Loretta Charles-Cregan, an 18-year-old A-level student, counts herself fortunate as her school provided her with a laptop to assist with her GCSEs after she became temporarily homeless due to her house being flooded. "It is the sole reason why I can complete my school work now," she says. "It was a blessing in disguise." However, many students from low-income families, like Charles-Cregan’s, lack the necessary technology to study online, including a reliable broadband connection, a laptop, and a quiet study environment. As universities plan to shift to online courses in September if social distancing measures continue, some students are worried about how they will cope in this environment.

This change is already influencing Charles-Cregan’s decision-making process about which university to attend in September. Although she intends to move to university, the coronavirus outbreak has made her think about selecting an offer from a London-based institution to stay closer to home in Ilford. Nevertheless, this would not resolve the problem of how to complete her coursework.

Experts in social mobility are warning that moving to online teaching methods could severely disadvantage some students, including those from poorer backgrounds, care leavers, students with caring responsibilities, and those with disabilities. The National Union of Students highlights that one in five students struggle with access to the necessary technology, while more than half of students who depend on assistive technology feel that they lack the necessary support to continue learning.

The NUS is now urging universities to better cater for students who struggle by adopting a national approach to exams and assessment. Claire Sosienski-Smith, the NUS vice-president for higher education, stated: “The most impacted are already the most disadvantaged. This makes no sense when there are solutions available to help them and all students.” Anne-Marie Canning, the chief executive of social mobility charity The Brilliant Club, concurs, stating that "We need to be very cautious that digital provision doesn’t exacerbate existing inequality in the educational system.”

One solution proposed by Canning is for universities to redirect general bursaries to make them more suitable for low-income students to acquire the equipment necessary for online learning. Some universities have already started doing this. York, for example, has created a philanthropic fund to help students with online learning, Coventry University is exploring ways of providing courses that can be accessed via mobile phone, and another institution plans to supply Wi-Fi dongles for all disadvantage students.

However, Emma Hardy, the shadow universities minister, notes that accessing hardship loans can be a challenge for students. She states that “They’re limited, bureaucratic and very difficult to get paid out.”

Disadvantaged students face additional challenges beyond access to technology. According to 2017 research, these students generally perform worse in online courses than in face-to-face learning environments. "Taking online courses increases their likelihood of dropping out," the authors wrote. Chris Skidmore, the former universities minister, highlights that these students already struggle with feelings of belonging and are more likely to drop out of university. Remote learning should not allow these students to become more cut off, he adds.

Ian Dunn, the deputy vice-chancellor at Coventry, notes that his university intends to monitor student participation to observe their well-being. Martin Weller, a professor of educational technology at the Open University, suggests that chatting with fellow students and group activities can be incorporated into the online curriculum to recreate the natural socialisation that typically happens on campus. "There is evidence that indicates that students who form social bonds tend to remain enrolled in a course rather than dropping out," he states. Nonetheless, Weller emphasizes that universities must provide more structured pastoral care, which could be problematic for many institutions that use temporary staff to teach. "Will they provide the correct resources and compensation for half-hour weekly catch-ups with each student?"

Ensuring the mental health of her students is a top priority for one teacher, who recognizes the importance of support during these challenging times. Many students are struggling with the lack of a dedicated study space and proper equipment, which has a demotivating effect and makes it difficult for them to stay focused and productive.

Disabled students are also facing challenges, with many struggling to access the necessary software and equipment needed to complete their studies. While the Disabled Student Allowance provides funding for laptops, it doesn’t cover everything, leaving students to rely on specialist IT suites that are currently closed due to the pandemic.

Furthermore, disabled students have been calling for universities to implement lecture capture technology for years, but many have been slow to do so. Staff have not been properly trained on how to make video content accessible and inclusive, leaving deaf students struggling to lip-read on screens and understand seminars with multiple speakers, while autistic students are dealing with increased anxiety due to new systems.

One Kingston University student with dyslexia and dyspraxia expressed her difficulties with the new online learning format. The student struggles with coordination and finds the online portals unfriendly and stressful to use, which has led to a lack of support from lecturers.

While Kingston University offers students with statement of special needs assistive technology and human support during the assessment period, more needs to be done to ensure that all students are properly supported during these challenging times. It’s essential to prioritize mental health and provide equal access to resources and technology to ensure that all students can succeed.