Date of Award
Spring 2021
Rights
Access is available to all users
Date Available to Non-EWU Users
2022-06-10
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS) in Psychology: General/Experimental
Department
Psychology
Abstract
Increasing technological advancement, coupled with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting social distancing orders, has amplified the push for online learning and hybrid courses like never before. As education moves online, are the necessary adjustments to accommodate students with varying levels of ability being made? One would think that online learning would be easier to navigate for Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) students, but is that truly the case? In this study I investigated if the Learning Management System (LMS), Canvas, is accessible to BVI students. I hypothesized that BVI students would have more difficulty accessing classroom material on Canvas than their able-bodied peers due to a lack of accessibility options within the software. Data on Canvas user experiences were collected via survey to assess student attitudes and behaviors. Statistical analyses revealed no significant difference in the Usability ratings of Canvas in both BVI and averagely sighted students. However, qualitative BVI student self-report data did reveal minor issues with the usability and functionality of Canvas while utilizing Assistive Technologies (ATs) on various platforms. Further research on AT-Canvas interactions is needed to assess accessibility.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Hagman, Erica R., "Blind accessibility in college and university: is online learning accessible to all?" (2021). EWU Masters Thesis Collection. 683.
https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/683
