Understanding The Technology Barriers Experienced By Students With Disabilities In Higher Education

<p>The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis study was to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of college students with disabilities while using technology to pursue postsecondary education. The research problem explored technology barriers students with disabilities might face while participating in their courses due to the inaccessibility of learning materials. The literature reviewed contained many themes, including disability in higher education, assistive technology, digital accessibility, course design, inclusive pedagogy, universal design, and open educational resources. Data for this qualitative study was collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 participants who were active degree-seeking students with a disability who had completed at least one semester. The findings from this study revealed the following four themes: (1) inconsistent LMS usage as a barrier, (2) use of assistive technology, (3) feeling their needs are not understood, and (4) technology as key to their success. The results of this study show that participants experienced difficulties navigating, finding, and using digital course materials and felt that faculty do not generally understand their needs as students with disabilities. The results also indicated that participants felt that technology had removed many barriers experienced as students with disabilities and made postsecondary education possible for them.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Author dc:creator

• Walz, Mary

Contributors dc:contributor

• Megan Williams
• Blake Clifford

• disability
• assistive technology
• course materials
• text-to-speech
• digital accessibility
• Education

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dune.une.edu/edu_diss/40

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dune.une.edu:edu_diss-1043