Accessibility Commons^™

The Higher Education Health Insurance Trap: How Underinsurance Fuels Health Inequity And Educational Inaccessibility, Hallie E. Vanney, David J. Satin

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Higher education institutions are increasingly committed to recruiting more diverse students. As these efforts succeed, institutions face the parallel challenge of meeting an evolving student body's broader and more complex healthcare needs. This article highlights how student health insurance is a critical need that may be unmet by institutions traditionally designed for young, healthy, able-bodied students. Graduate and professional students are particularly vulnerable to a “health insurance trap”; they may discover, only after enrollment, that their plan does not cover essential care, they can no longer work full-time to gain commercial insurance, they have aged out or do not have …

Comparing Massed And Distributed Course Formats: Effects On Outcomes In A Graduate Augmentative And Alternative Communication Course, Brandon Scott Eddy, Alli Sauerwein, Leah Meloy, Eric Sanders

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The effects of massed versus distributed learning have been well studied in the verbal and motor learning literature, with findings suggesting enhanced outcomes from distributing learning over time. However, some studies have found limited evidence to support enhanced outcomes from distributed learning when applied to an entire academic course. The effects of course scheduling on student learning in speech-language pathology graduate coursework have received limited attention. This study compared learning outcomes between a one-week massed format and an eight-week distributed format in an online two-credit augmentative and alternative communication graduate-level course. Learning outcomes were assessed before students enrolled, immediately after …

Becoming A Beloved Community: A Restorative Reckoning For A Radical Conversion To Transform Discourse In Higher Education, Latasha Tomay Varlack-Butler

Dissertations

This dissertation critically examines the misappropriation of Restorative Justice Discourse (RJD) within three predominantly white institutions (PWIs), analyzing 59 institutional documents through Critical Discourse Analysis, Relational Critical Discourse Analysis, and Rhetorical Criticism (Fairclough, 1995; Vaandering, 2021; van Dijk, 2008). Tribal Colleges and Universities and South African institutions have emerged as exemplars of authentic RJD, countering co-optation within PWIs. The findings demonstrate that RJD as applied in PWIs is framed in ways that attenuate its transformative potential, perpetuating color-evasiveness (Bonilla-Silva, 2017) and obscuring the intersectional experiences of Black, Indigenous, and disabled communities (Crenshaw, 1991; Million, 2009).

Grounded in decolonial praxis (Smith, …

Institutionalizing Normality: Disability, Productivity, And Higher Education, Ashley Dirzis

Student Theses

This thesis examines how capitalism and neuronormative domination shape the structures and values of academic institutions, affecting faculty, students, and research subjects alike. By privileging productivity, conformity, and efficiency in the pursuit of income, universities often marginalize those who diverge from normative standards of thinking, behavior, and embodiment, particularly disabled individuals. Drawing on Marta Russell’s Disability and Capitalism and the shaping of disability by capitalist systems, Robert Chapman’s notion of the "Empire of Normality" and Jay Dolmage’s concept of the retrofit from Academic Ableism, this paper analyzes how academia reinforces ableist norms. It explores the realities and barriers that …

Navigating The Academic Terrain: Examining The Challenges And Success Factors Of Student Veterans In Higher Education Institutions, Katherine Reyes, Corey Idleburg

Education Division Scholarship

This study investigates the academic experiences of student veterans, addressing specific challenges they face in higher education. Using Schlossberg’s adult transition theory, it explores the effects of invisible barriers, enrollment trends, and institutional factors on veteran student success, leveraging the VA’s GI Bill Comparison tool to examine public versus private school support. Findings underscore the need for targeted resources, faculty training, and institutional awareness to foster a supportive and inclusive environment that enhances veteran students' academic success and sense of belonging.

