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People with disabilities have an inviolable right to equitable access and participation in tertiary education and support systems are known to be indispensable in making this right a reality. This article presents the voices of students with disabilities regarding aspects that influence their successful access and participation in tertiary education in Ghana. A qualitative approach was adopted for the study with data collected through interviews with 12 students with disabilities in three public universities. From the perspective of these students, successful inclusion of people with disabilities in tertiary education in Ghana is influenced by enrolment practices, the built environment, teaching and learning approaches, and assessment provisions. The context influenced provisions and support provided. Attitudes of the university community and lack of knowledge of inclusive practices such as Universal Design play a role in students' access and participation. Comprehensive awareness-raising on disability and inclusive practices is recommended to address this issue. This paper explores inclusion practices in three Ghanaian public universities focussing on the combined voices of students with disabilities. The context of the three universities influences the provisions and support available for people with disabilities. The students with disabilities involved in the study reported that access to the university environment and support for academic engagement impact their university experience. The attitude of the university community is a factor in ensuring access, participation and success of people with disabilities in higher education. Creating awareness of disability issues within the university community is pivotal in building and sustaining inclusive culture. The application of universal design principles is essential to improving access and participation of people with disabilities in higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autistic students experience elevated rates of school exclusion, whether this be through expulsion, suspension, informal suspension, refusal of enrolment, or school refusal. This exclusion can come about from a range of factors, including sensory or cognitive overload, a lack of training in neurodiversity for teachers, an absent sense of safety by the student at school, or poor attitudes towards the inclusion of autistic students in schools. The impacts of this exclusion on parents can be logistical, financial, and psychological, with a range of mental health outcomes. This Australian qualitative study presents case studies of seven parents of autistic students, as well as four themes that capture the recommendations of parents to address school exclusion. The findings demonstrate that parents experience stress in finding a suitable school for their child, working with staff to meet the needs of the child, and attempting to maintain employment and other commitments when the child experiences exclusion. Parents recommend greater acceptance of autism by education systems, better communication and use of neuro-affirming language, the option for flexible learning, and individualised support by the school for the student. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is prepared by the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Undergraduate Medical Education Committee and provides educators recommendations for optimizing inclusive education for our students with disabilities. Medical educators are increasingly encountering students with disabilities and have the responsibility of ensuring requirements are met. Medical education committee members from the US and Canada reviewed the literature on disabilities in medical student education to identify best practices and key discussion points. An iterative review process was used to determine the contents of an informative paper. Medical schools are required to develop technical standards for admission, retention, and graduation of their students to practice medicine safely and effectively with reasonable accommodation. A review of the literature and obstetrics and gynecology expert opinion formed a practical list of accommodation strategies and administrative steps to assist educators and students. Medical schools must support the inclusion of students with disabilities. We recommend a collaborative approach to the interactive process of determining reasonable and effective accommodations that includes the students, a disability resource professional and faculty as needed. Recruiting and supporting medical students with a disability strengthens the diversity commitment and creates a more inclusive workforce. Medical School Education Medical schools have the responsibility to train a diverse physician workforce including those with disabilities. The integration of students with disabilities is important and should be done in a structured and timely manner that maximizes the individual's abilities and incorporates reasonable accommodations in the clinical learning environment. Though the definition of disability traverses a wide variety of diagnoses, this review highlights sensory and physical disabilities and the various accommodations to facilitate access and successful completion of required objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify the disability specialists currently needed for students with vision or hearing impairment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It also aims to identify the university-level training courses available for these specialists. This study adopted a mixed-methods design. The qualitative strand involved a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with 20 employees of 10 UAE organizations providing support services to students with vision or hearing impairment. The quantitative strand determined the number of disability-related degree courses offered at UAE universities from 2018 to 2020. The interviewees revealed that students with visual impairment most need teachers for the visually impaired, braille trainers, orientation and mobility trainers, and assistive technology specialists, whereas students with hearing impairment most need teachers of the deaf or hard of hearing, speech therapists, and sign language specialists. Regarding disability-related training, 10 UAE universities each offered one disability-related programme between 2018 and 2020. These included nine general programmes for special or inclusive education and one programme for speech pathology. UAE universities are currently unable to train the disability specialists required for students with vision or hearing impairment. An interim option is to offer scholarships to enable Emirati students planning to become disability specialists to gain these specialized qualifications overseas. Current efforts in the UAE to address the needs of people with disabilities should include a development and implementation plan for UAE university programmes to offer specialized courses for people with vision or hearing impairment. Higher educational institutions need to offer more specialised programmes targeting specific disability groups, rather than only general programmes in special education. Emirati students applying for scholarships to study abroad should specialise in those disability programmes not currently offered in the United Arab Emirates. To prepare certified orientation and mobility specialists, selected special education teachers should be trained overseas in appropriate organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents several accounts of user experiences with assistive technology (AT). Although previous