One of the key concepts in the right to education is access: access to the means to fully develop as human beings as well as access to the means to gain skills, knowledge and credentials. This is an important perspective through which to examine the solutions to access enabled by Open Educational Resources (OER) and online learning. The authors compare and contrast OER and online learning and their potential for addressing human rights “to” and “in” education. The authors examine OER and online learning growth and financial sustainability and discuss potential scenarios to address the global education gap.

This literature review examines the evolving online military learner population with emphasis on current generation military learners, who are most frequently Post-9/11 veterans. The review synthesizes recent scholarly and grey literature on military learner demographics and attributes, college experiences, and academic outcomes against a backdrop of conceptual frameworks addressing adult transition theory, learner persistence, and institutional responsiveness. Military learner demographics and academic risk profiles are most similar to nontraditional, first generation learners, although military learners face additional challenges associated with service-connected injuries and disabilities. Like other nontraditional learners juggling work, family, and academic responsibilities, military learners have become increasingly reliant on online learning. Intersecting community memberships, role identities, and commitments often complicate the transition to college and perceived sense of fit, a finding more pronounced in studies involving military learners attending campuses predominately serving traditional students. The significant lack of research examining online military learners limited further comparative analysis. Overall, current research suggests military learners adapt and persist in college by drawing upon deeply engrained military traits and tendencies, including self-discipline, mission-first focus, and reliance on fellow military learners. A few studies have suggested that institutional support systems for military learners, such as offering customized services and courses online, contributed to learner satisfaction and persistence. A growing number of institutions have adopted military-friendly approaches to program and service delivery since the enactment of the Post-9/11 GI Bill in 2008. Yet impact findings were mostly anecdotal. Confirming these findings requires additional quantitative empirical research with larger and more precisely defined population samples. As technology continues to blur previously sharp distinctions between face-to-face and online learning, the next wave of military learner research must focus on military learner retention models encompassing multiple learning modes and delivery methods, institutional student supports needed to enhance success, understanding military learner paths through multiple institutions, and population samples that provide generalizable information about military learners.

Despite the rapid growth in the adoption of online learning, there is a dearth of detailed information on effective business models, business strategies and effective practices on which to build sustainable online education programs. A survey instrument was developed as an initial attempt to define business models and business strategies for online learning. The survey results yielded some interesting data about which online learning financial models seem to have more or less “control” of which business functions. The sample was a convenience one and as such will require further filtering of data. It is also clear that more needs to be done to define business strategies and models and thus provide guidance to this growing segment of higher education.

In an effort to better understand student perceptions of communication in blended (online and traditional) learning courses, a 22 item questionnaire was developed and sent to all students registered for these courses at a large technology-focused college during three quarters of instruction. The respondents were divided into four groups: 1) hearing, 2) deaf, 3) hard-of-hearing (D/HH), and 3) English as a second language (ESL). Their perceptions of communication and the blended learning experience were examined. While the hearing and ESL students were positive about blended learning, the findings indicated that deaf and hard-of-hearing students reported that both the quality and quantity of their interactions with the professor and other students was greatly improved by the inclusion of an online component. ESL and hearing students were also positive about the blended experience; but the greatest benefit to communication access was observed by students with a hearing loss.

One of the key concepts in the right to education is access: access to the means to fully develop as human beings as well as access to the means to gain skills, knowledge and credentials. This is an important perspective through which to examine the solutions to access enabled by Open Educational Resources (OER) and online learning. The authors compare and contrast OER and online learning and their potential for addressing human rights “to” and “in” education. The authors examine OER and online learning growth and financial sustainability and explore potential scenarios to address the global education gap.