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Explore challenges faced by visually impaired students in distance learning, research focus, methodology, results, discussion. Study material delivery, support usage, and more.
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DISTANCE LEARNING AND THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED LEARNER Ms. Lerato Sonia Tladi
Layout of the Presentation • Background • Research Focus • Methodology • Results • Discussion and Conclusion
Background • DL and Widened Access to Academic Learning • Access and Success • Challenges: Relatively low throughput and success rates as opposed to contact institutions • Transactional distance • Student-Institution Fit • Some of the efforts to address challenges: • Tutorial services • Online and Face-to-Face • Discussion Forums • Visually Impaired Students “excluded” from participation • Special software required for myUnisa • Tutors not equipped to deal with the visually impaired
Research Focus • Explore the learning experiences of visually impaired students to • Better understand the challenges they face and • Their support requirements, in order to • Help ensure their throughput and success
Research Methodology • Ethical approval obtained by BMR • Data Collection • Phase 1: 8 in-depth interviews conducted by the BMR to inform survey instrument development • Phase 2: Telephonic survey of 134 visually impaired students, however • Data Analysis • Only 98 cases analyzed • 14 cases: no visual impairment • 10 cases: Inability to match to student database • 12 cases: used normal print to read study material • Survey Population • 350 formally registered students with visual disabilities as at October 6th, 2016. • Of these, 81 were recorded as being blind, • 164 as having reading difficulties and • 105 as no audio SM.
Other reasons for choosing Unisa • “Affordable” (42,9%) • “Am working” (14,3%) • “Met minimum entry requirements at Unisa” (7,1%) • “Not accepted elsewhere and allowed to do bridging course at Unisa (7,1%) • “Proximity to home (7,1%) • “Flexibility with time and reasonable fees (7,1%) • Advanced and affordable (7,1%)
Reasons for difficulties • Online [5] • My registration status took too long to be confirmed : 4 • Friend who assisted them to register having poor knowledge of computers. 1 • On-Campus [4] • My impairment made the process long: 1 • My registration status took too long to be confirmed: 1 • I had financial constraints: 1 • Struggled to see clearly: 1 • Self-Help [1] • Assistance provided was inaccurate thus leading to their choosing the wrong modules
Declaration of Visual Impairment Application Stage: Declaration Registration Stage : Special Needs Form
Other reasons for delays • Large print delays, they usually send normal print first and large print study material later” • “It takes too long to produce material for braille” • “I hardly write exams because I always receive my study material late” • “Do not know because of having no one to explain the delay” • “Dispatch is delaying” • “Courier takes time to find address” • “Delay from Unisa’s side” • “Out of stock”
Reasons why not in preferred format • “It was in CD format and I prefer electronic” • “I declared but didn’t receive the right format” • “Did not get any explanation” • “I didn’t know that study material could be printed in a different format” • “Large print gets delayed and delivered late” • “I was given textbooks and I prefer a CD” • “When I asked I was told that Despatch made a mistake but Despatch tells a different story” • “I receive material in normal print every time not in large print”
Reasons for Ratings: Assign • Blind • Had to ask friends and family for assistance • Struggled to get proper information. • Blind and Partially Sighted • Struggled to obtain the assignment form in their preferred format. • Partially Sighted/Low Vision • The assignment form is not user friendly • It’s hard to complete assignments when study material is not in the right format” • “I have a writing problem” • “I have difficulties using computers and with online courses” • “It time consuming because of my low vision” • The two (2) blind students who had stated other blamed it on having to
Reasons for Ratings: Exams • Blind • The time allocated was insufficient due to impairment, • Got no assistance when they got to the examination venue • Use JAWS at home and getting to examinations and finding that Unisa uses NVDA yet staff are unable to assist. • Partially sighted/Low vision • Allocated time was insufficient • Exam material not available in preferred format. • Struggled to get to the examination venue • No assistance on hand upon arrival at the examination venue. • Question paper being too large, • Not being allowed to use a USB, • Large print only getting printed on the day when already at the exam venue • Have a writing problem.
