Accessibility of blended and e-learning for mature age and disabled students and staff. Introduction to the special thematic session

Blended learning, the use of a combination of face-to-face and distance learning techniques, is becoming very common in all educational sectors. Almost all educational institutions now use websites to communicate with students, provide them with learning resources and, increasingly, allow students and staff to collaborate with each other. Many institutions use their own websites, others use virtual learning environments (VLEs) or learning management systems (LMSs). The transition of institutions to all learning being through electronic channels, or e-learning, is also becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly in the higher and further education domains. Even in primary and secondary school systems, the integration of virtual classrooms, multimedia resources and electronic whiteboards have further blurred the lines between the virtual and the physical world.