The Disabled’s Learning Aspiration and E-Learning Participation

Abstract

This study attempted to examine the effects of ICT access/usage and learning aspiration on the disableds e-learning participation, using data from the 2020 Survey on Digital Divide collected by the National Information Society Agency in Korea, a nationally representative sample of 4,606 individuals, including the disabled and non-disabled. Chi-square test, analysis of variance, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were conducted. The major findings of this study were as follows. First, the types of disability did not have a significant effect on learning aspirations but significantly affected whether to participate in e-learning. The visual and hearing/language disabled were more likely to participate in e-learning than the non-disabled. These findings suggest that the disabled have as much learning aspirations as the non-disabled. Rather, they have greater demand for e-learning. Second, access to PC/notebook and internet usage were related to more learning aspirations. Those who have stronger learning aspirations were more likely to participate in e-learning activities. Therefore, access to PC/notebook and internet usage not only directly affect e-learning participation and also indirectly affect e-learning participation through learning aspirations, compared to those who can not either access to PC/notebook or use the Internet. The findings suggest that ICT access and use are not merely a tool necessary for e-learning. They also contribute to e-learning by stimulating learning aspirations.