Welcoming Diversity in Distance Education at UH Manoa: The Special Education Department’s Journey

Abstract

This paper chronicles a 5-year progression in distance education delivery by the Department of Special Education within the UH Manoa College of Education. Particular emphasis is given to technology accommodations for students who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing, including interactive video transmission of American Sign Language (ASL) and real-time captioning. The concept of universal design is discussed in terms of empowering students with diverse learning needs utilizing mainstream educational technologies.