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Over the years, the evolution of student development theories has paved the way to include diverse students, including students with disabilities (SWD). Still, student development theories are yet to employ a view of disability as a social category and an identity. To fill this gap, the current study applies the three waves of student development theories and critical disability theory to analyze and understand how SWD perceive and experience disability support centers (DSCs), and the contribution they attribute to DSCs for their development and success in higher education and afterward. Twenty-one SWD were interviewed. The findings demonstrate the tension between policies of embracing and denying disability as a 'difference' and an identity in higher education. The findings also link SWD's challenges in the campus to lack of access, stigma, and the impact of power dynamics. Furthermore, the findings highlight the role of DSCs in supporting the processes of disability identification among SWD as individuals and as a group. The study emphasizes the need to strive for holistic and inclusive change in higher education policy and practice. The study may contribute to deepening understanding of the significant role of academic DSCs for the entire stakeholders in higher education and policymakers worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency shows an increase in the number of UK students with disabilities entering Higher Education. This small-scale qualitative study within a UK university led to the identification of five main themes. Participants expressed concern that there were students who chose not to disclose a range of disabilities resulting in inadequate levels of support. Students who declared a disability were provided with Learning Support Plans, however, these were found to be needing improvement. The role of the writing support tutors and their varied approaches to supporting students raised concerns. Participants were amenable to making ‘reasonable adjustments’ for students with disabilities, it was unclear as to what these adjustments should be. Participants acknowledged the need for training especially in the area of mental health. This study may be used to inform university policy and practice and if necessary support the implementation of change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present data concerning the inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education (HE) at a Portuguese university. This research is part of a wider project designed to understand the trajectories and experiences of students with disabilities at the University of Algarve. This exploratory study raises questions about inclusion and discusses this concept based on the perspectives of academic and non-academic staff. A qualitative approach was used to provide an informative exploration of attitudes towards inclusive education and recommendations for promoting best practices therein. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. We found positive perceptions of university staff members about the inclusion of the students with disabilities. However, more effort is needed to provide these students with opportunities to continue their academic career in HE and to promote inclusion, personal development and participation in social and economic life. Although inclusive education is on political and educational agendas, the perception of disabilities as deficits prevails. The findings of this study, therefore, reveal that changes must be implemented to effectively adopt the social and educational model of disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proportion of higher education students with disability is increasing. We know there is institutional variation in retention and performance of higher education students with disability, and there is a need to understand the reasons for this. This exploratory national study examines supports and adjustments provided by universities, including the role of disability practitioners, influence retention and performance of students with disability. The study uses a mixed-methods approach. National equity retention and performance data are analysed by higher education institution. Qualitative data on institutional policies and practices collected from a purposive sample of Australian higher education institutions are then analysed. Findings from the study include identification of factors linked to retention and performance of students with disability, including different types of disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participation of people with disabilities in producing and using research is critical for monitoring the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Research Active Programme (RAP) is a module designed to build research capacity of students with intellectual disabilities. RAP was implemented over 11 weeks in 2 Irish universities. The mixed methods programme evaluation was completed from the students' perspectives, attending to curriculum content, pedagogical approach, the research knowledge and skills acquired by students. Twenty-five students completed interviews before and after engaging in RAP. Focus groups and quizzes were held after sessions to assess learning outcomes. Content analysis was used to interpret student perspectives. RAP was an effective approach for supporting students with intellectual disabilities to develop introductory research knowledge and skills; however, across the cohort, there were differences in demonstrated learning. Student expectations with respect to overall curriculum design, learning outcomes and delivery were reviewed. Specifically, learning outcomes, module delivery and assessment strategies were critiqued. Overall, the RAP curriculum supported research skill development in students. This module prepared people with intellectual disabilities to engage more fully as research partners in monitoring the implementation of the CRPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I use the lens of voices and silences to frame my review of research in the field of disability and postsecondary education. I argue that we need to view research in this field as a necessarily political act that seeks to turn voices of silence into voices of change. Researchers therefore need to rethink their role in order to understand how they can use and direct their political voices. In order to persuade researchers to heed my call for more academic activism, adopt the role of a ‘socratic gadfly’ to identify