Exploring Opportunities and Barriers of Multilingualism in Global E Learning for Inclusive International Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70062/gllr.v1i2.249Keywords:
E-Learning, Multilingualism, Inclusivity, International Students, Online EducationAbstract
The rapid growth of global e-learning platforms such as Coursera and edX has expanded access to education but also highlighted linguistic inequities due to the dominance of English. Non-native international students often face challenges in understanding course content, limiting inclusivity and academic engagement. This study investigates the role of multilingualism in fostering inclusivity in global online learning by exploring both opportunities and barriers to implementing multilingual content. A quantitative survey method was employed, targeting international students who actively use global e-learning platforms. Data were collected through online questionnaires combining a 5-point Likert scale and open-ended questions, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression tests, as well as thematic analysis. The findings indicate that localized language content significantly improves comprehension, engagement, and knowledge retention, while also reducing cognitive load when learning complex concepts. However, the study also identifies major barriers, including limited institutional resources, high translation costs, and difficulties in maintaining standardized content quality. Comparison with previous research confirms that linguistic and cultural adaptation is critical for inclusivity, while hybrid strategies combining automated translation with human validation are seen as pragmatic solutions. This study concludes that multilingualism is essential for advancing global educational equity, with implications for policy development, platform design, and international collaboration. Recommendations are offered for policymakers, e-learning providers, and educational institutions to integrate multilingual strategies and promote further research on their effectiveness.
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