studies on dyslexic students reported promising results from using audiobooks, text-to-speech (TTS), and speech-to-text (STT), qualitative research is relatively sparse and short-term, and little is known about adolescents' long-term experiences of using AT in schools. Therefore, this five-year follow-up study aimed to describe dyslexic students' experiences of AT. Nine students with dyslexia were interviewed using a semi-structured framework and a descriptive pattern-based thematic analysis. The students had previously participated in an AT intervention in Sweden. Three main themes are reported: Contextual factors: facilitators or barriers; Emotional responses in the learning environment; Developing meaningful strategies. The results align with previous research findings that audiobooks are beneficial throughout the school years, while STT is of mixed utility. TTS was mainly used in learning to decode texts. Continued AT use is discussed thematically, concretising experiences connected to schools' multilevel support. This study can contribute to the development of AT academic practices enriched by users' views. The findings reveal factors enabling or hindering students' continued AT usage. Contextual factors in schools concern organisational elements rather than AT accessibility. Students' emotional responses (using AT in the classroom) are influenced by dyslexia self-acceptance and AT attitudes. Students' understanding of how and why to use AT may limit the development of meaningful strategies. Implications and suggested further research are provided to improve dyslexic students' AT experiences and success in school. Understanding the organizational factors that enable or hinder continuous assistive technology (AT) use can help teachers support dyslexic students' development in text-based learning throughout schooling. Ongoing attention to the emotional aspects of AT use in the classroom may be a valuable support in conjunction with systematic AT training. Listening and text production strategies with AT may need ongoing support to develop both lower-order and higher-order skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Succeeding at university can be a complex matter, and the barriers are manifold for students with disabilities (SwDs). Accommodations are available for those with needs, but these alone do not meet the political goals of inclusive educations. Student ambassadors act as experienced representatives on campuses, supporting others and gaining individual benefits themselves. Approaches building on SwDs' experiences and capacities can be a means to overcome the complex barriers often faced throughout education. This scoping review aimed to map research on student ambassador interventions for SwDs in higher education and identify the interventions' key concepts. The result will inform an ambassador intervention in higher education. Six electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles of any design published between 2010 and December 2020. Six studies met the inclusion criteria. A thematic synthesis resulted in three key concepts: peer guidance and supportive relationships; building strategies and transferable skills; and advocating for change. However, no program utilises exclusively students with disabilities in ambassador roles. The results indicate a lack of research as well as awareness on the unexplored potential of actively involving SwDs in ambassador roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Queer crip enrollment patterns describe the unique ways Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and disabled college students enter and persist in higher education. Elevating the voices of 10 queer, mad, mentally ill, neurodivergent and/or disabled (QMMIND) college students, this article highlights queer crip enrollment as a process that involves failing classes, withdrawing from institutions, (in)voluntary hospitalizations, and socioeconomic intersections. Queer crip enrollment patterns highlight institutional barriers limiting the success of QMMIND students. At the same time, QMMIND students dream of thriving and helping others thrive despite hostile campus environments. Using queer and crip theory, we engage in the process of dreaming about creating an accessible university. Specifically, we posit that structural changes in admissions, crisis response, and meeting students' basic needs will allow environments to support queer crip success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the mental health challenges faced by students, particularly those attending high-achieving schools, due to various factors including academic pressure and family dynamics. Topics include the need for early identification of mental health problems, the implementation of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) in schools, and the importance of preventative measures to address student mental health issues effectively.

This article presents the findings of a qualitative study that explored and described how students living with disability construct meaning from their first-year experience through their social systems and interpersonal relationships. Two groups of participants, namely 18 students living with disability and their self-identified significant others were purposively sampled. Data were gathered by means of individual interviews and reflective writing exercises. Interpreted within the social wellbeing framework of Keyes, the findings are consistent with international research and illuminate the pivotal role of parents, peers, and institutional support structures in the lives of first-year students living with disability. This enabling environment (with elements of inclusion, belonging, meaning-making, and reciprocity) is associated with a greater sense of interdependence and has the potential to contribute to all five dimensions of social wellbeing (integration, acceptance, coherence, actualisation, and contribution). Support from parents, peers, and the institution is pivotal in the lives of first-year students living with disability. An enabling environment includes elements of belonging and meaning that are beneficial to first-year students living with disability. Acceptance and integration of first-year students living with disability into university life can increase social wellbeing, enabling the students to realise their full potential and providing the opportunity for the students to contribute. A greater sense of interdependence is found in healthy relationships between first-year students living with disability and their significant others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers recommendations for online graduate students, instructors, and universities to better meet the needs of students with disabilities who increasingly participate in online courses. Using semi-structured interviews, researchers asked what recommendations participants from respective disability categories have for supporting them in their pursuit of a graduate education in an online environment. Thirteen graduate participants represented five disability classifications including learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, psychological disorders, chronic health impairments, or visual impairments. Interview transcripts were analyzed to identify disability-specific recommendations through constant comparison of individual data sets. Recommendations for students, instructors, and universities focused on instructor-student communication and relationships, online course design, and a changing and active role of institutional support services. The collaborative efforts of all are emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]