DISTANCE HIGHER EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

In recent years, educators have been paying considerable attention to higher distance education since its advent has created wider learning opportunities for students with disabilities. The relevance is explained by the need to study the diversified forms of distance and online learning within distance university education. These are connected, firstly, with the general theory of distance education and, then, with the development and implementation of relevant distance learning systems for students with impairments. This article is devoted to the higher distance education for students with disabilities presenting a multidimensional picture of distance learning systems in the world. It aims to give a comprehensive account of the approaches, organization, and adaptation of higher distance education in Germany, Russia, and other countries. The leading approach to the study is the comparative analysis of pedagogical, legal literature on how disabled students can use new learning opportunities, improve their learning and behavioral achievements in the process of acquiring profound social and professional skills. The authors focus on access to libraries, entrance exams, course deliveries, accommodation and other currently important changes. The result is to give a deep insight into higher distance education for students with disabilities, review the tensions at the present moment and further the perspectives in the nearest future.