Abstract
Two studies explored how well English and French speaking colleges and universities in Canada address availability and access to new computer and information technologies for individuals with disabilities. In Study 1, 156 professionals who provide disability-related supports on campus responded to structured interview questions. In Study 2, 40 professionals who work in Quebec's Francophone junior/community college system (CEGEP) participated. Results showed that most institutions had specialized adaptive computer equipment, though colleges were less likely than universities, and loan programs providing adaptive computer equipment were seen as very effective. Respondents believed they were not very knowledgeable about adaptive computer technologies and those from Francophone institutions scored lower than from Anglophone institutions. The needs of students were seen as moderately well met, with Francophone respondents more favorable than Anglophone. Respondents from Anglophone universities expressed different needs than those from Anglophone colleges or Francophone institutions. Disability service providers wished students were better equipped and prepared for the postsecondary experience, computer based teaching materials used by professors were more accessible, and more extensive support services for adaptive hardware and software available. We provide recommendations based on universal design principles that are targeted at those involved in technology integration in postsecondary education.
Highlights
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are rapidly expanding in all fields and are becoming important tools in the new Canadian economy
We provide recommendations based on universal design principles that are targeted at those involved in technology integration in postsecondary education
A key criterion was a 6-point Likert scale rating on the following item, "Overall, the computer and/or adaptive computer technology needs of students with disabilities at my institution are adequately met." It can be seen in Table 1 that the computer related needs of students were moderately well met at respondents' institutions
Summary
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are rapidly expanding in all fields and are becoming important tools in the new Canadian economy. There are several American (Burgstahler, 1992, 1993; Burris, 1998; Coomber, 1996; Horn & Shell, 1990; Jackson, Morabito, Prezant, & Michaels, 2001; Michaels, Prezant, Morabito, & Jackson, 2001; Lance, 1996) as well as Canadian studies (Epp, 1996; Killean & Hubka, 1999) that deal, at least in part, with the views of postsecondary disability service providers about computer and adaptive computer technologies on campus These studies do not provide a comprehensive picture of current realities in Canada's colleges and universities for a variety of reasons. Study 2 focused exclusively on Quebec's Francophone junior/community colleges, the CEGEPs
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