Accessibility Barriers Faced When Interacting with Digital Teaching Materials: A Case of High School Students with Visual Impairment in Norway.

Abstract

Access to education is a key element in promoting equality in Norway. Moreover, the inclusion of the ICT regulations in the education sector mandates universal design for all digital learning materials. Despite this requirement, recent studies conducted in Norway reveal that digital teaching materials lack accessibility and fail to meet current legal requirements. The objective of this study is to identify the barriers faced by high school students with visual impairments in accessing digital teaching materials. Using qualitative methods and thematic analysis, various accessibility challenges, including navigation difficulties, usability issues, incompatibility with assistive technologies, inaccessible multimedia, and a lack in digital skills, were identified. These findings indicate that existing digital teaching materials are not accessible, potentially impacting students’ motivation and learning processes. The insights gained contribute to a better understanding of the needs of students with visual impairments, promoting the development of accessible digital teaching materials.