Open Learning: The answer to the government's equity problems? A report of a study on the potential impact of the Open Learning initiative on people with disabilities

Abstract

This paper describes the process and results of a study to gauge the potential impact of the Open Learning initiative on people with disabilities. A problem‐solving approach was employed, using nominal group technique. Due to the nature of the study this was conducted at a distance, by written correspondence. The ideas generated suggested that the Open Learning initiative's impact will lie in its claim to flexibility, with its potential to give all people an opportunity to gain a university degree, to relieve physical access barriers and to reduce geographical isolation. Aspects of Open Learning which may not improve quality and/or access were identified as potential difficulties in gaining access to support and advice services, library and research facilities and academic support. The opinions generated were as much a reflection of the inflexibility of the current university structure as a request to the Open Learning Agency to respond to suggestions for greater accessibility. The Commonwealth's investment in Open Learning could be interpreted as a shift in policy from a belief that access and equity in Australian higher education should be addressed by specifically targetting perceived disadvantaged groups, to a policy encouraging more open and flexible forms of learning.