“I Like to be Independent”: Experience of Visually disabled Students with Online Learning in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Online learning has long been essential in universities, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, it became obligatory for all students. This new circumstance entailed advantages and disadvantages for online learners. As disabled students have their own needs, and as each disability is related to specific kinds of needs, in this paper, we focus on online learning experiences for visually impaired students. We conducted online interviews with eight university and college students from several regions in Saudi Arabia to explore their perspectives on the advantages and disadvantages of online learning. We also asked them for suggestions on how to improve their online learning experiences. Based on a thematic analysis of the results conducted using NVivo, we found that students’ attitudes towards online learning are positive, as they are related to increased autonomy. However, their experiences with teaching forums and methods of online teaching and assessment involved many obstacles. They attributed most of these obstacles to a lack of technical support and some lecturers’ lack of awareness regarding their needs. The students suggested the continuous development of platforms for compatibility with screen readers, as well as continuous training and technical support.