Challenges Faced by the Visually Impaired Students during Online Learning: Lessons for Teachers
Keywords:
Visual Impairment, Distance Education, E-learning, Screen Readers, Online Teaching, Educational Technology, Assistive TechnologiesAbstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the educational system from face-to-face learning to online learning mode. This shift had impacted visually impaired students. This study aims to understand the academic experiences of visually impaired learners and explore their challenges during online learning. The study employed a mixed-methods approach to obtain the aims. For data collection, the researcher used a questionnaire addressed to eighteen visually impaired participants (15 Impaired, three partially Impaired) pursuing various academic programs across India. The findings reveal that Google Meet (83.3%) was the most accessible platform, but students faced significant challenges, including inaccessible PDF materials, limited availability of scribes for online exams, and difficulties with visual teaching aids like PowerPoint presentations. Based on these findings, the study recommends improving web accessibility and providing materials in screen-reader-friendly formats to ensure the availability of online scribes. It suggests that teachers use more assistive technologies and create proper connectivity between educational institutions and specialized digital libraries for impaired students.
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