DISTANCE LEARNING AND THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED LEARNER Ms. Lerato Sonia Tladi

Layout of the Presentation Background Research Focus Methodology Results Discussion and Conclusion

Background DL and Widened Access to Academic Learning Access and Success Challenges: Relatively low throughput and success rates as opposed to contact institutions Transactional distance Student-Institution Fit Some of the efforts to address challenges: Tutorial services Online and Face-to-Face Discussion Forums Visually Impaired Students “excluded” from participation Special software required for myUnisa Tutors not equipped to deal with the visually impaired DL credited with widening access The need to balance access with success

Research Focus Explore the learning experiences of visually impaired students to Better understand the challenges they face and Their support requirements, in order to Help ensure their throughput and success

Research Methodology Ethical approval obtained by BMR Data Collection Phase 1: 8 in-depth interviews conducted by the BMR to inform survey instrument development Phase 2: Telephonic survey of 134 visually impaired students, however Data Analysis Only 98 cases analyzed 14 cases: no visual impairment 10 cases: Inability to match to student database 12 cases: used normal print to read study material Survey Population 350 formally registered students with visual disabilities as at October 6th, 2016. Of these, 81 were recorded as being blind, 164 as having reading difficulties and 105 as no audio SM.

Profile of Respondents

Gender Female Male Total Blind 6 8 14 12,8% 15,7% 14,3% Partially Sighted/ Low Vision 41 43 84 87,2% 84,3% 85,7% 47 51 98 100%

Race African Coloured Indian White Total Blind 13 1 14 16,5% 50% 14,3% Partially Sighted/ Low Vision 66 5 12 84 83,5% 100% 85,7% 79 2 98 100,0%

Age Group <30 30-39 40+ Overall Blind 5 4 14 14,3% 12,5% 17,4% Partially Sighted/ Low Vision 30 35 19 84 85,7% 87,5% 82,6% Total 40 23 98 100%

College CAES CAS CEDU CEMS CHS CLAW CSET OCC Total Blind 5 1 2 14   5 1 2 14 29,4% 5,9% 21,7% 10% 12,5% 14,3% Partially Sighted/ Low Vision 7 12 16 18 84 100% 70,6% 94,1% 78,3% 90% 87,5% 85,7% 17 23 20 8 98

Survey Results

Why Study with Unisa

Other reasons for choosing Unisa “Affordable” (42,9%) “Am working” (14,3%) “Met minimum entry requirements at Unisa” (7,1%) “Not accepted elsewhere and allowed to do bridging course at Unisa (7,1%) “Proximity to home (7,1%) “Flexibility with time and reasonable fees (7,1%) Advanced and affordable (7,1%)

Application Method Online Application Walk-in Self-Help Portal Total   Online Application Walk-in (On-campus) Self-Help Portal Total Required Assistance Yes 16 58 2 76 45,7% 95,1% 100,0% 77,6% No 19 3 22 54,3% 4,9% 22,4% 35 61 98

Rating of Application Method ON-CAMPUS Very Easy 11,5% Easy 72,1% Neither easy nor difficult 1,6% Difficult 11,5% Very Difficult 3,3% ONLINE Very Easy 14,7% Easy 61,8% Neither easy nor difficult 0 Difficult 20,6% Very Difficult 2,9% SELF-HELP Very Easy 0 Easy 0 Difficult0 Very Difficult 100,0%

Reasons for Difficulties: Online Applications

Reasons for Difficulties: On-campus Applications

Registration Method Self-Help Portal Walk-in Online Registration (On-campus) Self-Help Portal Total Required Assistance Yes 18 61 3 82 52,9% 100,0% 83,7% No 16  - - 47,1%   16,3% 34 98

Rating of Registration Method ON-CAMPUS Very Easy 13,1% Easy 80,3% Neither easy nor difficult 1,6% Difficult 3,3% Very Difficult 1,6% ONLINE Very Easy 5,9% Easy 79,4% Neither easy nor difficult 0 Difficult 14,7% Very Difficult 0 SELF-HELP Very Easy 0 Easy 40,0% Neither easy nor difficult Difficult 20,0% Very Difficult 40,0%

Reasons for difficulties Online [5] My registration status took too long to be confirmed : 4 Friend who assisted them to register having poor knowledge of computers. 1 On-Campus [4] My impairment made the process long: 1 My registration status took too long to be confirmed: 1 I had financial constraints: 1 Struggled to see clearly: 1 Self-Help [1] Assistance provided was inaccurate thus leading to their choosing the wrong modules

Declaration of Visual Impairment Application Stage: Declaration Registration Stage : Special Needs Form No [6]6% Yes [92] 94% No [25]26% Yes [72]74%

