Content area
Abstract
Research in Web-based course delivery has centered on themes of administration, pedagogy, funding and learner needs. Little research has been conducted on special populations and their perceptions of online course access, delivery and technology. The purpose of this study was to identify the obstacles and barriers that community college faculty and Latina/Latino students face in Web-based teaching and learning at their campuses. Sought was an understanding of the experiences of faculty and students as they move from a traditional to a Web-based teaching and learning environment. The study found that Latina students agreed with online learning as an option to traditional courses, but preferred the land-based courses mostly due to their personal and cultural attitudes. The study also presented data that supported the absence of ESL and English entry-level courses at three Northern Community colleges was due to faculty members' limited knowledge and access to technology that would allow for real-time visual and aural online environments for this special population. The data obtained from this study may help faculty and educational institutions to understand the special needs of populations, such as non-native speakers of English, as they begin to develop online programs for language minority, at-risk student populations. The study found that the implementation of an effective online learning program for Latinas and Latinos is critical for higher education access and completion of the most rapidly growing special population in our country today.
