The landscape of higher education has witnessed a significant shift in recent years, with an increasing number of students opting for nontraditional avenues to pursue their academic goals. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that enrollment in distance learning courses was steadily rising even before the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to do so (Digest of Education Statistics, 2021). This trend underscores the growing popularity of online education as a means of accessing higher education opportunities.
While distance learning offers students unparalleled flexibility, concerns regarding classroom engagement persist among online educators. As students enter the online classroom, they bring with them diverse educational experiences, backgrounds, and expectations of faculty interactions. In response, universities and educators strive to create and nurture virtual relationships and communities that foster positive relational school cultures, understanding student behavior within a social context (Manassah, Roderick, and Gregory 2018, 39). Central to this approach is the promotion of a social web of connections, where building, maintaining, and repairing relationships are standard expectations, with students recognized as vital members of the educational community.
Efforts to include all individuals, including those with disabilities in educational settings should prioritize specific measures to ensure their full participation in all activities. Effective inclusion involves providing appropriate accommodations and support tailored to the unique needs of each student (Dyer 2022, 1712). Research from the University of Kansas Center for Research in Learning identifies key conditions for successful inclusion, including teachers’ philosophical commitment to meeting the needs of all students and collaboration with institutions to assess student needs and monitor progress.
Research indicates that students thrive both developmentally and academically when educational programs prioritize socially aligned approaches and strategies (Aspelin 2020, 594). Such strategies equip faculty with the tools to effectively respond to students’ needs (Rahimi et al., 2021), emphasizing the establishment of environments conducive to students’ intellectual development. This requires educators to enhance their relational competence (Aspelin 2020, 589; Aspelin and Jonsson 2019, 265) and deepen their understanding of social presence and student self-concepts.
Online education has revolutionized the way individuals’ access and engage with learning opportunities, providing flexibility and convenience that traditional institutions cannot always offer. Alongside the benefits of online learning come challenges, particularly in ensuring access, engagement, and inclusion for all students. In recent years, concerns have been raised regarding the accessibility of online education for underrepresented groups, including individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, students with disabilities, and those from marginalized communities. Addressing these challenges is essential to ensure that online programs are accessible to all, thereby promoting equitable educational opportunities.
Access: Building Bridges to Opportunity
Accessible Course Design
Accessibility in online education goes beyond compliance with legal requirements. It involves designing courses that accommodate diverse learning needs and preferences. Key components of accessible course design include:
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL): UDL principles guide the creation of courses that provide multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression. By incorporating various content formats such as videos, readings, and interactive activities, educators can cater to different learning styles.
- Assistive Technologies: Integrating assistive technologies, such as screen readers and speech-to-text tools, can enhance accessibility for students with disabilities. Providing captions for video content and ensuring compatibility with screen readers are essential practices.
- Clear Navigation: Ensuring that the online learning platform is intuitive and easy to navigate helps all students, particularly those who may be less tech-savvy. Clear instructions, consistent layouts, and easy access to resources contribute to a more inclusive learning environment.
- Community of Inquiry (COI): Made up of three presences (cognitive, teaching, and social), the CoI framework attempts to explain the learning process for students in online learning environments. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) model stands as a cornerstone, offering a versatile and scholarly-supported framework for fostering accessible and inclusive learning environments.
Financial Support and Resources
Financial barriers often hinder access to higher education for underrepresented students. Institutions can implement the following measures to alleviate these challenges:
- Scholarship Programs: Expanding scholarship programs to include online students can provide crucial financial support. Scholarships targeting specific demographics, such as first-generation students or those from low-income backgrounds, can help bridge the gap.
- Flexible Payment Plans: Offering flexible tuition payment plans can make higher education more accessible. Allowing students to pay in installments or defer payments can ease financial pressures.
- Emergency Funds: Establishing emergency funds for online students can provide immediate assistance in times of financial hardship. These funds can cover unexpected expenses, such as technology upgrades or internet access.
