The biggest benefit of virtual learning for people with disabilities is the equalising of opportunities both in terms of accessing the study area and college resources but also in terms of competing for a voice within the learning programme.

Access to a learning environment is often problematic for people with disabilities.  Having a disability may mean that it is difficult or expensive to attend a college and a crowded, busy entrance and communal  areas may be off-putting for many.  In addition, fluctuations in mental or physical health  mean that people may miss classes because they are in pain, their medication is making them tired and/or they need to attend medical or rehabilitation appointments etc.  Disrupted learning may lead to a person with disabilities dropping out and/or not achieving their learning goal.

Attendance at a virtual college, in a time and place independent methodology, means that learners can access the learning programme when they want to and/or are able to, from their own homes.  Thus learners who can't sleep, for example, can access the 24-hour college at 3 a.m., those whose medication makes them drowsy in the morning can access it in the afternoon and those who have hospital appointments can access it in the evening.  No one loses out - because its not important when you access the study area.

Being heard. Even if a person with disabilities is able to attend a learning programme with others another set of barriers is presented.   One such barrier is the speed of responses required in order to contribute to discussions, ask questions or seek clarification so that learning can be effective.   In an asynchronous CMC system (time and place independent) learners can take as long as they want to contribute to discussions - often more effectively as time enables a more considered response to add to the debate.  In addition, it doesn't matter how long it takes to type a response in, or how many times you correct it as no-one can see you.  Thus people experience a real 'freedom' within a virtual college because they are not being physically observed - the message becomes the focus and not the messenger!

Mentoring:

Because learners are working from their own home there is a need to provide support in order to identify when a learner is struggling and to input timely interventions.  Within the JOB project we had a virtual mentor who 'sat' in the virtual common room (where tutors and managers were excluded) and informally mixed with the learners in order to pick up issues and offer support to learners as a group and individually through email.  This worked well as issues could be caught early and sorted before they became insurmountable.  In addition, when it looked like a face-to-face meeting was needed by the learner, a mentor was sent out to work with the learner in his/her own home. 

An on-line training programme (accredited through the Open College Network) was made available for mentors and is available through Bournville College of Further Education,  and available on an interactive CD. For further information please email us, or Bournville College of Further Education direct.

Let one learner sum it all up!