Open AccessAccessibility Matters: Universal Design and the Online Professional Practice Doctorate
Author(s) -
Lindsey A. Chapman,
Amanda Jackson
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
impacting education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2472-5889
DOI - 10.5195/ie.2021.184
Subject(s) - flexibility (engineering) , relevance (law) , online learning , set (abstract data type) , universal design for learning , universal design , engineering ethics , computer science , professional development , pedagogy , knowledge management , sociology , engineering , multimedia , world wide web , political science , management , law , economics , programming language
Online doctoral programming geared toward working professionals can provide unprecedented flexibility in terms of time and place that affords greater access to a broader student demographic. At the same time, online learning poses its own unique set of challenges and limitations for students with and without disabilities. Universal Design (UD) is a framework built around the idea of proactively identifying and removing barriers to learning in the environment, pedagogical practices, and materials. In this essay, we highlight the necessity and relevance of UD to online doctoral programs and share insights related to its use in our program from faculty and student perspectives.