Engagement: Fostering a Connected Learning Community
Building Online Communities
Creating a sense of community is vital for student engagement and success in online education. Institutions can foster connections through the following strategies:
- Virtual Mentorship Programs: Pairing students with mentors who provide guidance, support, and career advice can significantly enhance the online learning experience. Mentors can be faculty members, alumni, or industry professionals.
- Affinity Groups: Establishing virtual affinity groups allows students to connect based on shared interests, cultural backgrounds, or academic goals. These groups can provide a sense of belonging and peer support.
- Collaborative Learning: Encouraging collaborative learning through group projects, discussion forums, and peer reviews can enhance student engagement. Online platforms should facilitate easy communication and collaboration among students.
Interactive and Inclusive Teaching Practices
Effective online teaching requires strategies that actively engage students and accommodate diverse learning needs. Key practices include:
- Active Learning: Incorporating active learning techniques, such as problem-solving activities, case studies, and interactive simulations, can make online courses more engaging. These activities promote critical thinking and application of knowledge.
- Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Adapting teaching practices to recognize and respect the diverse cultural backgrounds of students is essential. This includes incorporating diverse perspectives into course content and creating an inclusive classroom environment.
- Regular Feedback: Providing timely and constructive feedback helps students stay on track and improve their performance. Personalized feedback demonstrates the instructor’s investment in each student’s success.
Virtual Support Services
Support services play a crucial role in student engagement and retention. Institutions should ensure that online students have access to comprehensive support, including:
- Academic Advising: Offering personalized academic advising helps students navigate their educational journey, set goals, and plan their course schedules. Virtual advising sessions and drop-in hours can accommodate online learners’ schedules.
- Counseling Services: Mental health support is critical for student well-being. Institutions should provide access to virtual counseling services, workshops on stress management, and resources for maintaining mental health.
- Career Services: Online students should have access to career counseling, job search resources, and virtual career fairs. These services can help students transition from education to employment successfully.
Inclusion: Creating an Equitable Learning Environment
Inclusive Curriculum and Materials
Developing an inclusive curriculum involves integrating diverse perspectives and ensuring that course materials reflect the experiences of all students. Strategies include:
- Diverse Content: Incorporating readings, case studies, and examples from a variety of cultural, social, and historical contexts can enrich the learning experience. Highlighting contributions from underrepresented groups fosters a sense of inclusion.
- Student Voices: Encouraging students to share their perspectives and experiences can create a more inclusive classroom environment. Discussion boards, reflective assignments, and peer reviews can facilitate this exchange.
- Bias-Free Materials: Reviewing and updating course materials to eliminate biases and stereotypes is essential. Instructors should strive to present balanced viewpoints and avoid reinforcing negative stereotypes.
Faculty Training and Development
Preparing faculty to create inclusive online learning environments is crucial for promoting access, engagement, and inclusion. Institutions can invest in faculty development through:
- Cultural Competence Training: Offering workshops and training sessions on cultural competence helps faculty understand and address the diverse needs of their students. Topics can include inclusive teaching practices, implicit bias, and culturally responsive pedagogy.
- Professional Development Programs: Providing ongoing professional development opportunities allows faculty to stay current with best practices in online education. This can include training on new technologies, instructional design, and strategies for engaging diverse student populations.
- Peer Mentoring: Establishing peer mentoring programs for faculty can facilitate the sharing of effective practices and provide support for implementing inclusive teaching strategies.
Institutional Commitment to Inclusion
A strong institutional commitment to inclusion is essential for fostering an inclusive online learning environment. Key actions include:
- Inclusive Policies and Procedures: Developing policies that promote inclusion across all aspects of the institution, including admissions, curriculum development, faculty hiring, and student support services, creates an environment where all students can thrive.
- Resource Allocation: Investing resources and funding in inclusive initiatives, such as inclusion training for faculty and staff, multicultural programming, and support services for underrepresented students, demonstrates a commitment to advancing access and inclusion.
