What would make the biggest difference? Enhancing Disability and Access Services in ODFL

Abstract

This reflective paper describes insights gained in the process of seeking to enhance Disability and Access services for adult disabled learners within the context of Open Distance and Flexible Learning (ODFL) in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This paper explores the question: What would make the biggest difference to disabled learners’ experience in ODFL? It presents brief background information about the specific context of ODFL, Kuratini Tuwhera, the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, and what was known about its disabled learners at the outset of this work. It highlights the related understandings of four underpinning bodies of knowledge (models) of disability that inform the enhancement of services. Five themes detail the insights and recommendations of a year-long advisory group that included disabled learners and Open Polytechnic staff.  An important finding is the understanding that the biggest difference lies in the disability confidence of the staff across the organisation.  Limitations of the paper include the small size of disability advisory group, the resulting small dataset, and the inability to evaluate outcomes against the model.