The ‘shadow pandemic’ in online learning: perspectives of visually impaired students from Ghana and Egypt

The emergence of COVID-19 accelerated the integration of digital technologies in teaching and learning to expand access to education. However, one cannot ascertain if visually impaired students learning online benefited from this innovation, a phenomenon this netnographic study explored. Social media tools were used to interview 12 visually impaired students from a Ghanaian and an Egyptian higher education institution. Analysis of the data revealed multiple ‘shadows’ in the students’ experiences. The findings further revealed that the studied institutions prioritized physical access and they also used lopsided crippling discourse. Lastly, the support systems that enhanced the studies of visually impaired students came to light. The study findings have consequences for this cohort of students, so this study recommends agile and futuristic policies to reverse the trend. Finally, it is recommended that the capabilities of faculty and staff need to be enhanced to effectively accommodate visually impaired students in virtual spaces.