Virtual learning, whether in college classrooms or K-12 environments, has become more commonplace since the COVID-19 pandemic. The popularity of online schooling continues to rise, even as more and more of daily life is switching back to in-person. People enjoy virtual learning for a variety of reasons, and one of them includes accessibility.
Proponents of virtual learning tout its accessibility, especially for students who have not found success in traditional, in-person schooling. Online schooling and virtual learning have indeed worked wonders for many students – but is it as accessible as people make it seem?
Let’s examine the pros and cons of virtual learning to determine the overall accessibility of the practice.
Pros
The majority of the pros of virtual learning surround issues of accessibility in an in-person classroom. Students with disabilities such as autism that may not have received the support they needed in a traditional classroom found much success when the pandemic forced a transition to online learning. Many students with disabilities found long-distance education's individualized and independent nature to be well-suited, making it their preferred form of learning.
Additionally, virtual learning suited many students with mental health disabilities, such as depression and anxiety. The ability to be separate from a large student body was beneficial to some students with anxiety, as well as being able to take breaks when needed. These benefits are part of the reason virtual learning is so heavily supported.
Virtual learning can also be helpful for other disabilities, like ADHD. Because students with ADHD can be easily distracted in large groups and need structure to succeed, it’s much more efficient and helpful for them to form their routines in their own homes, free from the distraction of a large classroom. Virtual learning is very helpful for the success of students with ADHD, both for their focus and the ability to take breaks as needed, like with anxiety.
Cons
Of course, everything has its cons, and the accessibility of virtual learning for other forms of disability is one of the big ones. At its inception, virtual learning was fairly accessible to all, as it was heavily text-based. This means it was accessible through the use of screen readers. However, as technology grew and changed, so did virtual learning. The use of graphics and other, flashier technology became mainstream, which lacked the accessibility of text.
Instructors also need more resources they might have in in-person classes to recognize students who require accommodations. Teaching (and learning) can feel somewhat disengaged or impersonal over the Internet, lacking the personal connection instructors get from face-to-face interaction. That in-person connection often leads to identifying students who need accommodations, and with that, those students can be able to cope with the class. Students with disabilities who are unable to access the material may receive lower grades than their capabilities or even fail.
Often, there are accessibility issues built into the learning platforms the classes use, like Canvas. Students with vision disabilities especially have noted repeated issues accessing Canvas’s platform features – thus, their classes – making Canvas ultimately inaccessible. With issues like this, even if the instructor is trying their hardest, virtual learning will not be accessible to students with these disabilities.
How can virtual learning be more accessible?
Of course, it’s impossible to be accessible to everyone. Competing accessibility needs means that an access need will always be left out. However, there are certain things that schools that use distance learning can do to improve their accessibility overall.
Instructors themselves must be committed to accessibility. Organizations should provide regular professional development to ensure that individuals know the latest accessibility updates and keep accessibility at the forefront of their minds. This can also help them tweak their teaching to identify better students who need accommodations, even through virtual learning.
Also, school administrators must enforce accessibility on their platforms. Administrators must be prepared to ensure students have continuous access to their courses and course materials while keeping standards such as WCAG in mind. Additionally, they should ensure that the platforms used by their school for courses are accessible at all times. This may mean switching to a different platform if necessary or speaking on behalf of their students and advocating for their rights.
Above all, schools must keep accessibility a priority in everything they do. It may be tempting to take the easier route, but that would just create barriers to distance learning for their students.
Conclusion
Virtual learning looks like it’s here to stay. Though it is accessible in many ways for people with various disabilities, it is also inaccessible in other ways for other disabilities. Despite this, there are ways to fix the accessibility issues and make virtual learning more accessible.
Comments