six political areas of research where I argue that voices and silences need more critical examination. In discussing these six areas, I hope to illuminate the implications for ‘genuinely investigative’ research in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Students with ADHD struggle in higher education as a result of various functioning and participation problems. However, there are remaining gaps in the literature. First, it remains unclear how often and during which teaching and evaluation methods problems arise. Second, we do not yet know which reasonable accommodations are most effective to deal with the functioning. And third, we do not know which accommodations are most effective to address participation problems of students with ADHD in higher education. This study addresses these three gaps in literature. In total, 86 students with ADHD, 42 student counsellors and 86 students without a disability participated in a survey-based study. The results show that students with ADHD most frequently experience problems with sustaining and focusing attention and it is demonstrated that most problems arise during classical teaching or evaluation methods. Finally, the perception of the effectiveness of reasonable accommodations is strongly dependent on which problems students experience in higher education. These findings suggest that it is important to consider both personal and environmental characteristics when selecting and implementing reasonable accommodations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article presents findings from a recent national study supported by Association for Higher Education Access & Disability and the National Learning Network (2016) to investigate the experiences of students with mental health difficulties in higher education in Ireland. The data investigation was a combination of both survey and qualitative research activities. A total of 22 out of 28 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Ireland participated in a national survey. In addition 14 students and 11 professionals participated in focus groups and semi-structured one-to-one interviews. This article focuses on the qualitative data collected. While the topic of the needs of students with mental health difficulties is an under-researched area in Ireland, this study does recognise and build on recent work both nationally and internationally. The study demonstrates the benefits of a whole campus approach to meeting the needs of students with mental health difficulties combined with specialised supports. It recommends that that individual HEIs review existing policies and practices for students with mental health difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Implementing the principles of inclusive education within higher education can be challenging. Inclusive education was originally developed for younger students, prior to its application within higher education. However, as more students with disabilities successfully complete their early schooling, the need to move towards inclusive practices within higher education has increased. The purpose of this article is to offer thoughts on inclusive practices within higher education. The paper is organised into three sections: a description of the current situation of inclusive education in relation to students with disabilities in higher education; a review of the literature focused on students with disabilities and on faculty members within higher education; and a discussion of how moving the university towards an inclusive setting requires designing policies, strategies, processes and actions that contribute to ensuring the success of all the students. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Students with disabilities face obstacles in their encounters with higher education. The aim of this study is to investigate how the institutional context shapes students’ experiences of unequal opportunities in higher education. In comparing disabled students’ experiences from universities in Sweden, the Czech Republic, and the United States, the study makes visible the kind of experiences that students share and how experiences differ between these countries within the global context of higher education. The study has shown that students’ possibilities for equal participation are shaped by the institutional context that is based on medical diagnosis and compensation for an inaccessible education. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Interactive, mobile, AGIle and novel education (IMAGINE) is a conceptual framework to help students with disabilities (SwD) participate more in the physical space and become more engaged in school. IMAGINE recommends and reminds students, and allows them to make requests of key learning resources (LRs). The goal of IMAGINE is to provide SwD with the location and time for attending a LR that is most optimal with respect to their learning style and preference, learning performance and other activities. IMAGINE will be a means through which SWD will be provided with tailored recommendations with respect to their daily activities to improve learning outcomes. A pilot was conducted with SwD who used IMAGINE’s navigation and wayfinding functionality, and the subjects reported that it aligns well with their needs. Preliminary results suggest that after completing a training and using the tool, SwD reported that they are more likely to use the tool and their participation may increase as a result. In contrast to before the trial, the SwD were also able to better describe the tool’s benefits and how to improve its functionality after using the tool for four weeks.Implications for RehabilitationThe IMAGINE tool may be a means through which SwD can be provided with tailored recommendations with respect to their daily activities to improve learning outcomes.PWD should be involved (as research study participants and research study team members) in the design and development of tools like IMAGINE to improve participation.IMAGINE and similar tools may not only encourage better learning outcomes, but also more physical participation in the community, and could be used across education and employment settings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Evidence from international literature shows that despite interventions and policies, students with disabilities face persistent challenges in higher education. The capabilities approach can take us forward in addressing these challenges in two ways. Nussbaum's version of the capabilities approach, in particular, provides us with an