(Dataset) Digital divide in higher education: Analysis of web accessibility in ranked universities worldwide
Description
This dataset provides empirical data for examining the digital divide in higher education through the lens of web accessibility across ranked universities worldwide. It contains accessibility evaluation results from institutional university websites selected from international university rankings, enabling systematic comparisons across institutions, countries, and geographic regions. The data support the identification of common accessibility barriers that may restrict equitable access to digital information and services, particularly for users with disabilities. Accessibility indicators allow researchers to investigate patterns of compliance with established web accessibility standards and explore potential relationships between institutional ranking and digital accessibility performance. The dataset can also support cross-country and regional analyses of disparities in accessible digital environments within higher education. By providing structured, reusable accessibility data, this resource supports further research in web accessibility, digital inclusion, human–computer interaction, disability studies, and higher education. It may also inform institutional strategies and evidence-based policies aimed at reducing digital inequalities globally.
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Steps to reproduce
Select the universities. Identify the universities included in the study using the corresponding international university ranking and record their institution name, country, region, and ranking position. Identify the institutional websites. Retrieve the official homepage URL of each selected university and verify that it corresponds to the institution's primary website. Prepare the evaluation environment. Use the same browser, operating system, evaluation tools, and configuration for all websites to ensure consistency and reproducibility. Perform the accessibility evaluation. Evaluate each university homepage using the accessibility assessment tools specified in the dataset documentation. Conduct the assessments under equivalent conditions and record the results generated for each website. Extract accessibility indicators. Collect the reported accessibility metrics, including detected errors, warnings, contrast-related issues, structural problems, and applicable Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) criteria. Clean and standardize the data. Remove duplicate records, standardize institution and country names, verify URLs, and organize the accessibility indicators using consistent variable names and formats. Integrate ranking and accessibility data. Match each university's accessibility results with its ranking position and geographic information using a unique institutional identifier. Validate the dataset. Review the records for missing values, inconsistencies, duplicated institutions, and anomalous accessibility results before conducting the analysis. Reproduce the analysis. Import the resulting dataset into the selected statistical or data-analysis software and perform descriptive, comparative, correlation, or regional analyses to investigate web accessibility and digital-divide patterns among ranked universities worldwide.