Study Material Delivery

Partially Sighted/Low Vision Delivery on Time   Blind Partially Sighted/Low Vision Total Yes 4 57 61 28,6% 67,9% 62,2% No 10 27 37 71,4% 32,1% 37,8% 14 84 98 100,0%

Reasons for delays

Other reasons for delays Large print delays, they usually send normal print first and large print study material later” “It takes too long to produce material for braille” “I hardly write exams because I always receive my study material late” “Do not know because of having no one to explain the delay” “Dispatch is delaying” “Courier takes time to find address” “Delay from Unisa’s side” “Out of stock”

Study Material in Preferred Format? No [26], 27% Yes [69],73%

Preferred Format for Study Material   Blind Partially sighted/low vision Total Braille 6 1 7 54,5% 1,2% 7,5% Audio 5 12 45,5% 8,5% 12,9% Large text/ print 74 90,2% 79,6% 11 82 93 100,0%

Reasons why not in preferred format “It was in CD format and I prefer electronic” “I declared but didn’t receive the right format” “Did not get any explanation” “I didn’t know that study material could be printed in a different format” “Large print gets delayed and delivered late” “I was given textbooks and I prefer a CD” “When I asked I was told that Despatch made a mistake but Despatch tells a different story” “I receive material in normal print every time not in large print”

Used Available Study Support? No [42], 43% Yes [55], 57%

Why Support not Used

Types of Support Used [55]

Student Experiences: Assignments and Examinations

Ratings of Assignments Process Overall (n=98) Very Easy 3 (3,1%) Easy [62] (63,2%) Neither easy nor difficult 6 (6,1%) Difficult 25 (25,5%) Very Difficult 2 (2,0%) Blind (n=14) Very Easy 0 Easy [9] (64,3%) Neither easy nor difficult 0 Difficult [4] (28,6%) Very Difficult 1 (7,1%) Partially sighted/ Low vision (n=84) Very Easy 3 (3,6%) Easy [53] (63,7%) Neither easy nor difficult 6 (7,1%) Difficult [21] (25,0%) Very Difficult 1 (1,2%)

Reasons for Ratings: Assign Blind Had to ask friends and family for assistance Struggled to get proper information. Blind and Partially Sighted Struggled to obtain the assignment form in their preferred format. Partially Sighted/Low Vision The assignment form is not user friendly It’s hard to complete assignments when study material is not in the right format” “I have a writing problem” “I have difficulties using computers and with online courses” “It time consuming because of my low vision” The two (2) blind students who had stated other blamed it on having to

Ratings of Examinations Process Overall (n=98) Very Easy 7 (7,1%) Easy 62 (64,3%) Neither easy nor difficult 2 (2,0%) Difficult 22 (22,4%) Very Difficult 3 (3,1%) Blind (n=14) Very Easy 0 Easy 11 (78,6%) Neither easy nor difficult 0 Difficult 3 (21,4%) Very Difficult 0 Partially sighted/ Low vision (n=84) Very Easy 7 (8,3%) Easy 53 (63,1%) Neither easy nor difficult 2 (2,4%) Difficult 19 (22,6%) Very Difficult 3 (3,6%)

Reasons for Ratings: Exams Blind The time allocated was insufficient due to impairment, Got no assistance when they got to the examination venue Use JAWS at home and getting to examinations and finding that Unisa uses NVDA yet staff are unable to assist. Partially sighted/Low vision Allocated time was insufficient Exam material not available in preferred format. Struggled to get to the examination venue No assistance on hand upon arrival at the examination venue. Question paper being too large, Not being allowed to use a USB, Large print only getting printed on the day when already at the exam venue Have a writing problem.

Overall Experience of Studying with Unisa

I feel there is sufficient support for visually impaired students Agree 57,1% Somewhat agree 9,2% Somewhat disagree 7,1% Disagree 26,5% As a visually impaired student, I do not feel excluded at Unisa Agree 71,4% Somewhat agree 4,1% Somewhat disagree 5,1% Disagree 19,4% I feel a sense of belonging at Unisa Agree 80,6% Somewhat agree 5,1% Somewhat disagree 1,0% Disagree 13,3% I am proud of being a student at Unisa Agree 90,8% Somewhat agree 2,0% Disagree 6,1%

Agree Somewhat agree disagree Disagree 35,7% 50,0% I am proud of being a student at Unisa Blind 78,6% 7,1% 14,3% Partially Sighted/ Low Vision 92,9% 1,2% 4,8% I would recommend Unisa to other visually impaired people 64,3% 28,6% 89,3% 2,4% I feel a sense of belonging at Unisa 57,1% 35,7% 84,5% 9,5% As a visually impaired student, I do not feel excluded at Unisa 50,0% 77,4% 3,6% I feel there is sufficient support for visually impaired students at Unisa 21,4% 63,1% 8,3%

End of Presentation THANK YOU!!!