Advancing Accessibility In Higher Education: A Community-Based Approach To Addressing Rising Student Accommodation Needs Requests In The Post-Covid-19 Era, Mariah Lossing

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Accommodation requests for students with disabilities have increased in higher education over the past decade, with the sharpest rise occurring in the post-COVID environment. Most requests over the past five years have been related to mental health. Faculty, especially adjunct instructors, often lack access to training and resources that address the growing challenges efficiently and effectively. Faculty are balancing academic rigor with flexibility and accessibility while universities experience increasing pressure to retain both students and faculty amidst rising demands and resource limitations. This study explored a community-based approach to addressing accessibility and professional development in the changing landscape of post-COVID-19 …

Exploring Community College Faculty And Administrators Work Providing Educational Opportunities For Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities (Idd): An Integral Framework For Inclusive Postsecondary Education, Stacy Eldred

Education (PhD) Dissertations

There is a growing number of inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs and scholarship in higher education. Providing a spectrum of educational opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in higher education plays a pivotal role in creating inclusive and meaningful access to postsecondary education. However, little is known about the ways in which the faculty and administrators who are integral stakeholders on campus perceive their work developing and supporting higher education as a socially valued experience for students with IDD. Utilizing constructivist grounded theory, this study examines the ways in which community college faculty and administrators working in …

Disability Services As Related To Higher Education Leadership: An Exploratory Study, Tara Wade Franklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past three decades, the number of students with disabilities (SWD) attending postsecondary institutions has increased, yet their completion rates remain significantly lower than those of students without disabilities. This mixed methods exploratory study investigates the role of provost leadership in supporting disability services and understanding the needs of SWD in higher education. The study focuses on Texas higher education institutions, examining the relationships between provosts and directors of disability services. Data collected through the e-survey with open-ended questions primarily came from directors of disability services. Quantitative analysis of Likert scale items explored domains such as leadership, collaboration, consultation, …

Disability Services As Related To Higher Education Leadership: An Exploratory Study, Tara Wade Franklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past three decades, the number of students with disabilities attending postsecondary institutions has increased, yet their completion rates remain lower than those of students without disabilities. This mixed methods exploratory study investigates the role of provost leadership in supporting disability services and understanding the needs of students with disabilities in higher education. The study focuses on Texas higher education institutions, examining the relationships between provosts and directors of disability services. The researcher collected data through esurveys and open-ended questions of 16 participants, primarily directors of disability services. Quantitative analysis of Likert scale items explored domains such as leadership, …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Disabled Students’ Experiences With Online Course Accessibility During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jason Altmann

Dissertations of Practice

ABSTRACT

A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF DISABLED STUDENTS’

EXPERIENCES WITH ONLINE COURSE ACCESSIBILITY

DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Jason Altmann, Ed.D.

Department of Counseling and Higher Education

Northern Illinois University, 2024

Xiaodan Hu, Director

This dissertation presents a qualitative case study exploring the experiences of disabled students with online course accessibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study investigates how the abrupt shift to online learning impacted the accessibility of educational materials and support services for disabled students in a large, suburban community college.

Critical Disability Theory (CDT) framework was utilized to guide interview questions and explore the connection between the initial …

Accessibility Of Blended Learning For Special Needs Students In Higher Education, Reem Yaseen Al-Sulaimani

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated the experiences of visually impaired students and their faculty members with blended learning at University X. Qualitative research methods were employed to gather data through interviews with six visually impaired students and six professors. The study analyzed the data using two frameworks, Universal Design of Learning (UDL) and Community of Inquiry (CoI). The findings indicate that the course design, personalization of accessibility, social inclusion and classroom dynamics, university support and resources, and technology accessibility and digital literacy have an impact on the experiences of visually impaired students and their professors. The study provides recommendations for improving the …

Effectiveness Of Accommodations For Students With Adhd At Uno, Kayla Farley

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder which can impair ability to sustain attention, inhibit impulses, plan and organize, and complete tasks. These deficits can create barriers to academic success for students with ADHD. Accommodations are often offered to alleviate these disadvantages. However, current research has called into question the effectiveness of commonly offered accommodations for students with ADHD. The purpose of this study was to determine how helpful UNO students found these accommodations and how to better help this student population. The study surveyed 27 UNO students with ADHD on their learning problems, their experiences with the accommodations and why they …

Disabled Idf Veterans In Israeli Higher Education: Disability Identity And Use Of Support, Einat Ben Dov

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Even though military service in Israel is mandatory and common among the state population, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) veterans with disabilities are rarely represented in the literature regarding their experience in Israeli higher education (HE). This study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the experiences of disabled IDF (DIDF) veteran students, their experiences as students, identities, challenges, and utilization of support resources on their campuses. The relevant fields of Disability Studies, Veteran Studies, and the use of disability support services on campus are discussed in this study, focusing on the implementation of accessibility regulations and practices in the Israeli …

