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Learning Disabilities And The Virtual College Campus: A Grounded Theory Of Accessibility, Nancy Lee Hollins

Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation - Dissertations

Two trends currently impacting higher education intersect in this study: (1) students with learning disabilities are enrolling in colleges and universities in increasing numbers, and (2) colleges and universities are increasingly relying on the web to provide services to students. This reliance on the "virtual campus" comes without apparent consideration of accessibility issues that may be experienced by students with learning disabilities. This study explored the experiences of 16 college students, self-identified as having learning disabilities, as they interacted with the virtual campus of one college.

Consistent with the social model of disability, this study initially focused on the features …