Disability, technology and e-learning: challenging conceptions

Abstract

In considering the role that technology and e-learning play in helping students access higher education and an effective learning experience, a large amount of the current research and practice literature focuses almost exclusively on accessibility legislation, guidelines and standards, and the rules contained within them. One of the major problems of such an approach is that it has drawn higher education practitioners into thinking that their objective is to comply with rules. The contributions in this issue conceptualize best 'accessibility' practice in a number of ways. Best practice is conceptualized as : focusing on learning; flexible, adaptable and proactive; and holistic. The different conceptions offered by the contributors to this issue are extremely useful in that they prompt us to think about barriers to learning for students with disability and explore how changes or adaptations to cultures, policies or approaches might reduce these barriers. Such exploration may help to structure future discussion and debate regarding disability, technology and accessibility in higher education. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)