Have You Heard?: Increasing College Access And Success For Students With Disabilities, Michelle Trujillo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is on increasing college access and self-advocacy for students with disabilities in higher education and the resources available for them. This is important because students with disabilities deserve to attend college and obtain the support they need in order to be successful once in the institution and once they graduate. It is argued that there needs to be an increase in enrollment for students with disabilities in higher education. Considerations of the issue include the perspectives of a staff member from the community college who is in the disability resources department and a student …

“Even A Little Bit Of Independence Can Go A Long Way”: The Experiences Of Students With Disabilities Transitioning From High School To College, Joshua M. Cooper

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2020), the national percentage of first-time, full-time college students who returned to the same campus the following year was 81%. For students with disabilities, retention and graduation statistics were disproportionate to their non-disabled peers. Students with disabilities graduated high school at a rate of 73% in 2018 (NCES, 2020) but completed college programs at a rate of just 38% while their non-disabled peers graduated at a rate of 51% (Sanford et al., 2011). Additionally, students were less likely to be full time students and were less likely to graduate on time (Lee, …

A Look Into Transition Programs For First Year Students With Disabilities In Higher Education: How To Create A Transition Program To Support Student Success, Gillian R. Lazzarini

Masters Projects

Students with disabilities face a myriad of challenges to persistence and success in higher education (Weis et al., 2016). This is largely caused by the fact that there are different laws and policies that govern secondary education and higher education, which can result in an adverse impact on transition services for students with disabilities. Therefore, this project analyzes the transition from secondary education to higher education for students with disabilities and looks at transition programs as a tool to support student success. Students with disabilities often have issues building community, navigating support services and accommodations, as well as practicing self-advocacy …

Self-Advocacy For Postsecondary Students Who Use Mobility Aids, Erin Moore

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Students who use mobility aids add to the diversity of postsecondary institutions. They provide a unique and important lens on postsecondary campuses. When students who use mobility aids arrive on campus, they need to ensure they have access to classes, services, and resources on campus. Because of their varied needs and varied access from campus-to-campus, students who use mobility aids must advocate for themselves so their needs are met. This phenomenological study examined the role of self-advocacy for postsecondary students who use mobility aids.

Five postsecondary students who use wheelchairs were interviewed using a semi-structured interview process that asked questions …

Support For Students With Disabilities: How Awareness And Accommodations Differ Across Faculty Members Within The Postsecondary Context, Toby Tomlinson Baker

Theses and Dissertations

This case study sought to determine the most salient needs of higher education faculty who instruct and accommodate students with disabilities (SWDs). Therefore, the faculty were analyzed as a community in a university setting. Currently, the accommodations that faculty provide for SWDs vary from institution to institution. Additionally, certain variables, such as faculty’s years with the university, budget, size, and location of the institution impact the level of support provided and what specific accommodations SWDs receive.The purpose of this qualitative case study was to develop an in-depth understanding of the current level of knowledge that faculty obtain for accommodating SWDs. …

Supporting Instructors To Promote At-Promise Students’ Success: How Faculty Coordinators Facilitate Tslc’S Ecological Validation, Jonathan Toccoli

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Despite decades of research and billions of dollars spent per annum to promote at-promise student—that is, low-income, first-generation, and/or racially/ethnically minoritized students—college success, at-promise students continue to be retained and graduate at lower rates than their traditionally college-going peers. The purpose of this study is to investigate how faculty coordinators in the Thompson Scholars Learning Community (TSLC) facilitate and integrate instructors into the program’s ecological validation which has been found to promote at-promise student success. This study is framed by the ecological validation model of student success in conjunction with a systems theory perspective of faculty roles to investigate how …

An Evaluation Of The Impact Of Professional Development On Accessibility To Online Courses By Students With Special Needs At A Regional Four-Year Public Institution Of Higher Education In West Texas, Dallas Anne Swafford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evaluation research, including qualitative and quantitative data, was used in this study to determine the impact of professional development on online courses’ accessibility by students with disabilities. The study focused on online courses and course content. Data collection took place in phases and included self-paced, online professional development and one-on-one support sessions, a pre- and postsurvey, and a focus group interview. The study took place at a regional 4-year public institution of higher education in West Texas. Change theory emerged as the primary theoretical lens guiding the research as the study unfolded.

