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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
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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.
