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

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. Profile of Respondents

7. 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%

8. 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%

9. 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%

10. College CAES CAS CEDU CEMS CHS CLAW CSET OCC Total Blind 5 1 2 145 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

11. Survey Results

12. Why Study with Unisa

13. 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%)

14. 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

15. 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%

16. Reasons for Difficulties: Online Applications

17. Reasons for Difficulties: On-campus Applications

18. 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

19. 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%

20. 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

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

22. Study Material Delivery

23. 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%

24. Reasons for delays

25. 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”

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

27. 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%

28. 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”

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

30. Why Support not Used

31. Types of Support Used [55]

32. Student Experiences: Assignments and Examinations

33. 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%)

34. 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

35. 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%)

36. 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.

37. Overall Experience of Studying with Unisa

38. 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%

39. 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%

40. End of Presentation THANK YOU!!!