inclusiveuniversity

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This is What Disability Looks Like: College Experiences Through the Eyes of Students With Disabilities

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Exploring Parents’ Views on Supporting Their College Student With an Intellectual Disability to Develop Agency

College opportunities now exist for young adults with intellectual disability. Because of this, it is common for these individuals’ parents to express a desire for increased student agency (Miller et al., 2018). Yet, little is known about how parents feel about how to best support agency development for their young adult child. In the current study, authors surveyed 64 parents with a student attending an inclusive postsecondary education program to examine their perceived level of confidence related to supporting their student in developing agency. Further, we looked at parents’ responses to their perception of the most important skills related to supporting agency development. Findings showed that parents felt least confident in supporting students’ financial independence and felt supporting navigation of intimate relationships to be least important. Implications for practice and directions for future research are presented.

Key Words: self-determination, agency development, intellectual disability, parental engagement, transition

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Drama therapy, academia and dis/ability: Experiences of clinicians in training

The lived experience of dis/abled drama therapists and drama therapy students is understudied. This article examines the experiences of four dis/abled researcher-participants via a phenomenological study, utilizing a critical dis/ability lens and an Emancipatory Educational Action Research framework. Through a series of interviews and a focus group, researcher-participants shared their experiences as dis/abled drama therapy students in training. Data were analysed using inductive qualitative analysis through an iterative process. The results revealed how the use of power within academic systems can both help and harm students. Uses of power and how they intersect with different aspects of being a dis/abled student and clinician in training are further explored. Suggestions for professors and others in positions of power are provided.

Keyword(s): ableism; accesibilidad; accessibility; accessibilité; autonomisation; capacitisme; capacitismo; creative arts therapy; disability; discapacidad; educación superior; empoderamiento; empowerment; enseignement supérieur; handicap; higher education; inclusion; inclusión; investigación cualitativa; qualitative research; recherche qualitative; terapia de artes creativas; thérapie par les arts créatifs

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Facilitators and Barriers to Learning Faced by Female Students with Disability in Higher Education

This study was aimed to investigate the learning experiences' facilitators and barriers that is encountered by the physically disabled female students during their higher education. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with female students with physical disabilities aged between 19 and 33 years. Interviews were transcribed, confirmed, and analyzed after being recorded. The average age of the sample was 22.15±3.48 years and one-fourth of the participants’ disability was due to cerebral palsy and 35% participants used wheelchairs. All the factors promoted inclusive education and equal opportunities for both disabled and nondisabled students. This study reveals that in order to improve the learning experiences of students with disabilities (SwD) and to give them more opportunities for success, it is important to consider all the barriers discussed in this study. It can be concluded that high effort is required to transform the higher educational institutions to be more accommodating for students with disabilities.

Keywords

Barriers

Facilitators

physical disability

thematic analysis

cerebral palsy

spina bifida

higher education

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An Analysis of the Structure, Validity, and Reliability of the Collegian Attitudes Toward Inclusive Campus Recreation (CAICR) Scale

The purpose of this study was to test the construct validity and internal consistency of the Collegian Attitudes toward Inclusive Campus Recreation (CAICR) Scale, a collegiate adaptation of the Children’s Attitudes toward Integrated Physical Education–Revised Scale. The CAICR seeks to measure attitudes toward inclusive lifetime fitness, sport, and recreation at the collegiate level. Participants were 192 college students. The factor structure of the scale was investigated using a confirmatory factor analysis with the weighted least square estimator. The CAICR Scale demonstrated acceptable internal consistency levels for the complete scale (11 items), inclusion subscale (6 items), and sport modification subscale (5 items). Results suggest that the 2-factor model (indicating inclusion and sport modification) showed suitable model fit, and the model outperformed a single-factor solution. Current findings suggest that the CAICR has the ability to contribute to sociocultural attitude research at the collegiate level in a valid and reliable manner.

