W2: Inclusive Excellence, Higher Education and Online Quality Assurance: Meeting the Needs of Learners with Disabilities in Virtual Instruction
Higher education institutions have been steadily expanding their online presence to meet the needs of learners who want flexible, convenient, and comprehensive access to post-graduate education and training (Frymier, Shulman & Houser, 1996; Lederman, 2018). At the same time, the number of students with disabilities pursuing post-secondary education and training has been steadily rising in the past few years (Betts, Cohen, Veit, Alphin Jr., Broadus & Allen, 2013) According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), (2016), 11% of undergraduates in both 2007–08 and 2011–12 reported having a disability. These students have visual, aural, kinesthetic, or psychological impairments. While many steps have been taken to address the needs of students with disability who take courses in the traditional campus, online courses and program offerings have not been adjusted to meet the needs of all students. Consequently, this workshop has been developed to explore, analyze, and apply theories, tools and practices to help faculty and professionals with the development and implementation of high quality, engaging, and user-friendly online courses that meet the needs and requirements of all students, and most specifically those with disabilities. Participants will take away a guide that provides illustrative steps to begin the process of implementing high quality and learner-centered programs that engage to all learners and are ADA-compliant.
- ID
- 55119
- Type
- Workshop
- Topic
- Innovative online learning and educational programming