Volume Two - Academic Conferences

Adelua Olajide Olawole and Maruff Akinwale Oladejo
Asuncion, Chwojka, Barile, Nguyen, Klomp, & Wolforth 2009) maintained that the increased use of
these technologies and the recent developments in adaptive software and hardware have enabled
students with disabilities to participate in, and do things that used to be difficult or impossible for them.
For example, it has allowed people who are blind to read using text-to-speech technology, people
who are deaf to communicate using chat programs, and people with difficulties using their hands or
arms to write and communicate using dictation software (Fichten, Asuncion, Barile, Fossey, & De
Simone 2000).
(Burgstahler 2003) lists the benefits of implementing these technologies for students with disabilities
as follows:
Maximizes independence in academic and employment tasks;
Increases participation in classroom discussions;
Helps students gain access to peers, mentors and role models;
Helps them self-advocate;
Provides them with access to the full range of educational options;
Helps them participate in different experiences not otherwise possible;
Provides them with the opportunity to succeed in work-based learning experiences;
Secures high levels of independent living;
Prepares them for transitions to college and careers;
Gives them the opportunity to work side-by-side with peers;
Helps them enter high-tech career fields; and
Encourages them to participate in community and recreational activities.
1.1 Electronic learning defined
In reference to (Homan & Macpherson 2005), the emergence of eLearning is well documented,
however , what constitutes eLearning is less well defined. Be that as it may, (Homan & Macpherson
2005) described the term “eLearning” to cover any electronic learning material from CD-ROMs on
stand alone Personal Computers (PCs) to intranet/internet networked systems with downloadable and
interactive material. According to (Hall & Snider 2000), eLearning is the process of learning via
computers over the Internet and Intranets. In general, e- learning is defined as the use of Internet and
digital technologies to create experiences that educate fellow human beings (Horton 2001). However,
it was (Jackson 2001), who categorized eLearning into two namely: “technology-enhanced
eLearning”, in which technology is used as a supplement to traditional on-campus learning, and
“technology-delivered eLearning”, which is related with distance education.
1.2 Psycho-social factors and eLearning
Students with disabilities are faced with some psychological cum social hindrances , capable of
preventing them from participating and gaining fully in electronic learning environment. For them to be
able to fit in properly, they are expected to have positive attitudes towards eLearning and be
technologically confident. For this reason, determining these types of psychological characteristics of
students with disabilities is extremely important to be able to assist them in their academic work in
electronic environment.
(Saade & Kira 2009) argued that in the context of eLearning, a student’s ‘likelihood of use of a specific
system such as the Learning Management System (LMS)) is jointly determined by several psychosocial
factors among which is their attitude toward using the system. The need to investigate the
attitudes of SWDs is highly consequential. This is because attitude has been seen as a mental state
that exerts influence on a person's response to people, objects and situations, Shannon (in Olaoye,
2005). (Ajzen and Fishbein 1980) maintained that attitudes are positive or negative evaluations of
object, people, or situation that predispose one to feel and behave toward them in positive or negative
ways. Measuring attitudes therefore, has a vital role in analyzing behaviour because it has been
established that there is a strong correlation between attitude and behaviour (Bertea 2009). In the
context of e-environment, a favourable attitude of academics shows a greater probability that they will
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