Comparison of students using electronic learning website of University of South Africa

Abstract

It is currently almost impossible for students enrolled at an open distance learning institution to obtain their study materials, communicate with lecturers or engage in any other teaching and learning processes without the use of computers and the Internet. This paper investigates and reports on the time taken and level of difficulty experienced by students with disabilities and students without disabilities in completing a number of set tasks involving the main website and the learning management system (LMS) of the University of South Africa (Unisa). The findings of the study indicate that students with disabilities take considerably longer than students without disabilities to finish such tasks, and in some cases experience greater difficulty in doing so. The study determined the importance of well-developed e-learning platforms at this institution for ensuring efficient and effective use by both students with and students without disabilities. The study indicates the advisability of including all LMS stakeholders, particularly the users of the LMS, in the development of e-learning websites in order to ensure that accessibility and usability design principles, guidelines and standards are properly adhered to so as to reduce both digital and social divides and the marginalisation of students. This becomes even more significant when the target user groups are students with disabilities.