- Ongoing Assessment: Regularly assessing the effectiveness of inclusion initiatives and gathering feedback from students and faculty can help institutions identify areas for improvement and ensure that their efforts are making a positive impact.
A Way Forward: Practical Implementations
In response to the expanding landscape of online education, universities are actively seeking ways to adapt its programs and initiatives for virtual delivery. This proactive approach aims to extend the reach of services and support to underrepresented online students, ensuring they have access to opportunities for engagement and connection. From exploring the viability of virtual adaptations of scholarship programs to establishing virtual support systems such as online mentorship programs and virtual affinity groups, universities show they are committed to fostering a sense of community and belonging in the online learning environment. Universities must be dedicated to developing inclusive policies and procedures, allocating resources to support access, engagement, initiatives, and providing faculty training and development opportunities to enhance cultural competence and promote inclusive teaching practices. Through these efforts, universities can strive to create an inclusive online learning environment where all students can thrive academically and personally.
Leveraging Scholarship Programs
Scholarship programs can be adapted to support online students from diverse backgrounds. By extending the reach of existing scholarship initiatives, institutions can provide financial support to students who face economic barriers to higher education. This includes offering full-tuition scholarships, emergency funds, and flexible payment plans tailored to the needs of online learners.
Developing Online First-Gen Student Support Programs
First-generation college students often face unique challenges that require tailored support. Institutions can develop specialized programs for first-gen students in the online learning environment. These programs can include virtual orientation sessions, online workshops on academic and financial literacy, mentoring programs, peer support networks, and personalized academic advising.
Virtual Affinity Groups
Adapting affinity groups to the virtual environment can promote a sense of community and belonging among online students. These groups provide support, connection, and advocacy for students from diverse backgrounds. Virtual meetings, discussions, and collaborative projects can enable students to engage in meaningful dialogue, share experiences, and build relationships with peers who share similar cultural identities or interests.
Disability Inclusion Week
Hosting a Disability Inclusion Week can significantly support disability awareness and promote the inclusion of individuals with disabilities across university campuses. This annual event provides an opportunity for students to engage in activities that enhance their understanding of disability issues and underscore the importance of inclusion. Activities such as signing a virtual pledge banner and distributing educational materials designed by students can foster an online campus culture that values diversity and accessibility.
Faculty Training and Development Initiatives
Investing in faculty training and development is essential for creating inclusive online learning environments. Institutions can offer training on culturally responsive teaching, inclusive course design, and strategies for supporting diverse student bodies. Workshops on cultural competence and inclusive teaching practices can equip faculty with the tools they need to create a welcoming and supportive online classroom.
First Year Experience
Foundational first-year courses play a crucial role in equipping students with essential academic skills. Courses that focus on time management, study skills, and goal setting, preparing students for their academic journey and fostering a sense of belonging in the scholarly community. These courses emphasize communication, information literacy, and critical thinking, essential for navigating today’s digital environment.
Full Time Online Faculty
Universities can ensure student success by investing in well-trained full-time online faculty who support diverse learning needs and enhance the quality of instruction across different modes of learning. Full-time online faculty are pivotal in delivering these courses effectively. Their continuous presence and dedicated support contribute significantly to student retention and persistence rates. By building rapport with students and providing timely feedback, full-time online faculty create a supportive learning environment that enhances student engagement and motivation. Their availability for mentorship and academic guidance helps students navigate challenges and stay on track with their educational goals.
Full-time online faculty bring consistency and expertise to course delivery, ensuring a high standard of instruction across various learning modalities. Their commitment to student success extends beyond teaching, as they actively contribute to curriculum development, assessment strategies, and student support initiatives. By investing in full-time online faculty, universities not only enhance the quality of education but also strengthen institutional retention efforts by fostering a positive learning experience that encourages students to persist and succeed academically.