Gaining Insight Into Transition And Progression Of Students On The Autism Spectrum - Discover A Transition Programme With A Difference, Laura Coleman, Annie Cummins, Julie O'Donovan

Publications

Autism is a neurodevelopment condition that is ‘characterised by qualitative impairments in social communication and social interaction across contexts and a repetitive or restricted pattern of interest, behaviour and activity’ (Lambe, 2019:1531). According to the autistic rights movement, ‘autistic people are not disconnected from the world around them, they are differently connected to it’ (Leveto, 2018 :3). Over the last number of years, there has been a move away from defining autism as a ‘disorder’ and towards redefining it as a ‘difference’ (Ring et al, 2018). In this paper, the terms ‘autism’ or ‘on the spectrum’ …

An Exploration Of Faculty With Disabilities In Social Work Programs, Kelly Dundon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disability is a unique dimension of diversity, yet structural, social and attitudinal barriers can make meaningful workforce participation difficult for individuals with disabilities. Faculty with disabilities (FWD) are a particularly underrepresented population in academia, and even more so in social work programs. Based on this under-representation and a concern for the lack of attention this population has received, this project will explore a subset of this group. This thesis will focus on faculty with disabilities, first by looking into the scant research pertaining to FWD, then presenting the data from a qualitative study and demographic survey. Implications for policy, practice …

An Exploration Of The Experiences Of Faculty With Disabilities In A Research University In The South, Gonzalo Camp

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While diversity and inclusion has become a benchmark for universities all around the country, faculty with disabilities remain in the margins of higher education discourse and are a neglected population across the spectrum of academia. This thesis aims at exploring the experiences of faculty with disabilities at a specific research 1 university in the South. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five faculty members who self-identify as having a disability. Four themes emerged from this study: able-bodied lens, fear, social isolation, and coping mechanisms. Building on the existing literature, these findings offer new information to expand the knowledge on the challenges …

Stigma And Disclosure Of Chronic Pain In Higher Education: A Qualitative Study, Jennifer K. Davenport

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students with chronic pain represent an overlooked population in higher education institutions, due to the barriers their conditions present and the stigma associated with chronic pain. There is existing research examines treatment of elderly populations and best practices for university students with disabilities, facing discrimination. This study sheds light on a gap in the existing research, where a niche population of students in chronic pain navigated disclosure issues and stigma in the academic environment. The purpose of the qualitative research study was to examine how anticipated or experienced stigma associated with chronic pain conditions influenced disclosure of chronic pain for …

Factors That Influence The Success In Higher Education For Students With Autism, Elizabeth O. Gardner

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine factors that influence the success in college for students with autism. To meet this purpose, four upperclassmen college students with ASD were recruited for semi-structured interviews on their college experience. The interviews were transcribed and coded which led to the uncovering of three categories and three themes. The data from this study suggest that success in college for students with autism is influenced by an integration of multiple factors working together which include personal, macro educational, and micro educational. Many general themes uncovered in this study were mirrored by the current literature …

Perceptions Professor Have Toward Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder: A Causal-Comparative Study, Alexandria Vassallo

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine professors in higher education perceptions toward students with attention deficit hyperactive disorder. Further, considering Goffman’s theory of stigma, this researcher designed a study which examined perceptions of professor toward adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Therefore, this dissertation focused on using a quantitative causal-comparative research method to examine perceptions professors in higher education have toward adults with ADHD. This researcher examined the perceptions of professors who had undertaken coursework in ADHD or have a special education license to those who have not. Further, this researcher examined professors’ academic disciplines, grouping professors …

Accessibility Best Practices, Procedures, And Policies In Northwest United States Academic Libraries, Rebeca Peacock, Amy Vecchione

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

Academic libraries are responsible for providing accessible copies of collection materials to individuals facing a variety of accessibility needs. Accessibility needs differ from user to user, often making each request an individualized service. However, do academic libraries have a responsibility to embrace a Universal Design for Learning approach to their acquisitions process? Do academic library workers need to establish policies as part of the procurement process? This research surveyed academic libraries at institutions similar to Affiliated University in size, graduate program offerings, and within the same region to help answer the questions: how academic libraries in the Northwest United States …

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 …

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 …

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

CCAC 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 …