analytical framework to explore valued opportunities and freedoms from a social justice perspective. Secondly, in line with Sen's argument, the approach can serve as the informational base for disability policies. In this study, the capabilities approach is operationalized within education by applying Walker's list of eight valued freedoms and opportunities to students with disabilities. Data are drawn from a qualitative study examining the processes through which students with disabilities at two South African universities make their educational choices and negotiate different structures on their way to, and in higher education. These students identified key valued freedoms and opportunities that are needed to access and succeed in higher education. Four of the eight valued freedoms and opportunities on Walker's list emerged strongly in this study. Seven other valued freedoms and opportunities which fall outside of Walker's list were also identified. These 11 key valued freedoms and opportunities, we argue, are needed for the formulation of socially just disability-inclusive policies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Policy-makers have articulated the right to education for individuals with disabilities. Nevertheless, students with disabilities remain underrepresented in universities. Students in Health and Human Service (HHS) programs experience many unique challenges that disadvantage them, such as having to complete practicums. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 students in HHS programs who identified as having a disability to explore the challenges that they experienced. We found that students had to legitimate their ability to perform the roles of student and future practitioner. This legitimization process involved three components: negotiation of the disability label, selective disclosure, and advocacy. Our findings demonstrate how subtle and insidious forms of marginalization and stigmatization work to create barriers for students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adequate policies for faculty training in diversity continue to be pending on the agendas of many universities. This paper presents the recommendations of 44 university students with disabilities not only for adequate faculty training, but also on informing them on both matters of the disability itself and how to respond to the needs derived from it. The data analyzed come from research funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competiveness ‘University Barriers and Aids Identified by Students with Disabilities’, which has been underway since 2011. A biographical-narrative methodology was used. The university life histories of the students were compiled by making use of in-depth interviews, lifelines and photographs. The conclusions of the study discuss the main results along with other previous studies, and recommendations are made so universities can provide training plans leading to inclusive education and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This investigation studied attainment in students with mental health difficulties who were taking modules by distance learning with the UK Open University in 2012. Students with mental health difficulties who had no additional disabilities were less likely than nondisabled students to complete the modules that they had taken and less likely to pass the modules that they had completed. However, they were just as likely as nondisabled students to obtain good grades for the modules that they had passed when the effects of age, gender, prior qualifications, and financial assistance had been taken into account. Students with mental health difficulties who had additional disabilities were less likely than nondisabled students to complete the modules that they had taken, less likely to pass the modules that they had completed, and less likely to obtain good grades for the modules that they had passed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared outcomes in deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students and nondisabled students taking courses by distance learning with the UK Open University in 2012. DHH students who had no additional disabilities were more likely to complete their courses than were nondisabled students, and they were just as likely to pass the courses that they completed and to obtain good grades on the courses that they passed. DHH students who had additional disabilities were less likely to complete their courses, less likely to pass the courses that they completed and less likely to obtain good grades on the courses that they pass than were nondisabled students. It is concluded that hearing loss itself has no effect on academic attainment, but that additional disabilities may have an impact on DHH students’ academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article reports on a national study conducted in the United States on the current institutional practices, structures, resources and policies that are needed to ensure online accessibility for all students at colleges and universities. Key findings include the need to better articulate who is responsible for online accessibility initiatives and policies; the need for an institutional investment when creating accessible online environments in terms of technology, staffing and other resources; and a sense of overwhelm at many institutions that are unsure of where to begin with making their online programmes and courses accessible for all students. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In modern language (ML) distance learning programmes, teachers and students use online tools to facilitate, reinforce and support independent learning. This makes it essential for teachers to develop pedagogical expertise in using online communication tools to perform their role. Teachers frequently raise questions of how best to support the needs of their diverse groups of adult language learners. This is particularly relevant in the case of modern language students with learning difficulties, including dyslexia, whose previous experiences of language learning can sometimes be negative and frustrating. This case study relates to a staff development project which took place between December 2012 and June 2013 at the Department of Languages in the Open University, UK, and involved 12 ML teachers across a range of languages and levels. In theDyslexia and Modern Language Learning project, teachers worked and learnt together to: (1) develop understanding of key issues in relation to ML learning and dyslexia, (2) share