Date

11-11-2026

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Traci Cristein Eshelman

Keywords

artificial intelligence, andragogy, accessibility, higher education, distance education, students with disabilities

Disciplines

Higher Education | Online and Distance Education

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the use of AI-powered accessibility tools by adult e-learners with disabilities enrolled in online, U.S. based higher education institutions. The theory that guided this study was Knowles’ theory of andragogy, as it provided a framework for understanding the role self-directed learning, relevance, and prior experience has in the design of online courses for adult learners with disabilities in higher education. The central research question that guided this study was: What are the lived experiences of adult e-learners with disabilities using AI-driven accessibility tools in U.S. based online higher education institutions? A qualitative research design was utilized, leveraging Moustakas’ transcendental phenomenology to describe the essence of participants’ lived experiences with a fresh perspective, while bracketing out the presuppositions of the researcher. The sample included 10 adult e-learners diagnosed with at least one disability who had experience using at least one AI-powered accessibility tool in an online, higher education program in the United States. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and artifacts. Data were analyzed through the process of transcendental-phenomenological reduction, horizonalization, and thematic clustering. The results revealed the essence of the phenomenon was defined by participants’ strategic and pragmatic application of AI-powered accessibility tools, shaped by participants prior experiences, that acted as both a foundational background and as an evaluative filter during their use of these tools.

Download

Share

COinS