Inclusive Design as a Predictor of Pass/Fail Rates in Online Courses

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v30i1.4759

Keywords:

Online Learning, inclusive design, online teaching, student success

Abstract

As the prevalence of online learning continues to increase in institutions of higher education, research devoted to understanding how these classrooms can be designed to best promote student success is warranted. For this study, online course Canvas shells at one large public four-year university were examined and scored for inclusive design. Findings indicate that inclusive design in online courses was significantly related to course pass rates. Implications and recommendations for campus administrators and faculty interested in designing and implementing online classes that promote student success are discussed.

Author Biographies

Amanda Pascale, University of North Florida

Dr. Amanda Pascale is an Associate Professor of Higher Education Administration at the University of North Florida. Dr. Pascale’s research examines leadership in higher education settings, and the praxis of ideas that promote university community success. She has expertise in faculty development, post-secondary learning, online college student learning, college student sense of belonging, higher education leadership, and design thinking in higher education contexts. 

Suzanne Ehrlich, University of North Florida

Dr. Suzanne Ehrlich is an Associate Professor of Educational Technology, Training, and Development at the University of North Florida with expertise in accessibility, assistive technologies, educational technology, inclusive practices, inclusive pedagogy, learning design, online learning, pedagogy for interpreting, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  

Amanda Lovins, University of Florida

Amanda Lovins is the Assistant Director of Human Resources at IFAS at the University of Florida.

References

Archambault L., Leary, H., & Rice, K. (2022) Pillars of online pedagogy: A framework for teaching in online learning environments. Educational Psychologist, 57(3), 178-191. https://doi.10.1080/00461520.2022.2051513

Archard, S. J. (2014). Feeling connected: A sense of belonging and social presence in an online community of learners. International Journal of Cyber Ethics in Education, 3(2), 13-26. https://doi.10.4018/ijcee.2014040102

Bartlett, M. E., Warren, C. L., & Chapman, D. D. (2021). Supporting postsecondary faculty transition to rapid online teaching and learning. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 6(2), 43-47. http://doi.10.5195/ie.2021.158

Bawa, P. (2016). Retention in online courses: Exploring issues and solutions—A literature review. Sage Open, 6(1), 21-58.CAST (2018). Universal design for learning guide- lines version 2.2 http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Chen, B., Bastedo, K., & Howard, W. (2018). Exploring design elements for online stem courses: active learning, engagement & assessment design. Online Learning, 22(2), 59-75. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1181419.pdf

Csibra, G., & Gergely, G. (2006). Social learning and social cognition: The case for pedagogy. In Y. Munakata & M. H. Johnson (Eds.), Processes of change in brain and cognitive development (pp. 249-274). Oxford University Press.

Dave, S., Jaffe, M., & O'Shea, D. (2024). Navigating college campuses: the impact of stress on mental health and substance use in the post COVID-19 era. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 101585.

Frankola, K. (2001). Why online learners drop out. Workforce, 80(10), 53-58.

Greene, J. A., Oswald, C. A., & Pomerantz, J. (2015). Predictors of retention and achievement in a massive open online course. American Educational Research Journal, 52(5), 925-955.

Guzzardo, M. T., Khosla, N., Adams, A. L., Bussmann, J. D., Engelman, A., Ingraham, N., & Taylor, S. (2021). “The ones that care make all the difference”: Perspectives on student-faculty relationships. Innovative Higher Education, 46(1), 41-58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-020-09522-w

Hockings, C., Brett, P., & Terentjevs, M. (2012). Making a difference—inclusive learning and teaching in higher education through open educational resources. Distance Education, 33(2), 237–252. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2012.692066

Hodges, C., Moore, S., Lockee, B., Trust, T., & Bond, A. (2020, March 27). The difference between emergency remote teaching and online teaching. Educause Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning

Hoffman, M., Richmond, J., Morrow, J., & Salomone, K. (2002). Investigating “sense of belonging” in first-year college students. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 4(3), 227-256. https://doi.org/10.2190/DRYC-CXQ9-JQ8V-HT4V

Kauffman, H. (2015). A review of predictive factors of student success in and satisfaction with online learning. Research in Learning Technology, 23. https://doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v23.26507

Ko, M. (2021). Course design equity and inclusion rubric. Teaching Commons. https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/news/course-design-equity-and-inclusion-rubric.

Lee, Y., & Choi, J. (2013). A structural equation model of predictors of online learning retention. The internet and higher education, 16, 36-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2012.01.005

Martin, F., Kumar, S., & She, L. (2021). Examining higher education instructor perceptions of roles and competencies in online teaching. Online Learning, 25(4), 267-295.

Martin, F., Oyarzun, B., & Sadaf, A. (2023). Higher Education Instructor Perception of Helpfulness of Inclusive and Equitable Online Teaching Strategies. Online Learning, 27(4), 144-170. https://doi.10.24059/olj.v25i4.2570

Mayhew M. J., Rockenbach A. N., Bowman N. A., Seifert T. A., Wolniak G. C., Pascarella E. T., Terenzini P. T. (2016). How college affects students Volume 3: 21st century evidence that higher education works. Jossey–Bass.

McCombs, B. (2015). Learner‐centered online instruction. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2015(144), 57-71. https://doi.org/10.1002

Means, B., Bakia, M., & Murphy, R. (2014). Learning online: What research tells us about whether, when and how. Routledge.

Mishra, L., Gupta, T., & Shree, A. (2020). Online teaching-learning in higher education during the lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 1, 100-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2020.100012

Pacansky-Brock, M., Smedshammer, M., & Vincent-Layton, K. (2020). Humanizing online teaching to equitize higher education. Current Issues in Education, 21(2 (Sp Iss).

Patterson, B. & McFadden, C. (2009) Attrition in online and campus degree programs. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12(2) 24-36.

Persson, H., Åhman, H., Yngling, A. A., & Gulliksen, J. (2015). Universal design, inclusive design, accessible design, design for all: different concepts—one goal? On the concept of accessibility—historical, methodological and philosophical aspects. Universal access in the information society, 14, 505-526. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-014-0358-z

Rao, K. (2021). Inclusive instructional design: Applying UDL to online learning. The Journal of Applied Instructional Design, 10(1), 83-97.

Sadera, W. A., Robertson, J., Song, L., & Midon, M. N. (2009). The role of community in online learning success. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 5(2), 277-284

Simpson, O (2013). Student retention in distance education: Are we failing our students? Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance, and e-Learning, 28(2), 105-119. doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2013.847363

Sun, A., & Chen, X. (2016). Online education and its effective practice: A research review. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 15, 157-190.

Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Wladis, C., Conway, K., & Hachey, A. C. (2017). Using course-level factors as predictors of online course outcomes: A multi-level analysis at a US urban community college. Studies in Higher Education, 42(1), 184-200. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1045478

Downloads

Published

2026-03-01

How to Cite

Pascale, A., Ehrlich, S., & Lovins, A. (2026). Inclusive Design as a Predictor of Pass/Fail Rates in Online Courses. Online Learning, 30(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v30i1.4759

Issue

Section

Faculty, Professional Development, and Online Teaching