National Contexts and Platform Design in MOOCs: A Comparative Study of Educational Access and Equity Across Five Countries

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are widely promoted as instruments for expanding educational access and promoting equity at scale. However, cross-national comparative analyses that examine how platform design and policy contexts shape equitable access remain limited. This descriptive study compares major MOOC platforms from five countries—the United States (edX), Turkey (Bilgeİş), India (SWAYAM), China (XuetangX), and the United Kingdom (OpenLearn)—using publicly available course metadata and platform documentation. The analysis focuses on language accessibility, certification and cost structures, course orientation, and target learner framing as key indicators of educational access and equity. Findings suggest that national platforms place greater emphasis on localized language support, workforce-oriented certification, and low-cost or publicly funded access, while global platforms prioritize English-language academic credentials and international reach. These differences reflect distinct national policy priorities and result in varied equity outcomes. The study argues that educational equity in MOOCs is shaped less by platform scale and more by context-driven design choices. Implications are discussed for MOOC providers, policymakers, and researchers seeking to design more inclusive online learning ecosystems.