Abstract
Higher education plays a crucial role in fostering economic growth and enhancing the general well-being of modern society. Nevertheless, a recent study conducted by Fernández-Batanero, Montenegro-Rueda, and Fernández-Cerero (2022) indicates that individuals with special needs still face various obstacles when they start their studies at university. For example, specific regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia regarding adaptations and modifications in the learning process apply only to general education. Higher education in Latvia lacks openness for people with special needs, such as mobility impairments and specific learning difficulties. This is primarily due to the inaccessibility of the environment, the shortage of suitable teaching aids, and often the lack of expertise among academic staff in supporting individuals with special needs.
This study evaluates the accessibility of Latvian higher education institution websites. Its main tasks are to evaluate the accessibility of university websites based on WCAG and identify common accessibility challenges and impacted user groups.
Keywords: inclusive higher education, students with special needs, websites' accessibility, challenges and solutions of inclusive higher education in Latvia
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