel comfortable working and communicating with each other and with instructors is paramount.
Accommodating Disability
But universal design for education is not a panacea. There can be problems with its implementation. Sometimes accommodations are not made for people who need them. Course designers can’t anticipate the needs of each individual student, so universal design takes into account only the most frequently needed accommodations. Some percentage of students will always need a little extra help.
The challenge I faced as an able-bodied student many years ago has not changed. Should an instructor focus his teaching toward the students who are the best learners, the worst learners, or the average student? No matter which side the final decision falls on, someone is going to be left needing more.
This is particularly true of students with disabilities. Potential students have to watch out for an unintentional prejudice, the perception that if a course is truly universally designed, extra accommodations are not necessary.
Beneficial for Learning Disabilities
Dale Brown, senior manager of the website LDonline.com, believes that lecture and study materials have to be made available in several different formats because people process information in many different ways.
“Many people with learning disabilities have processing challenges that affect their ability to hear or see accurately. One of the biggest advantages of online learning, for students with learning disabilities at least, is that they can go over material on a website as many times as they want to get it straight in their minds.” Brown says that online courses also can reduce the need for additional support staff. If, for example, a class lecture is presented on a website in an auditory format, then the need for a blind student to have a note taker disappears.
Taking an Active Role in Online Education
Less-structured classes, a lack of fixed schedules, evolving technologies—all of these challenges mean becoming a student in a virtual setting can be difficult. Students need to keep abreast of the options that make the learning process easier. Self-discipline is the key. Students need take an active role, to be self-starters.
While sitting in a traditional classroom, a student can “coast” through to absorb information that is often spoon-fed; online students need to be more proactive in their pursuit of educational goals. They need to actively search for information, ask questions, and discuss issues with both students and teachers.
Distance learning is not for everyone. Problems with software packages, the Internet, and course design can make online and distance learning a sometimes frustrating task. But in my experience—and the experience of thousands of others—the rewards far outweigh the challenges. So, leave your disability at the door, and come on in.
