Accessibility

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The issue of accessibility negatively affects E-Learning. If students around the world do not have the ability to access computers, Internet, and other technology, then E-Learning cannot exist. It is clear how online classes are impacted by accessibility, if students do not have computers and the Internet, they simply cannot participate in those online classes. While this might not seem like the biggest deal, why do students, especially those in the public school system, need to take online classes? Personally, in my high school career, in order to take the more challenging academic classes, music, and a foreign language I had to take a health class online. Without this online class, that I took on my own time, at home, I simply wouldn’t have graduated high school, this one class would have been the only thing standing in between me and my high school diploma, the only thing standing in between me and going to college. Some people say that students can gain access to technology in the regular classroom hours, or in public hours, however for students that work while going to school, or may have siblings to take care of, or other responsibilities, the cannot work around a school or public library hours. Also, when teachers use technology in their class lessons, maybe asking students to create a power point for a presentation, or researching a topic, and have the students finish their work at home if they could not finish, this is impossible for students who do not have access to this kind of technology. This is setting back students, not based on their academic drive, or desire to learn, but could simply be separating students based on their socioeconomic status, or the amount of money their family can spend on technology and an Internet connection.