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Accessibility raises many challenges and opportunities relevant to computer-supported collaborative learning that should be regarded. New technologies allow blind people to participate in online learning. We are now faced with educational demands that led us to rethink and expand our educational methods to embrace students with special needs.
Indeed, in the educational system, there are some students who need a singular teaching approach. In particular, blind people can benefit enormously from the significant social, cultural, economic, and educational opportunities of information and communication technologies. The Royal National Institute for the Blind stated “The Internet is one of the most significant communication developments since the invention of braille. For the first time ever, many blind and partially sighted people can have access to the same wealth of information as sighted people and on the same terms”.
However, blind people will benefit from the educational advantages of online learning as long as the computational systems and educational methods are designed appropriately. In general, little attention is devoted to students with disabilities despite the fact that they need more consideration (Pudaruth et al., 2017). Inclusive education “involves focusing on the individual needs of learners, helping them to overcome any barriers that may prevent them from reaching their potential” (Walker & Logan, 2009). In this broad definition, any student requires some kind of assistance to enable them to reach their potential. So, an important issue is to identify the barriers that they need to overcome and the challenges the teachers need to surpass as well. We need to address the needs of the great number of blind learners, who commonly have had limited access to general education (Seo et al., 2017). There is a demand for investigations with the aim to unveil effective teaching and learning methods encompassing blind students.
On the other hand, blind people tend to develop other perceptual abilities that should be explored and managed to help other students. Some of the practices developed to accommodate students with special needs can often be of benefit for other students as well (Petrie & Edwards, 2006; Dix, 2001). So that, all students within a classroom is able to learn effectively, regardless their differences. Thus, a more open investigation to be considered is identifying challenges as well as the opportunities underneath inclusive education.
Concerning computer-supported collaborative learning, previous research points out that blind students have high listening capacity. Collaborative learning is an appropriate educational method to promote the dialogical capacity of blind students (Najafi et al, 2012). Since blind students have not any vision they should be encouraged to use more their verbal ability. Collaborative learning method makes use of verbal capacity of blind students, promoting a conductive environment for learning. It can be applied to overcome the blind students visual limitation, because it takes advantage of their communications skills, like speed listening and reading.
Computer-supported collaborative learning approach allows students to discuss and exchange their points of view. It is a learning method in which students work together in small groups in order to get a common goal. Moreover, they are liable for their own learning, but also they are responsible for others’ learning.
Collaborative learning needs to be structured in a way that group members know that they are interrelated with each other in a way that one cannot be successful unless everyone succeeds (Johnson & Johnson, 1984). Collaborative learning setting must be established in order to make the students believe they sink or swim together.
When collaborative learning is solidly stated, one of its important features is to highlight that each group member's efforts are required and indispensable for the group to achieve their goals and also that each group member has a unique contribution to make to the joint effort. By doing so, a commitment to the success of group members emerges as well as one's own. A positive interdependence among students is the heart of collaborative learning.