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How does a sense of belonging develop in postsecondary? A conceptual Belonging in Academia Model (BAM) from sighted perspectives

Belonging is associated with increased engagement in academic pursuits and well-being. However, there is a lack of research on how a sense of belonging develops in academia. The academic environment comprises largely of sighted individuals. Exploring sighted students, staff, and educators’ perceptions of belonging contributes to our understanding of environments that foster belonging for sighted individuals and their perceptions of the same for people who are blind. We conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews with 25 sighted people in academia to investigate how sense of belonging develops for them, and what facilitators and barriers would impact belonging in academia. Grounded theory was used to construct the Belonging in Academia Model (BAM), which explores how people perceive, create, and develop belonging in academia.

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The Effect of Empathy on Stigma Toward Students With Substance Use Disorders in College Settings

This study was to investigate the effect of empathy on stigma toward students with substance use disorders (SUD) among students in college settings and to determine how empathy may influence experiences in interacting with individuals with disabilities, perceived dangerousness of SUD, and disability-related training to influence stigma toward students with SUD in college settings. A quantitative descriptive design utilizing a convenience sample of 178 was used in this study. Measures administered included: the Social Distance Scale, Perceived Dangerousness Scale, and Empathy Scale. Data were analyzed using multiple regression. The final regression model accounted for 50% of the variance in stigma. When controlling for all other predictors in the model, a family member, relative or close friend having alcohol or drug history, perceived dangerousness, and empathy were found to be predictive of stigma toward students with SUD, with perceived dangerousness being the strongest predictor of stigma toward students with SUD. The findings and implications for research and practice in rehabilitation counseling were discussed.

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Lived Disablers to Academic Success of the Visually Impaired at the University of Zambia, Sub‑Saharan Africa

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) benchmark of persons with disability in every population is 15.6 per cent. However, the University of Zambia is way below that benchmark as it is home to less than 0.1 per cent of students classified as ‘disabled’. Within the 0.1 per cent, students with visual impairment are the majority, estimated at 70 per cent. The purpose of this study was to explore disablers (also known as barriers) to academic success faced by students with visual impairment at the University of Zambia. A Hermeneutic Phenomenological approach directed the research process. Seven purposively sampled participants volunteered to voice their lived experiences and a cluster of themes emerged thereafter. Emerging from their lived experiences are thirteen disablers that impede the learning experiences at University and key amongst them are: (i) negative attitudes; (ii) policypractice disjuncture; (iii) staff unreadiness and unpreparedness; (iv) inaccessible buildings; and (v) rigid curricula.

Keywords: disablers; Hermeneutic Phenomenology; inclusive education; University of Zambia; visual impairment

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Accommodation Access by Southern California Community College Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

An increasing number of students with disabilities (SWD) are attending college. Yet, many SWD, including students with specific learning disabilities (SLD), do not access accommodations needed for their academic success (Travis, 2014). To identify barriers and supports that affect access to accommodations, the researcher used a qualitative methodology with a descriptive, phenomenological approach to explore experiences of accessing accommodations for a convenience sample of students who self-identified with SLD and were attending Southern California community colleges. Data collected from semistructured interviews were analyzed through the lenses of self-advocacy theory and self-determination theory. The researcher found and identified three practical themes: (a) assigned advocates, (b) meeting with instructors, and (c) positive school experiences that assist students with SLD on postsecondary campuses access their accommodations. The themes support recommendations to those working with postsecondary students with SLD. Those recommendations include (a) assigning advocates, (b) facilitating meetings with instructors, (c) ensuring all students have positive educational experiences, (d) training and educating all those who encounter SWD on postsecondary campuses, and (e) alleviating stigma and negative perceptions associated with disabilities.

