Investigating inclusion and equity in the context of distance learning for rural community empowerment in Ghana using a social location perspective

In this paper a social location perspective is used to explore the challenges of creating opportunities that will foster distance education, inclusion, and equity for residents of rural communities in Ghana. The differentiated experiences of rural adults are under-researched and often unacknowledged in distance ­education literature and higher education policy. There is a need to carefully examine the structural inequalities that create disadvantages for residents of rural communities and women in pursuing distance education. The paper employed a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of 34 distance learners through convenience sampling, and to scrutinise the narratives of distance learning. The paper reflects on the implications of the findings and recommendations for social justice in distance learning. It further recommends the need to provide IT laboratories and fully online programs that would require stable and regular internet and access to ICT equipment for potential learning in rural communities. The social location approach presented several axes of diversity as comparatively more important than others, these included gender, age, education, work commitment, geography, and degree of social connectedness. By examining social locations, researchers can identify and analyse systemic inequalities and power dynamics that perpetuate social injustices. Future study would benefit from merging studies from different disciplines to investigate these topics in greater depth.