This post from blogger Lucy Greco who writes about accessibility in education for the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (G3ict), is an articulate reminder that the technology and tools used in online classes may all too easily exclude students with disabilities.
Today’s fastest-growing trend in education is online teaching (or the resultant e-learning). As instructors want to reach out to audiences around the globe, they find that online education makes their classrooms virtually limitless. Academics everywhere are turning to the Internet as their new classroom. Students around the world are now able to take classes at the university of their choice without having to travel. However, for students with disabilities there are perils in online education which may almost outweigh the benefits. Students with disabilities may be excluded from this online experience when universal design principles are not followed.
WINAHEAD 