Keywords: 

Specific learning disability, students with disabilities, postsecondary, college, accommodations, transition, self-advocacy, and self-determination

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Preparing student teachers for the inclusion of autistic learners in the further education sector

This research aimed to explore student teachers’ perceptions, experiences, and attitudes towards the inclusion of autistic learners within the post-compulsory sector. Adopting an ethics of care approach, this research was conducted with 10 student teachers in a large college in North-East England. Participants were student teachers enrolled in a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) for Further Education. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and thematically analysed. Student teachers reported various experiences of teaching autistic learners from no experience at all to placements in autism-specific provisions. The participants’ understanding of autism was varied and based on both personal and professional experiences prior to starting the PGCE and whilst studying the programme. The analysis indicated that although student teachers were positive in their attitude towards inclusion, they had some concerns over their ability to include autistic learners. This study highlights the importance of care and relationships in supporting the inclusion of autistic learners. A caring pedagogy with a focus on inclusion could help to address inequalities of access to education and bring about fairer educational success for autistic learners.

KEYWORDS: 

Autism

ethics of care

teacher education

inclusion

further education

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as Facilitating Access to Higher Education

Universal Design Learning is a departure from existing paradigms of teaching and learning in post-secondary settings. With the increasing numbers of students with disabilities selecting higher education as a post school option, incorporating UDL in college classrooms is no longer of question of “when” but “how.” While legal mandates for accessibility such as ADA exist to support and address access for individuals with disabilities, the effects of these mandates have still to enter most higher education classrooms. There are undoubtedly nmany challenges to the implementation of UDL.

Keywords: Universal Design Learning (UDL), Accessibility, Web Accessibility, WCAG

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Disability, ICT and eLearning Platforms: Faculty-Facing Embedded Work Tools in Learning Management Systems

This paper contributes to the current discussion in the field of human-computer interaction design (HCI) on the accessibility and design of eLearning tools embedded in the online platforms for higher education. Presenting the preliminary results of a longitudinal study of the accessibility of the faculty-facing pages of Canvas learning management system, it aims at drawing the attention of designers, developers, and manufacturers to the barriers erected by the ableist LMS designs for disabled faculty. The paper asks for improvements in design processes by embracing participatory design methods and by paying attention to the recommendations included in this paper.

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A study of respiratory therapy and medical radiation technology faculty who transitioned from clinical practice into academia: their transition experiences, and perceptions of students with disabilities

Challenges experienced by allied health clinicians transitioning to educator roles in post-secondary institutions are well reported in the literature. Indeed, the Western world-based research contends that such allied health faculty retain their health identity as their primary professional identity, alongside that of educator. More specifically, the influence of retention of the health identity by nursing faculty on their attitudes towards students with disabilities requiring accommodations is also well reported in the literature. Fears held by nursing faculty that students with disabilities may compromise patient safety can act as barriers to the full inclusion of those students in nursing education programs. By contrast, similarly themed research on the attitudes or perceptions of non-nursing allied health faculty towards students with disabilities requiring accommodations, is scant.

This Ontario-based research investigated the experiences of non-nursing allied health clinicians who transitioned into academia. The exploratory case study investigated their self-identification as health professionals rather than as educators, and the influence of their transition experiences and identification as health professionals, on their perceptions towards students with disabilities requiring accommodations. Applying Benner’s theory of ‘novice-to-expert’, this exploratory case study employed purposive sampling with nine participants holding full-time faculty positions in two allied health programs—Medical Radiation Technology and Respiratory Therapy—in an Ontario community college, in one-to-one semi-structured interviews. A modified version of constant comparative data analysis was employed to uncover key themes.

Findings from the triangulated data showed that non-nursing allied health faculty: retain the primacy of their identity as health professionals; maintain adherence to their professional obligation of duty of care to the public; assign priority to maintaining currency in their health discipline; and, found their transition from an advanced or expert level of clinical practice to academia highly stressful, highlighting feelings of being novices in academia. Participants reported that mentoring from program faculty peers was the single most important organizational support mechanism experienced by them during their transition. As well, participants fully supported the inclusion of students with disabilities requiring accommodations in health programs but a notable number had concerns about whether some students with disabilities could succeed in clinical settings and deliver safe patient care once they graduated. Considerations for improving the induction of medical radiation technology and respiratory therapy faculty into academia are offered. Such considerations may increase the comfort of those allied health faculty with, and management of, students with disabilities who require accommodations.

