Accessibility
Accessibility in traditional higher education is a disadvantage for working adults. Barriers
relating to accessibility include time, flexibility, and instructional methods. A notable difference
between traditional and non-traditional students is their use of time. Most adult learners have
families and full-time jobs that compete for their time. The flexibility or inflexibility of
schedules and difficult access to locations, program duration, and pre-collegiate education make
success in higher education difficult. Lastly, adults learn differently than children, yet the
instructional methods in the classroom often times do not reflect the difference. (Knowles, 1970,
1998; Cross, 1981; Zemke & Zemke, 1995)