1.4 Summary

The research team used the concepts related to barriers to participation in learning activities, the elements of a responsive lifelong learning educational system, and best practices in teaching as starting points in our analysis of the literature reviewed for this report.

2.0 Research Method

The available material addressing barriers and access to educational participation is vast. Every venture into a new database provided the research team with up to 500 references. The research team therefore decided to be selective in the reports and articles included in this report.

2.1 Criteria for including reports and articles

The following criteria were used to determine whether a report or article would be included or not in this report:

• We limited our search to entries dated no earlier than 1991. This arbitrary date was selected based on the experience of the research team that going back prior to 1991 would not yield any data that would add to the information published after 1991. The 1991 date was also selected because barriers do change over time and 15 years was assumed to be a suitable period of time to identify such changes.
• While we attempted to limit the literature we reviewed to research studies, we found many useful reports that summarized research, considered the application of existing research, or described best practices for improving access to learning opportunities. If the report or article appeared to be research-based or to apply research-based concepts, it was included.
• Reports and articles were considered if the abstract indicated that “barriers” and “access” to learning opportunities were addressed.
• Reports and articles were included if the researchers, based on their prior experience and expertise in the field of adult education, concluded that the content was relevant to the focus of this report. In some documents, the terms “barriers” and “access” were included in the abstract but the report or article did not focus on participation in adult learning activities. This was especially true when accessibility was discussed in relation to health services
• Reports and articles were included if the authors were identified as Canadian or were known by the researchers to be Canadian or landed immigrants, if the data were gathered from Canadian participants, or the research was conducted at Canadian sites.
• Reports and articles were excluded if Canadian educational institutions or Canadian journals were involved, but the focus was not on Canadian participants, the data-gathering site was not Canadian, or the authors were neither Canadian nor landed immigrants.