Education Commons^™

Transitional Challenges For Students With Disabilities During A Period Of Systemic Imbalance, Cindy Clemson Ed.D., Ben Littlepage Ed.D.

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

The present study explored how student support service administrators responded to the observed transitional challenges of students with disabilities during a period of systemic imbalance. Administrators at four community colleges in Tennessee, responsible for the coordination of student disability services, participated in a multi-site case study. Analysis revealed students with disabilities had unrealized expectations of postsecondary education, sought the same individualized attention experienced in secondary school, and misunderstood administrative processes, especially those associated with securing accommodations, upon entering college. Although the transitional challenges were not unique, increased enrollments and an inadequate infrastructure added difficulty to administrators’ ability to respond. Administrators …