A Law of Diminishing Returns: Quantifying Online Accessibility for Engineering Students with Disabilities in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic
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| Title: | A Law of Diminishing Returns: Quantifying Online Accessibility for Engineering Students with Disabilities in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Rachel A. Figard (ORCID |
| Source: | IEEE Transactions on Education. 2024 67(3):434-442. |
| Availability: | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Tel: 732-981-0060; Web site: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=13 |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 9 |
| Publication Date: | 2024 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Accessibility (for Disabled), Electronic Learning, Engineering Education, Students with Disabilities, COVID-19, Pandemics, Undergraduate Students, Barriers, Educational Technology, Equal Education, Student Experience |
| DOI: | 10.1109/TE.2023.3326760 |
| ISSN: | 0018-9359 1557-9638 |
| Abstract: | Contribution: This article identifies the barriers students with disabilities have faced when accessing online undergraduate engineering education since the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research addresses the need for greater research that explores the digital equity gap that widens as schools continue to use virtual and/or distance learning. Background: Poor accessibility standards, a lack of administrative support, and numerous other barriers have contributed to the ever-present digital equity gap for students with disabilities. Previous research has shown that the implementation of universal design for learning (UDL) principles can have a positive impact on in-classroom learning, particularly for historically marginalized students. Related research on UDL has been primarily focused on nonengineering, nondisabled, and in-person teaching contexts. Research Questions: What barriers do engineering students with disabilities face in an online learning environment? What affects disabled students' perceived value of learning in their online classes? Methodology: A fixed-item survey was developed to capture the experiences of students with disabilities in engineering who participated in online learning at four-year colleges and universities across the United States. Findings: The results of this study have revealed a correlation between accessibility barriers in online undergraduate engineering learning environments and UDL principles. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2024 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1426812 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Contribution: This article identifies the barriers students with disabilities have faced when accessing online undergraduate engineering education since the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research addresses the need for greater research that explores the digital equity gap that widens as schools continue to use virtual and/or distance learning. Background: Poor accessibility standards, a lack of administrative support, and numerous other barriers have contributed to the ever-present digital equity gap for students with disabilities. Previous research has shown that the implementation of universal design for learning (UDL) principles can have a positive impact on in-classroom learning, particularly for historically marginalized students. Related research on UDL has been primarily focused on nonengineering, nondisabled, and in-person teaching contexts. Research Questions: What barriers do engineering students with disabilities face in an online learning environment? What affects disabled students' perceived value of learning in their online classes? Methodology: A fixed-item survey was developed to capture the experiences of students with disabilities in engineering who participated in online learning at four-year colleges and universities across the United States. Findings: The results of this study have revealed a correlation between accessibility barriers in online undergraduate engineering learning environments and UDL principles. |
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| ISSN: | 0018-9359 1557-9638 |
| DOI: | 10.1109/TE.2023.3326760 |