Encouraging Ongoing Self-Reflection and Growth
Promoting a culture of continuous learning and self-reflection among faculty members helps foster greater awareness and sensitivity to the needs of underrepresented students. Encouraging faculty to engage in ongoing professional development and self-assessment can enhance their ability to create inclusive and supportive learning environments.
Developing Inclusive Policies and Procedures
Institutions should establish policies that promote access, engagement, and inclusion across all aspects of the institution. This includes admissions, curriculum development, faculty hiring and promotion, and student support services. Creating an environment where all students feel valued and respected is essential for fostering a sense of belonging and community.
Student Affairs – Multicultural Office
A Multicultural Office dedicated to online students can serve as a central hub for advancing access, engagement, and inclusion initiatives within universities. By offering programs such as cultural celebrations, unity weeks, and educational events, this office promotes cross-cultural understanding and fosters an online campus environment that values inclusivity and respect. Affinity groups facilitated by the office provide spaces for students from underrepresented backgrounds to connect and build supportive communities within the online campus. These initiatives empower students to contribute to a more inclusive university community and prepare them to thrive in a diverse global society.
Allocating Resources to Support Inclusion Initiatives
Investing resources and funding in initiatives aimed at addressing access and engagement gaps and promoting inclusion demonstrates a commitment to advancing student success. This includes funding for inclusion training, multicultural programming, and support services for underrepresented students. Allocating resources to these initiatives can help create a more inclusive and supportive educational environment.
Conclusion
Addressing access, engagement, and inclusion in online education is essential for promoting equitable educational opportunities and ensuring that all students have access to the benefits of online learning. By implementing strategies such as accessible course design, culturally responsive pedagogy, community building, and institutional commitment, universities can create a more inclusive online learning environment for underrepresented students. Through these initiatives, institutions demonstrate their dedication to fostering a community where every individual is valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Thomas D. Dyer, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Online Teaching and Learning at Grand Canyon University, bringing over 16 years of extensive experience in higher education and online education to his role. Dr. Dyer’s research is centered on investigating student engagement, participation, and community connection within the online classroom, with a specific focus on social presence strategies. His work explores innovative approaches to integrating community cohesion, online proximity, and social presence literacy through thoughtful and deliberate technology integration. Dr. Dyer is a passionate educator, dedicated advocate, prolific researcher, published author, and presenter in the arena of online education and social presence literacy.
Rebekah D. Dyer, EdD, is a professor in the college of education at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ. The courses that she teaches focus on special education, both undergraduate and graduate. Dr. Dyer is passionate about supporting individuals with disabilities, specifically regarding inclusion in all settings. She is on the advisory board for the Lopes Academy at Grand Canyon University. Dr. Dyer also hosts an annual Disability Week for the university campus to increase knowledge of disability and promote inclusion. Her dissertation research focused on the inclusion of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in disability ministry programs. Dr. Dyer has published multiple articles and presented at numerous national conferences on disability and inclusion. Research interests include special education, inclusion of individuals with disabilities, dyslexia, differentiated instruction and disability ministry. Strengths in teaching include building relationships with students, communication, and classroom engagement.
References
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Aspelin, Jonas, and Anders Jonsson. “Relational competence in teacher education. Concept analysis and report from a pilot study.” Teacher Development 23, no. 2 (February 27, 2019): 264–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2019.1570323.
“Number and percentage of students enrolled in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by distance education participation, location of student, level of enrollment, and control and level of institution: Fall 2019 and fall 2020,” n.d. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_311.15.asp.
Dyer, Rebekah. “Successful Inclusion of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.” International Journal of Technology and Inclusive Education 11, no. 1 (June 30, 2022): 1712–16. https://doi.org/10.20533/ijtie.2047.0533.2022.0211.
Manassah, Tala, Tom Roderick, and Anne Gregory. “A Promising Path toward Equity: Restorative Circles Develop Relationships, Build Community, and Bridge Differences.” Learning Professional 39, no. 4 (August 1, 2018): 36–40. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1190294.
