Education Commons^™

Transitional Experiences Of Post-Secondary Students With Non-Disclosed Disabilities, Sierra E. Headrick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the transitional experiences of undergraduate students with non-disclosed disabilities and gain insight on the intentions of students choosing the route of non-disclosure in higher education. It was found that students with non-disclosed disabilities have significant challenges with managing their workloads and stress in their transition into college. Additionally, changes in support from high school to college have a significant influence on self-disclosure of disabilities. With parental guidance lacking from the participants’ support systems in post-secondary education, it was found that changes in support among the group’s transition into college may be a …

Accessibility For Student With Disabilities, Amanda Martin

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Accessibility for students with disabilities on university campuses is important to our field as student affairs professionals because students with disabilities make a growing population of the student body on university and college campuses (Burgstahler, & Moore, 2009). I believe that it takes someone who passionately cares to make a difference in the higher education community. A value that is significant to understand me would be my fierce belief that all people deserve a chance to earn a higher education regardless of their background, socioeconomic status, and ability levels. I believe a chance at higher education is not only growth …

Students With Disabilities In Higher Education And Implementation Of Section 504: A Historical-Comparative Analysis, Midge Simmons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Section 504 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by programs or activities receiving or benefiting from federal assistance (Rehabilitation Act, 1973). Specifically, Subpart E of the rules and regulations for Section 504 addresses postsecondary educational services and prohibits discrimination in the areas of recruitment and admissions, academic and athletic programs and activities, student evaluations, housing, financial aid, counseling, and career planning and placement.

Using a historical-comparative research method, the purpose of this study was to identify, analyze and compare cases of case law and Office of Civil Rights decisions since 1973 that have shaped …

Jmu Campus Inclusivity Video Project, Meredith Grace Browder

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

After experiencing a general lack of knowledge at James Madison University (JMU) regarding inclusivity of students with varying abilities, I decided to find the best way to educate the JMU community on how to be more accommodating on campus. I surveyed students served by the Office of Disability Services in order to assess their concerns and needs. My survey data indicated that the students on campus with disabilities have felt isolated at JMU because of multiple factors including both student and faculty ignorance. After researching the significant role played by videos and social media in shaping public opinion, I used …

Women Faculty Of Color, Higher Education, And Sociocultural Change, Luz Areli Medina

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone will focus on women faculty of color who are underrepresented in faculty positions in predominantly white institutions. Although not all women faculty of color experience discriminatory treatment we can not ignore the lived experiences of these women who are in a disadvantage within academia. The lack of diversification, unequal representation, and socio-cultural understanding prompts society to take a closer insight to determine the necessary steps in facilitating institutional change within higher education. In order to promote equality for women faculty of color I recommend changing the institutionalized policies, developing quality support and mentoring groups in order to hinder …

The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On College Students’ Experiences, Shaafi A. Farooqi

Pitzer Senior Theses

This qualitative research project examines the role of socioeconomic status in shaping the experiences of students attending Pearson College, an elite liberal arts college in Southern California. One hour-long, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) students in order to better understand APIDA student experiences and their views on the college’s efforts to support class-based diversity and inclusion. Findings include insights into challenges faced by college students, how they understand privilege and identity, and where college students find support. These results have implications for Pearson College, and similar liberal arts colleges, to implement changes to …

A Whole New World: Students With Disabilities Transition To Postsecondary Education, Warren Whitaker

Dissertations

Since the inception of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, there has been a steady increase in the enrollment of students with disabilities in higher education. With the postsecondary transition in educational supports from the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) in high school to ADA in college, there has been a lack of research related to the experiences of these students with disabilities while they are in college. Considering the changes in disability experience resulting from education policy changes from high school (IDEA) to college (ADA/Section 504), the purpose of this study was to examine the …

Assistive Technology Guidelines For Higher Education Disability Support Staff, Brenda Delee

CCE Theses and Dissertations

With the changing laws and effective integration of assistive technology into the classroom environment, students can have the provision of multiple means to complete their work with greater independence. In post secondary education, any student who discloses a sensory, cognitive, or physical disability is eligible to request and receive assistive technology and other services. When used correctly, assistive technology can help students with reading, writing, math, and communication skills. With a possible influx of students, disability support staff must be prepared and willing to meet the needs and address issues relating to students with disabilities. If their needs are not …

Understanding Student And Faculty Perceptions Of The Accommodation And Support Procedures For Students With Ld In Ontario Universities: A Mixed Methods Approach, Sarah Copfer Terreberry

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

With recent advances in disability policies, practices, and inclusive education mandates, students with learning disabilities (LD) are choosing to attend higher education at a rate that is greater than ever before. Despite these positive advances, however, the transition from secondary to higher education and the adjustment to post-secondary environments for students with LD continues to present a number of unique academic, social, and emotional challenges for this population, especially as this relates to obtaining access to accommodation and support for their learning needs. This study investigated how the needs of students with learning disabilities (LD) are currently being met at …

