This article briefly reviews the history of assistive technologies in American and Canadian postsecondary education starting in the 1990s, discusses the accessibility of e-learning and information and communication technologies (ICTs) currently popular in postsecondary education, and highlights emerging trends. Increasing use of universal design…

Data on perceptions of 1354 Canadian college and university students with disabilities about how well their information and communication technology (ICT) needs are being met on and off campus were collected. These formed the basis for the POSITIVES Scale (Postsecondary Information Technology Initiative Scale). The measure contains 26 items which…

Data on how well information and communication technology (ICT) needs of 1354 Canadian college and university students with disabilities are met on and off campus were collected using the newly developed Positives Scale (Postsecondary Information Technology Initiative Scale). The measure contains 26 items which use a 6-point Likert scale (1 =…

We interviewed 58 experts (30 in French, 28 in English) about potentially useful information and communication technologies (ICTs) for Québec college students with a learning disability (LD) and evaluated whether college students with an LD (n = 74), in fact, used these. We also compared ICT use, learning opportunities, and attitudes among three…

An increasing number of students with disabilities are attending higher education. These students might face various difficulties coping with academic skills and with learning methods compared to students without disabilities. Integrating information and communication technologies (ICTs) in academic studies may be effective and constructive for…

The responses of 81 Canadian junior and community college students with disabilities were used to develop and evaluate the Scale of Adaptive Information Technology Accessibility for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities (SAITAPSD). This is an 18-item self-administered tool that evaluates computing accessibility for and by students with various…

Purpose: To explore variables related to how well the information and communication technologies (ICTs) related needs of students with different disabilities are being met on campus at institutions of higher education, at home and in e-learning contexts. We also explore the disciplines and programmes pursued by students with different disabilities…

This study evaluates how well information and communication technology (ICT) related needs of students with various disabilities are met at school, at home, and in e-learning contexts. Results are based on the POSITIVES Scale, a 26 item objective measure of how well the ICT related needs of these students are met. The sample consists of 131…

This is an applied companion to our empirical article elsewhere in this issue (Fichten et al., in press) on technological needs and concerns of Canadian junior/community college- and university-based disability service providers. Here, we provide highlights of our findings as well as timely, practical recommendations to disability service…

Presents access issues based on three Canadian empirical studies of the use of computer and information technologies by college students with physical, sensory, and learning disabilities. Results of focus groups, interviews, and questionnaires indicated that the majority used computers and the Internet but many needed some type of adaptation to…

Uses the results of a series of empirical studies of the computer-related needs and concerns of students with disabilities and the individuals responsible for providing services to them to discuss evolving issues, provide a list of resources, and make practical recommendations about what postsecondary personnel can do to facilitate access to…

Views and concerns of the professionals who deliver disability-related services at Canadian postsecondary education institutions about access to information and instructional technologies are presented. Findings are based on structured interviews with 156 individuals who represent 80% of the population of Canadian campus-based disability service…

In fall 2014 we surveyed 311 students who had been enrolled at least one semester in two Canadian junior/community colleges. We inquired about their views, experiences, and recommendations about ICTs used in their college by their instructors in face-to-face classes in various programs of study. Results show that students consistently preferred…

This article presents the results of two studies on the accessibility of e-learning materials and other information and computer and communication technologies for 143 Canadian college and university students with low vision and 29 who were blind. It offers recommendations for enhancing access, creating new learning opportunities, and eliminating…

In 1999, a survey was conducted of almost 800 university students with different disabilities across Canada to investigate what computer equipment students used and wanted, how they financed their computer technologies, and why they failed to take advantage of government subsidy programs. Results from the survey indicate many students did not know…