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Disabilities and Degrees: Identifying Health Impairments that Predict Lower Chances of College Enrollment and Graduation in a Nationally Representative Sample

Objective: Colleges have increased postsecondary educational access for youth, including individuals with disabilities, but completion rates remain low. This study tests the hypothesis that health conditions that reduce social integration predict lower educational attainment among college students. Method: The sample from the nationally representative Add Health (National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health) data (1995, 2001, 2008) comprised respondents in 2001 whose highest degree was a high school diploma (n = 9,909), focusing on subsamples of students enrolled in 2-year colleges and 4-year colleges (n = 1,494; n = 2,721). For each of 57 health conditions in 2001, the relative risk of earning certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor’s degree in 2008 was estimated, controlling for precollege factors, including high school grades, test scores, parents’ household income, and full-time enrollment. Results: Health conditions associated with social stigma predicted lower educational attainment among 2-year college students including stuttering, being overweight, and health that restricts engaging in vigorous sports. A broader range of health conditions predicted lower educational attainment among 4-year college students, including restrictions on climbing one and several flights of stairs and walking one and several blocks. Contributions: Stigmatized health conditions may disproportionately reduce educational attainment by impacting students’ social integration in 2-year colleges. Improved awareness may reduce the impact of unconscious stigma. Until 4-year colleges improve accommodations, students may benefit by earning credentials at 2-year colleges before transferring to 4-year institutions.

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ICT as an Enabler to Academic Success of Students with Visually Impaired at Sim University: Hermeneutics Approach

While the World Health Organisation's (WHO) benchmark is 15.6 percent, 'Sim' (pseudonym) University is way below that benchmark as only 0.001 percent are students classified as 'disabled' despite being in existence for more than 50 year. Within the 0.001, students with visually impaired (SwVI) are the majority estimated at 70 percent. In the 21st century, ICTs generally serve as catalysts to academic success of students in Universities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the role played by Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) as enablers to academic success of SwVI at Sim University. A Hermeneutic Phenomenology approach guided the research process. Seven participants volunteered to voice their lived experiences and a cluster of themes on ICT usage emerged subsequently. Emerging from the lived academic experiences of SwVI is a host of self-initiated ICTs in use namely: ordinary typewriters, voice recorders, scanners, jaws and computers meant to facilitate learning amidst a negatively charged learning environment. In conclusion, if ICTs are to serve as effective assistive learning devises, ICTs developers and ICT policy makers should consider SwVI not just as ICTs consumers but equal innovators who must be consulted to transform the education landscape at tertiary level.

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Trainee Teachers with Dyslexia: Results of a Qualitative Study of Teachers and their Mentors

This study explored the perceptions of trainee teachers with dyslexia, and their mentors, of their placement experiences during their initial teacher training course. The research was conducted within one initial teacher education partnership in the north of England. Data were collected through two focus groups; one of trainees and one of mentors. Trainees described the difficulties they experienced with teaching literacy (particularly phonics), difficulties with memory and difficulties with the administrative demands of placement. Mentors emphasised trainees™ weaknesses and although some mentors wanted to recognise and support the strengths of the trainees, they felt responsible as gate-keepers to the profession.

Keywords

Dyslexia Self-concept Initial teacher training Placements

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Toward Intersectional Identity Perspectives on Disability and LGBTQ Identities in Higher Education

Little has been published on the intersections of disability and queer identities among college students. I propose 5 intersectional identity perspectives based on semistructured interviews with 25 students at a research university who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer students with disabilities. Students articulated relationships among their disability and queer identities as (a) intersectional, (b) interactive, (c) overlapping, (d) parallel, and/or (e) oppositional. Students adopted multiple perspectives simultaneously to resist oppression, navigate changing contexts, and build resilience and community, suggesting implications for researchers and practitioners who might adopt a more nuanced view of students' intersecting identities.