Introduction

Access to education for students with visual impairments and their inclusion in the education process is a subject of concern for the education sector in Morocco, and for Cadi Ayyad[1] University in particular. Morocco has ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and a number of other international human rights treaties, in addition to various memorandums and agreements that stipulate the right of persons with disabilities to live a decent life. One such instrument is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which states in article 19, entitled “Living independently and being included in the community”, that States Parties “recognize the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others, and shall take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community”.[2]

At the national level, Morocco has adopted legislation to empower and protect persons with disabilities, and specific provisions relating to persons with visual impairments were introduced the 1980s, with the adoption of Act No. 81–5, “Social Protection for the Blind and Visually Impaired”, in 1980.[3] Nowadays, disability inclusion has become a key issue for education technology specialists and within educational institutions, and they have mainstreamed it into their policies and programmes to improve the quality of higher education.

This study aims to examine access to digitization for students with visual impairments at Cadi Ayyad University, and the resulting impact on the quality of their educational careers and lives in general, and to assess how well and through which mechanisms digitization is being applied to the learning process at the university.

Cadi Ayyad University has set up a Centre for Inclusive Education and Social Responsibility.[4] Professors, administrators and students have worked together to develop a multi-year strategy and programme of work for inclusive education, to promote inclusion of persons with disabilities in systems of education, training and academic research, and empower them to exercise their right to acquire suitable education, skills and abilities. The strategy aims to provide students with disabilities with the services they need at every stage of their university career.

Students need to meet certain basic conditions, including in terms of e-accessibility and basic computer and software literacy, to allow them to participate in educational activities and acquire academic knowledge. In today’s information society, challenges arise when it comes to disseminating and using digital tools and enabling students with visual impairments to access university education on an equal basis with other students.

We must therefore ask the following questions: to what extent do universities provide the means for students (in general, and those with visual impairments in particular) to access education services and benefit from facilitation measures such as digital applications, in order to promote equal opportunities and enable equal academic attainment? How do students with visual impairments access digitization at Cadi Ayyad University? Is this access provided as standard, or on a limited basis, despite its vital role since the onset of changes during the Covid-19 pandemic?

This also leads us to the following subsidiary questions:

  • To what extent do students with visual impairments use artificial intelligence (AI) to access education, and do they do so in the same way as other students at Cadi Ayyad University?
  • To what extent does a lack of specialized learning tools prevent these students from accessing digitization?
  • Are problems accessing digitization related to the particular circumstances of students with visual impairment, or the university’s ability to address them?

 

[1]       Cadi Ayyad University is based in Marrakesh, and covers all the provinces and prefectures of the Marrakesh-Safi region, which is one of the administrative authorities in Morocco’s new regional structure adopted in 2012. Marrakesh-Safi has a population of 4 222 217 inhabitants, and is divided into one prefecture and seven territories. With 22 per cent of the population aged 19 and over, demand for higher education is set to rise in the coming decade.

[2]       Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), United Nations General Assembly, 2006. Morocco’s second national disability survey, published in 2014 as part of its reporting obligations under the Convention, and conducted by the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Inclusion and the Family, noted that persons with disabilities represented 6.8 per cent of the population, among which 1.8 per cent were able to access university, with the remainder ceasing education after preparatory school or high school.

[3]       https://maroc-diplomatique.net/elaboration-dune-politique-publique-integree-visant-promouvoir-droits-des-personnes-en-situation-de-handicap. In its preamble, the Moroccan Constitution of 2011 stipulates the need to develop a unified society where all individuals enjoy security, liberty, equal opportunities, respect, dignity and social justice, based on the principle of correlation between rights and duties. Dahir 1-08-143 of 2011 decrees the publication of the CRPD and its Optional Protocol. Morocco has also adopted Framework Law 97–13 on protection for persons with disabilities. To implement the relevant recommendations, Morocco adopted a 2015–2030 strategy on education and training, which includes a specific project (project 5) on guaranteeing the right of persons with disabilities and special needs to access education and training.

[4]       Ceirs@uca.ma. The Centre for Inclusive Education and Social Responsibility (CEIRS) at Cadi Ayyad University was established by a university council decision of 3 May 2019, in accordance with university policy and as part of the integrated strategy for inclusive education and social responsibility, in order to act as the technical branch for practical implementation of the strategy within all institutions of the university (both presidency and university institutions). The higher education and academic research programme, as part of the national action plan, includes project 4 entitled, “Empowering students with disabilities or special needs to pursue education”. See Cadi Ayyad University annual report 2021, project 4 on empowerment and reference guide for national tracking indicators.