Course completion and attainment in disabled students taking courses with the Open University UK

Abstract

This investigation compared outcomes in disabled and non‐disabled students taking courses by distance learning with the Open University UK in 2003. Students with mental health difficulties showed poorer course completion than non‐disabled students. Students with restricted mobility and students with other disabilities showed lower pass rates than non‐disabled students. Students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties showed lower pass rates and poorer grades than non‐disabled students. Finally, students with multiple disabilities showed poorer course completion, lower pass rates and poorer grades than non‐disabled students. Accommodations to support disabled students in distance education need to be focused on different groups of students with particular disabilities.

Keywords:

• attainment
• course completion
• disability
• grades

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Margaret Debenham, Marc Marschark, Robin Stenham, Mary Taylor and Julie Young for their comments.