International Students’ Experiences of Digital Accessibility with Moodle in Finnish Higher Education
Hapu Arachchige, Inoka (2026)
2026
Master's Programme in Sustainable Societies and Digitalisation
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2026-06-25
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202606247937
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202606247937
Tiivistelmä
Digital learning environments have become an important part of higher education, with learning management systems such as Moodle supporting teaching, communication, assessment, and access to learning materials. As universities increasingly rely on digital platforms, accessibility has become both a legal requirement and an important element of inclusive education. While previous research has focused mainly on technical accessibility standards and disability-related support, less attention has been given to students’ everyday experiences of accessibility in digital learning environments.
This study explores how international master’s students experience digital accessibility within Moodle-based learning environments at Tampere University. The study adopted a qualitative case study approach and used semi-structured interviews with eight international master’s students. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
The findings show that students experienced accessibility primarily through course organization, navigation, communication clarity, usability, and participation rather than through technical accessibility features alone. Accessible Moodle environments were associated with clear course structures, visible deadlines, understandable instructions, and consistent organization. In contrast, fragmented communication, overloaded course pages, inconsistent course designs, and unclear expectations created additional challenges for students. The findings also highlight the important role of instructor practices in shaping accessibility experiences.
The study suggests that accessibility in higher education should be understood as a combination of technical accessibility, pedagogical design, communication practices, and everyday academic participation. The findings contribute to discussions on inclusive digital education by highlighting the need to align institutional accessibility goals with students’ lived experiences in digital learning environments.
This study explores how international master’s students experience digital accessibility within Moodle-based learning environments at Tampere University. The study adopted a qualitative case study approach and used semi-structured interviews with eight international master’s students. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
The findings show that students experienced accessibility primarily through course organization, navigation, communication clarity, usability, and participation rather than through technical accessibility features alone. Accessible Moodle environments were associated with clear course structures, visible deadlines, understandable instructions, and consistent organization. In contrast, fragmented communication, overloaded course pages, inconsistent course designs, and unclear expectations created additional challenges for students. The findings also highlight the important role of instructor practices in shaping accessibility experiences.
The study suggests that accessibility in higher education should be understood as a combination of technical accessibility, pedagogical design, communication practices, and everyday academic participation. The findings contribute to discussions on inclusive digital education by highlighting the need to align institutional accessibility goals with students’ lived experiences in digital learning environments.