good practice and experiences through reflection and collaboration, (3) find effective methods and strategies to support adult ML learners with dyslexia and (4) facilitate the joint design of learning resources for the online environment. The study presents the findings and the outcomes of the project, including the set of teaching and learning resources produced by the teachers as well as their recommendations on good practice. It also discusses the impact of the project on developing ML teachers’ attitudes and practices when supporting adult students with dyslexia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article offers information on an annual international symposium related to higher education hosted by the Open University of Japan in Makuhari, Japan on February 13, 2015. Topics include supporting student with disabilities in higher education in the U.S., accessible e-learning, and future challenge of Japanese disability student services and utilization of information and communication technology. The symposium featured academics including Yoko Hirose; Robert Stodden and Martyn Cooper.

The Open University (OU) is the UK’s largest distance education provider and has a large and growing disabled student population. Disabled user support presents particular challenges for an online library service in the distance learning environment. The OU introduced guidelines for working with non-OU–authored content (external content) in 2011 which fundamentally altered the focus of library support from on-demand conversions to preemptive identification – and where necessary, conversion – of essential content. This case study describes Library Services’ learning journey through its support for one particular module with lots of external content, the resultant benefits to its support services and considers areas for future development. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Open University (OU) has an established infrastructure for supporting disabled students. Historically, the thrust of this has focused on providing accessible adjustments post-production. In 2012, the OU implemented securing greater accessibility (SeGA) to raise awareness and bring about an institutional change to curriculum design so that the needs of all students, including disabled students, are taken into account from the outset of module design and production. A core component of SeGA is the introduction of faculty accessibility specialists (AS). This case study discusses the successes and challenges for AS in motivating and supporting production teams in the adoption of inclusive anticipatory practices to make new curriculum accessible. It also outlines the process of reasonable adjustment during presentation. It shows how collaborative working between AS has helped standardise design and production processes for accessibility, principles with wider relevance for supporting disabled students in other higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Universal design (UD) educational frameworks provide useful guidelines for designing accessible learning environments with the intention of supporting students with and without disabilities. This article describes how one university instructor defined and applied the principles of Universal Instructional Design (UID) to pedagogy, while designing three online courses. The paper presents the course design process, detailing how UD principles can be operationalised to increase ‘cognitive access’ through a variety of pedagogical practices. The paper illustrates ways in which instructors can consider UID during the five phases of instructional design (analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation). The courses highlighted in this study incorporated varied assignment formats, flexible options, a highly structured format and regular interactions with peers and instructors. Results of the study show that students valued the organisation, instructor interaction and flexible options provided. Implications for practice are presented for instructors seeking to design inclusive course environments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A modified action research project was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of a pre-placement procedure in facilitating eight disabled physiotherapy students’ transitions from university to practice. Feedback was gathered from the students, practice educators, visiting and academic tutors via questionnaire. Thematic analysis identified four main themes: ‘Procedure’; ‘Student in Control’; ‘Communication’; and ‘Disclosure’. The procedure was generally effective in supporting these students. Recommendations were made for: the need for ownership of the procedure from all stakeholders; the development of more effective communication systems; and the need for appropriate disability awareness training for all academic and practice-based staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a discursive analysis to examine the experience of 'inclusion' from several stakeholder groups in one university. The research team included disability support staff at the institution, external disability consultants and academic researchers. A critical focus group investigation centred on four groups: students who were identified as having an impairment (SWIs), academic staff (teachers), administrators and students who did not identify as having an impairment (non-SWIs). Interviews had facilitators with both research and disability expertise. Groups recounted different experiences of inclusion. SWIs, drawing on a rights discourse, emphasised a lack of resourcing and barriers created by the teaching staff. In contrast, teachers, administrators and (to a lesser extent) non-SWIs emphasised the importance of social inclusion, reflecting discourses around needs and humanist notions of care and support, which largely seemed to miss the core of SWI concerns about recognition of their technical competence. For all groups, questions around disclosure of disability were of greater concern than tensions between needs and rights or the recent publication of a Code of Practice for the higher education sector. The findings challenged some of the researchers' own assumptions, with unexpected implications for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on the topic of higher educationalopportunities and challenges for students with special educational needs.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles related to the topic of accessibility of open and distance learning for students with disabilities.