Making Computer-Mediated Education Responsive to the Accommodation Needs of Students with Disabilities

Abstract

Although the accommodation of students with disabilities in the traditional social work classroom has been discussed in the professional literature, the emergence of Internet-based courses raises new questions about accommodating students with disabilities. While the Internet has opened up new possibilities for learning, it has also interposed speed, uniformity, and efficiency as overriding principles, often running counter to accessibility and adaptability needs. Several key domains for Internet-based course work accommodations are identified: student privacy, online etiquette, ethical guidelines for online learning, and pedagogical integrity. Finally, recommendations are made for optimizing the online learning experience for social work students with disabilities.