Disability-aware adaptive and personalised learning for students with multiple disabilities

Author(s):

Julius T. Nganji, (Information Technology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada)

Mike Brayshaw, (School of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Hull, Hull, UK)

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Single Sentence Summary:

This paper addresses how virtual learning environments can be designed to include the needs of learners with multiple disabilities revealing that students with multiple disabilities would use learning environments, and then design learning environments to meet their needs.

Abstract:

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address how virtual learning environments (VLEs) can be designed to include the needs of learners with multiple disabilities. Specifically, it employs AI to show how specific learning materials from a huge repository of learning materials can be recommended to learners with various disabilities. This is made possible through employing semantic web technology to model the learner and their needs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews personalised learning for students with disabilities, revealing the shortcomings of existing e-learning environments with respect to students with multiple disabilities. It then proceeds to show how the needs of a student with multiple disabilities can be analysed and then simple logical operators and knowledge-based rules used to personalise learning materials in order to meet the needs of such students.

Findings

It has been acknowledged in literature that designing for cases of multiple disabilities is difficult. This paper shows that existing learning environments do not consider the needs of students with multiple disabilities. As they are not flexibly designed and hence not adaptable, they cannot meet the needs of such students. Nevertheless, it is possible to anticipate that students with multiple disabilities would use learning environments, and then design learning environments to meet their needs.

Practical implications

This paper, by presenting various combination rules to present specific learning materials to students with multiple disabilities, lays the foundation for the design and development of learning environments that are inclusive of all learners, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. This could potentially stimulate designers of such systems to produce such inclusive environments. Hopefully, future learning environments will be adaptive enough to meet the needs of learners with multiple disabilities.

Social implications

This paper, by proposing a solution towards developing inclusive learning environments, is a step towards inclusion of students with multiple disabilities in VLEs. When these students are able to access these environments with little or no barrier, they will be included in the learning community and also make valuable contributions.

Originality/value

So far, no study has proposed a solution to the difficulties faced by students with multiple disabilities in existing learning environments. This study is the first to raise this issue and propose a solution to designing for multiple disabilities. This will hopefully encourage other researchers to delve into researching the educational needs of students with multiple disabilities.

Keywords:

Virtual learning environments, Machine learning, Personalization, E-learning, Disability-aware systems, Multiple disabilities

Type:

Research paper

Publisher:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Received:

04 August 2016

Revised:

13 March 2017

Accepted:

02 June 2017

Acknowledgments:

This study was carried out as part of a PhD research project at the University of Hull. Funding for this research was provided by the School of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Hull. The authors thank all the anonymous reviewers of this paper for their review and comments.

Copyright:

© Emerald Publishing Limited 2017
Published by Emerald Publishing Limited
Licensed re-use rights only

Citation:

Julius T. Nganji, Mike Brayshaw, (2017) "Disability-aware adaptive and personalised learning for students with multiple disabilities", The International Journal of Information and Learning Technology, Vol. 34 Issue: 4, pp.307-321, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJILT-08-2016-0027

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