Online education is a means by which students are able to
pick and choose educational programs that suit their goals, fit their budgets,
and all on a timetable that is appropriate for their lives. It is a way that individuals can obtain the
knowledge and credentials they need and want, without having to commute to a
campus. But the classes are not perfect;
institutions are still working out the kinks.
How well do online schools prepare their programs to be
accessible to students with disabilities?
To help shed some light on this subject, meet an expert, Mr. Thomas Lee McKeithan
II.
Mr. McKeithan, of Cheverly, MD, a native of Washington,
D.C., is currently a Test Engineer at New Editions Consulting, Inc. www.neweditions.net
In his position, he ensures that the information systems, website, and
electronic publications from the Department of Veteran Affairs are fully
compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
www.va.gov/accessible. He also served as
a member of the Mayor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (from
1995-2000) for the District of
Columbia. By
the way, he’s an online student, too!
He is currently an online student earning a Master’s degree
in Information Systems Management/Project Management at DeVry University’s
Keller Graduate School of Management dedicating 16 – 20 hours a week to his
studies. Aside from his studies, Mr.
McKeithan is a husband, a homeowner, works full time, and devotes 10 – 12 hours
a week to rehearsals and worship services as the Senior Musician for the Star
of Bethlehem, Church
of God in Christ (www.starcogic.org) as an organist.
Like most distance learning students, Mr. McKeithan has a
demanding agenda, and time-management skills are a must. He kindly took some time out of his schedule
to discuss his experiences as a student using adaptive software (as he is
legally blind).
Mr. McKeithan earned his Bachelor of Arts from American University in 2000 in “CLEG”
(Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics and Government), and undertook
his graduate studies the following year, 2001.
He had originally set out to earn a dual Master’s degree in Public
Administration/Project Management, but after having worked in his position
testing Section 508 compliance, he made the decision to earn a degree in
Information Systems/Project Management.
Disability rights advocacy have “always been a part of my academic
matriculation,” so his degree is a great fit for his career goals.
In his decision to return to school, he said that he chose
online education because “it gives me flexibility,” and it allows him to
“strike a balance” between his duties as a husband, a musician, an engineer, and
an activist. “An online, or term,
environment is intense . . . you can easily get behind,” whereas in a “campus
or semester environment . . . you can slip a little . . . it’s a slower pace.” With strong conviction, he added, “Anything
worth working for is worth the energy and investment.”
When asked what kinds of challenges he has encountered, (in
regards to pursuing his education), Mr. McKeithan commented, “[In 2001] Keller
really made an effort to make sure things were done,” though it was clear that
there was “not a cohesive accommodations strategy” in place to provide him an
other students with disabilities the tools they needed to optimize their
courses. “It has been perplexing.” He later added, “You have to convince folks
to comply with the law. Accommodations is not simply extending the time
allocation for students to take exams and quizzes, but it is the implementation
of an effective strategy that insures that the student with a disability is
able to grasp the material and navigate the program successfully.”
*The story isn't over yet! The second half of this interview will be posted next Monday, October 16th. Don't miss it!
Also! eLearners.com would like to introduce the web's first comprehensive Guide to Online Education! If you are a potential student who would like to learn more about online and distance education, you can read about current online students, how to make the most of your online classes, and compare the different programs that are out there. Check it out!