Inclusive Marketing Strategies in Higher Education: Enhancing Access for Students with Disabilities

Abstract

The present research investigates policies of inclusive marketing as one way of enhancing access of the students with disabilities in higher education institutions. The research focuses on the accessibility of communication, the use of communication digital platforms and AT, the accessibility of promotional campaigns and how these impacts on the accessibility of education, student satisfaction, participation and perception of inclusion. Questionnaire with a structured questionnaire was used in quantitative research, which was given to 170 students with disabilities from the various higher education institutions. The data collected were analyzed descriptively, reliability, correlation and regression in SPSS. It indicates that there were positive and significant relationships among inclusive marketing strategies and accessibility outcomes. The research found that improvement in the learning process and in students' attitude towards the process of learning are significantly better if it is possible to access digital platforms, communicate appropriately, and use assistive technologies (AT). The results further showed that use of inclusive promotional campaigns has a positive impact on students' sense of belonging and inclusion of their institutions. The study concludes that inclusive marketing practices are important to the development of equitable and accessible learning spaces for students with disabilities. The research reinforces the value of taking a whole-of-university approach to the issue of inclusion, which is essential to enable access, equality and student success.