Accessibility that Supports Literacy: Virtual School Course Design Teams’ Instructional Planning for Students with Disabilities

Abstract

As more students with disabilities in K-12 settings enroll in online courses, virtual schools and programs are working make courses accessible through stronger course design. When course designers approach the issue of accessibility, they must comply with legal requirements and mitigate the challenges many students with disabilities face for literacy and learning. These challenges include less well-developed content vocabulary and background knowledge, as well as inefficient skills and strategies for engaging with and comprehending online text. This study describes phenomenological research where course designers worked to meet accessibility standards and promote literacies online for all students, especially students with disabilities. Four strategies for promoting accessibility emerged as findings: (1) composing clear articulations of learning outcomes; (2) promoting personalized and contextualized learning, and; (3) planning for visual and audio representation of concepts. However, course designers may need additional support for addressing the interplay between literacies that promote access and accessibility features that promote literacies.

Self-regulated learning in online learning environments: strategies for remote learning

“…In ensuring success for learners, it is necessary to consider learning designs that yield learning opportunities for all students. To that end, discourse in K-12 online learning has focused on making content accessible to students (Rice, 2018). During traumatic circumstances, such as a pandemic, the need to make online educational opportunities easy to access takes on new importance because many learners might not be in an emotional state to focus on learning.…”

Learning adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Muhammadiyah inclusion schools

“…Students with disabilities are considered the most vulnerable subjects to experience online learning failure [29]. It was reflected in the pandemic's early days when SPAH students only received learning through the school's online platform or Blogspot account that the teacher used to deliver the material.…”

“…It was reflected in the pandemic's early days when SPAH students only received learning through the school's online platform or Blogspot account that the teacher used to deliver the material. Their accessibility is disrupted because the material presented does not meet the aspects such as learning objectives, contextual, and in the form of audio-visual [29]. The learning material is seen in descriptions even without pictures, which makes it easier for them to understand.…”

Mathematics Instruction for Students With Disabilities: Applied Examples Using Virtual Manipulatives

“…Teachers can design and provide individualized instruction, thereby meeting students' learning goals and needs while considering their preference and availability (CAST, 2018). Varied formats of asynchronous mathematics learning have been identified as useful for students with disabilities in virtual mathematics classes (Rice, 2018). For example, computer-assisted instruction has been widely provided for students with disabilities and has shown improved student outcomes in a wide range of mathematics domains, including word problems, fractions, number combinations, and whole-number computations (Kiru et al, 2018;Ok et al, 2020).…”