Universal design of instruction to enhance learning for university students with visual disabilities

African Journal of Disability

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Universal design of instruction to enhance learning for university students with visual disabilities
 
Creator Singh, Jayshree Suknunan, Sachin
 
Subject Education; Disability Studies; Higer Education disabilities; diversity; higher education; inclusion; students; university; visual disability; universal design of instruction
Description Background: There has been a steady increase in the number of students with disabilities (SWD) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in South Africa, with a significant number of students having visual disabilities. Equal access remains a key challenge in the classroom setting, thus emphasising a significant gap.Objectives: This paper capitalised on the significance of this gap and examined the potential of Universal Design of Instruction (UDI) to promote equal access for students with visual disabilities (SWVDs) in the classroom within a university setting in order to maximise learning outcomes.Method: The study was conducted at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), which had approximately 204 SWVDs. This paper draws primarily on the quantitative component of the study. Data collection entailed distributing a questionnaire to all SWVDs. Analysis was conducted using SPSS 21, which produced descriptive and inferential statistics. The theoretical framework of Sen’s Capability Approach in line with the Social Model of Disability was applied.Results: Findings indicated a lack of UDI in the classroom with very little compliance to all principles, resulting in increased challenges in teaching and learning for SWVDs. The incorporation of UDI in the classroom does have a positive correlation with learning outcomes.Conclusion: The incorporation of UDI principles can offer a potential design for easier access to teaching and learning to enhance and maximise learning outcomes; alleviate access challenges in the classroom; and address the negative experiences thereof for SWVDs.Contribution: The study adds value to the scarce body of knowledge on UDI in the classroom for university SWVDs from a learning enhancement perspective.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2023-12-20
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Qualitative and quantitative methods
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ajod.v12i0.1156
 
Source African Journal of Disability; Vol 12 (2023); 11 pages 2226-7220 2223-9170
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1156/2543 https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1156/2544 https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1156/2545 https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1156/2546
 
Coverage Africa; South Africa 2019-2022 Students with visual disabilities
Rights Copyright (c) 2023 Jayshree Singh, Sachin Suknunan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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