Virtual Learning Accessibility Barriers Experienced by Engineering Students with Disabilities in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This Work in Progress, Research paper aims to address the well-documented discrimination against people with disabilities regarding the use of technology in education. Poor accessibility standards, a lack of administrative support, and numerous other barriers have contributed to the ever-present digital equity gap for students with disabilities. The digital equity gap has continued to widen as schools continue to increase the use of virtual or distance learning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research aims to better understand students with disabilities’ barriers in accessing online undergraduate engineering education by addressing the following research question: What barriers do engineering students with disabilities face in an online learning environment? The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework guides the research questions, data collection, and data analysis. A fixed item survey has been developed and is currently being used to capture the experiences of students with disabilities in engineering who participated in online learning at four-year colleges and universities across the United States. The identification of these students’ barriers will be used to inform accessibility improvements and considerations to engineering online learning.

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