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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Greetings to all,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Please share the following message to all that might be interested and meet the eligibility criteria.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>***<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Letter of Invitation to Participate in a Research Study <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Dear Student, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>My name is Heidi Ancar. I am a doctoral student at the University of Arizona Global Campus. I am kindly requesting your participation in a doctoral research<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>project that I am conducting titled: Accessibility Challenges of Online Learning Affecting Successful Degree Completion Among Visually Impaired Undergraduate/Graduate<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Students: An Exploratory Case Study. The intention is to explore how online college students with visual impairment perceive accessibility challenges and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>how these challenges might influence successful degree completion for this student population. The option of distance education and online learning provides<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>individuals with visual impairment the opportunity to pursue higher education through using virtual classroom platforms. With this delivery method of providing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>students the opportunity of pursuing and possibly completing their academic studies, the online/distance learning environment needs to be completely accessible<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>to these students for them to be successful in their journey of degree completion. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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. <a name="_Hlk87273914">To be eligible for participation in this study, potential participants must be: <o:p></o:p></a></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk87273914'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>list of 1 items<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk87273914'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>• An undergraduate/graduate college student enrolled in at least one online course at a two- or four-year college/university. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk87273914'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>list end<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk87273914'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>list of 3 items<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk87273914'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>• Have a visual impairment that impacts their ability to access course materials/resources. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk87273914'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>• Have experience with online learning that is not fully accessible to the student because of the student’s visual impairment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk87273914'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>• At least 18 years of age or older. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk87273914'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>list end<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk87273914'></span><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Participation in this study is voluntary, and participants may withdraw from the study at any time without any notice. The study is completely anonymous;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>therefore, it does not require you to provide your name or any other identifying information. There is no compensation for participating in this study.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>the researcher. The researcher will provide information on the virtual location (Zoom) and how to access the platform. The interview will take approximately<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>one hour to complete. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Global Campus (UAGC) Institutional Review Board chair at irb@uagc.edu or the study chair, Susan Gunther, PhD, at susan.gunther@faculty.uagc.edu. To participate<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>in the study please contact me at <a href="mailto:hlancar@hotmail.com">hlancar@hotmail.com</a> or call me at (678) 226-9937. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Thank you for your time and participation. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Yours sincerely, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Heidi Riley-Ancar, University of Arizona Global Campus <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>