Academic Attainment in Students with Dyslexia in Distance Education

Area of Science:

• Education
• Psychology
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia, present unique challenges for students.
• Distance learning environments may impact student attainment differently based on learning needs.
• Understanding attainment gaps is crucial for inclusive higher education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the academic attainment of students with dyslexia or specific learning difficulties in a distance learning context.
• To compare the performance of students with and without additional disabilities.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of module completion, pass rates, and grades for students at The Open University in 2012.
• Comparison between students with dyslexia/specific learning difficulties (with and without additional disabilities) and nondisabled students.

Main Results:

• Students with dyslexia but no additional disabilities had similar completion rates but lower pass rates and grades than nondisabled students.
• Students with dyslexia and additional disabilities showed lower completion, pass rates, and grades compared to nondisabled students.
• Approximately 40% of students with dyslexia achieved good grades, sufficient for a bachelor's degree with honours.

Conclusions:

• While students with dyslexia face attainment challenges in distance learning, a significant portion can still achieve high academic results.
• Further support strategies may be needed to improve pass rates and grades for students with specific learning difficulties in distance education.
• The findings highlight the importance of considering both learning difficulties and additional disabilities in educational support.