Intersectionality: A Critical Qualitative Exploration Of The Experiences Of Lgbtq Persons With Disabilities At The Collegiate Level, Amanda Bell

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study sought to contribute to the growing awareness surrounding the barriers, challenges, and needs of LGBTQ persons with disabilities at the collegiate level. The purpose of this research was to capture the lived experiences of LGBTQ persons with disabilities who were enrolled at postsecondary institutions throughout the United States. Currently, only a few studies have focused on these experiences. This critical qualitative study explored the experiences of LGBTQ persons with disabilities in higher education, specifically how their intersectional identities influenced their postsecondary experiences. The experiences of participants emphasized the roles that other people had in both their LGBTQ disabled …

I Am Here For A Reason. I Need To Focus. I Need To Learn So I Can Reach My Goal: Self-Advocacy And Motivation As Contributors To The Experiences Of College Students With Physical Disabilities, Latrecha Kasha Scott

Dissertations

Although researchers have studied “the role of self-determination in facilitating transition planning and services, very little is known about the impact of those supports and services from the students’ perspective once they are in postsecondary settings” (Getzel & Thoma, 2008). In addition, literature was limited regarding the impact of self-determination from the student perspective after enrollment into higher education (Denhart, 2008; Fuller, Bradley & Healey, 2004; Getzel & Thoma, 2008). Using a qualitative design, this study explores the contributions of self-advocacy and motivation to the experiences of higher education students with physical disabilities. The purpose of this study was to …

Bridges To Employment For College: Graduates With Disabilities, Elizabeth E. Brake

Graduate Education Student Scholarship

This evidence-based, qualitative study explored the experiences of college graduates with disabilities who are employed. The study used criterion-based analysis and examined the ways these graduates participated in internships, communicated, and the navigations in general that led directly to employment success. Data was collected from programs that resulted in successfully employed college graduates with disabilities, empirical studies, and case studies. The study ends with a consideration of the findings in light of theory and implications to practice. Suggestions for future research are also made pointing to the immense gaps in the literature pertaining to the process of becoming a successfully …

The Glass Ceiling Is Not Broken: Gender Equity Issues Among Faculty In Higher Education, Jillian Wood

Educational Studies Dissertations

Gender discrimination is an ongoing topic, including discrimination that occurs in higher education. Previous studies have shown female faculty experience a variety of workplace discrimination including sexual harassment/bullying, salary disparities, and lack of worklife balance. This dissertation aimed to analyze equity issues for female faculty at a private university. The researcher utilized a narrative inquiry methodology, conducting interviews with five full-time female faculty. The purpose of this dissertation was to understand the participants’ everyday stories and lived experiences. The researcher utilized critical feminist theory and leadership theory to examine the notion of equity at this campus. The findings, shown through …

Not A Hearing Loss, A Deaf Gain: Power, Self-Naming, And The Deaf Community, David J. Thomas

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Self-naming has long stood as the primary assertion of power for disenfranchised communities in the western world. While person first language (e.g. person who is deaf) has been the preferred language of disability and disability services for the last 20 years, members of the Deaf community have asserted their cultural capital, and indeed, their Deafhood, or defining the experience of being ‘deaf in the world’, through the power of self-naming. This research examines attitudes toward language, self-naming, and disability in the Deaf community and seeks to move toward a more attentive, sensitive, and responsive language policy in the academy.

Historically, …

Assessing The Readiness Of Higher Education To Instruct And Support Students With Asperger's Disorder, L. Marc Ellison

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study explores the current ability of higher education to effectively educate and support college students diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder. As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders increased dramatically during the past decade, it is estimated that tens of thousands of individuals diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder are preparing to enter colleges and universities in the United States. Emerging research details specific service systems and resources necessary to effectively educate and support college students with Asperger’s Disorder. Public, four-year institutions of higher education were surveyed (N=578) to assess their current readiness to use identified best-practice methods of support with this student …

Embracing Resistance At The Margins: First-Generation Latino Students' Testimonios On Dual/Concurrent Enrollment High School Programs, Michelle Renee Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite moderate gains in equal educational opportunities over the past 60 years, low-income students of color continue to lag behind their middle-class, White peers. This is particularly true for first-generation Latina/o students who: (a) have the highest K-12 drop-out rate than any other ethnic group in U.S. schools; (b) are underrepresented in high quality, rigorous secondary curricular tracks; and (c) continue to be overrepresented in two-year institutions and postsecondary vocational schools. Using a conceptual framework comprised of critical race theory (CRT), social theory, and community cultural wealth theory it was clear that the U.S. education system is still plagued by …