A Multi-Year Evaluation of Student Perceptions of University and Special Education Doctoral Websites. (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sundeen, Todd; Vince Garland, Krista M.; Wienke, Wilfred D.
• Is Part Of: Teacher education and special education. Volume 39:Number 4(2016:Nov.)
• Page Start: 259
• Page End: 275
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: special education -- doctoral -- Internet -- website -- navigation -- usability -- webpage; Special education -- Periodicals; Special education teachers -- Training of -- Periodicals; Sonderpädagogik; Lehrerfortbildung; 371.9
• DOI: 10.1177/0888406416644488
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0888-4064

Abstract

Perceptions of usability and navigability contribute substantially to initial impressions of university and program websites. A survey was administered to graduate students in special education at four intervals between 2006 and 2014 to determine their perceptions of university and special education doctoral program websites. For this article, participant impressions of the websites are presented and analyzed using responses to open-ended survey questions. Thematic analysis revealed that overall opinions of university and program websites were predominately unfavorable with little improvement noted over the span of the survey administration. Results of this analysis have the potential to inform universities and program units beyond the bounds of the immediate focus of this article as graduate and undergraduate special education websites are evaluated for usability and navigability. Specific recommendations are provided for improving university and doctoral program websites.