Abstract:
SDL has become increasingly important in advanced-level education. However, students’
engagement in SDL depends strongly on home learning conditions, including access to
resources and parental support. In Sri Lanka, disparities in family income may lead to
unequal access to such conditions. This study examined the relationship between family
income and Home Learning Environment (HLE) in supporting SDL among advanced-level
students in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey
design was employed. A proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to
select 377 advanced-level students from a population of 19,896. The HLE scale was used
to measure the availability of learning resources and the presence of a supportive home
environment. Family income was treated as a continuous variable. Data were analyzed
using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients. Students reported high
availability of home learning resources (M = 3.90, SD = 0.95) and very high levels of
supportive home environment (M = 4.50, SD = 0.70). Family income was positively
correlated with the availability of learning resources (r = .483, p < .001), the supportive
home environment (r = .311, p < .001), and the overall HLE (r = .468, p < .001). The study
did not measure students’ actual SDL engagement; therefore, no direct relationship
between home environment and SDL scores is reported. Significant income-based
disparities exist in HLEs. Students from higher-income families reported better home
learning conditions. Policymakers should consider targeted interventions for lowerincome
families, including providing devices, subsidizing internet connectivity, and
implementing parent education programmes.
