[NFBC-Info] Research Opportunity

[president at nfbcal.org]

Friends,

 

The below research into the accessibility of educational technology has been
vetted and approved by our national office.  Feel free to participate in
this opportunity to help promote accessible educational software and online
learning.

 

Letter of Invitation to Participate in a Research Study 

Dear Student, 

My name is Heidi Ancer. I am a doctoral student at the University of Arizona
Global Campus. I am kindly requesting your participation in a doctoral
research

project that I am conducting titled: Accessibility Challenges of Online
Learning Affecting Successful Degree Completion Among Visually Impaired
Undergraduate/Graduate

Students: An Exploratory Case Study. The intention is to explore how online
college students with visual impairment perceive accessibility challenges
and

how these challenges might influence successful degree completion for this
student population. The option of distance education and online learning
provides

individuals with visual impairment the opportunity to pursue higher
education through using virtual classroom platforms. With this delivery
method of providing

students the opportunity of pursuing and possibly completing their academic
studies, the online/distance learning environment needs to be completely
accessible

to these students for them to be successful in their journey of degree
completion. 

I would like to interview undergraduate/graduate students with visual
impairment who are currently taking at least one college course via distance
learning/online platforms to explore if these students have encountered any
perceived accessible challenges in the classroom and if they perceive these
challenges as having any impact on successful degree completion in their
studies. To be eligible for participation in this study, potential
participants must be: 

list of 1 items

. An undergraduate/graduate college student enrolled in at least one online
course at a two- or four-year college/university. 

list end

list of 3 items

. Have a visual impairment that impacts their ability to access course
materials/resources. 

. Have experience with online learning that is not fully accessible to the
student because of the student's visual impairment. 

. At least 18 years of age or older. 

list end

Participation in this study is voluntary, and participants may withdraw from
the study at any time without any notice. The study is completely anonymous;

therefore, it does not require you to provide your name or any other
identifying information. There is no compensation for participating in this
study.

If you choose to participate in the study, you will be contacted via email
or telephone and schedule an interview at a time mutually agreeable to you
and

the researcher. The researcher will provide information on the virtual
location (Zoom) and how to access the platform. The interview will take
approximately

one hour to complete. 

If you have questions regarding your participation in the study, or if you
seek to verify authenticity of the study, please contact the University of
Arizona

Global Campus (UAGC) Institutional Review Board chair at irb at uagc.edu
<mailto:irb at uagc.edu>  or the study chair, Susan Gunther, PhD, at
susan.gunther at faculty.uagc.edu <mailto:susan.gunther at faculty.uagc.edu> . To
participate

in the study please contact me at hlancar at hotmail.com
<mailto:hlancar at hotmail.com>  or call me at (678) 226-9937. 

Thank you for your time and participation. 

Yours sincerely, 

Heidi Riley-Ancar, University of Arizona Global Campus  

 

 

 

 

Tim Elder

President

National Federation of the Blind of California 

 <mailto:president at nfbcal.org> president at nfbcal.org 

(916) 382-0372 

 <http://www.nfbcal.org/> http://www.nfbcal.org/

 

Did you know that blind Californians are holding monthly meetings in your
region over Zoom and telephone?  Check out our virtual local chapter and
division meetings.  All are welcome to attend.

 <http://www.nfbcal.org/chapters-and-divisions/>
http://www.nfbcal.org/chapters-and-divisions/