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This review tracks the last 50 years of the journey towards the inclusion of disabled students in Higher Education (H.E.). It provides a critical overview of the impact of evolving U.K. policy aimed at widening participation for disabled H.E. students. The overview spotlights the historical, ideological and political influences on policy and practice and illuminates the underlying causes of the social injustices still experienced by disabled H.E. students. Despite a government commitment to inclusive practices, data reveals disabled H.E. students are among those most at risk of withdrawing from university and have lower degree outcomes than non-disabled students (OfS. 2021. Access and Participation Resources: Findings from the Data. , 19). The article illustrates how the prevailing models of disability have influenced definitions of disability and inclusion. It highlights tensions between the Government's accountability agenda and inclusive practice ideals. The paper reviews U.K. studies of inclusion of disabled H.E. students. It unearths barriers, particularly concerning stigma, disclosure, and social inclusion, rooted in historical misrepresentations of disability remaining intact in contemporary society. Implications for H.E. institutions and policymakers are highlighted. Recommendations for researchers include research aligned with disabled people's lived experiences and further investigation of barriers relating to attitudes of non-disabled students. [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]

Drawing on a Foucauldian theorisation and an in-depth study with eight disabled student activists in England, this paper explores how persistent marginalisation and ableism in higher education has triggered a wave of activism among disabled students, who, just before the advent of the pandemic, had organised a structured movement, Disabled Students UK. We employ Foucault's ideas of the care of the self and others to discuss the formation of disabled students as activist subjects fighting discrimination in English higher education, in a moment in which the intersection between inclusive policies and austerity measures exposed the ableism rooted in academic practices. This paper promotes discussion on the nurturing relationship that exists between the individual and the community in constituting disability activism and disabled activists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definitions of disability are changing, shifting from a narrow medical diagnosis to a biopsychosocial model of disability, where disability is conceptualised as a series of relational conditions that can potentially disadvantage individuals within environments. Implications of this new understanding of disability will have significant effects in the higher education sector, where there is increasing participation of disabled students. In this paper, we discuss one aspect of these implications through the topic of graduate employability. In doing so, we generate a new concept 'Employability for Inclusion' that can be utilised as an equity-focused lens for universities to consider how employability initiatives are inclusive to disabled and/or diverse students. To unpack this concept, we further illustrate how a biopsychosocial model of disability would impact key employability activities (e.g., work-integrated learning) and provide valuable insights into how the higher education sector can adopt emerging conceptualisations of disability and inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The salience of education for better life outcomes is well accepted, but people with disabilities continue to be underrepresented in higher education. Building on Weedon's approach to the intersection of impairment with socioeconomic factors, this paper identifies the facilitators and barriers encountered and/or experienced by young people with disabilities along their diverse pathways to and through higher education in Sweden. The data comes from longitudinal ethnographic case studies of persons with ADHD. While the findings show similarities in impairment-specific barriers, such as transition and inadequate support available at university, they make even more visible the existing heterogeneity among people with ADHD and the inadequacy of support structures at higher education institutions. Parents, economic security and individual factors, such as ease of learning and belief in one's own capacity, were found to be strong facilitators. ADHD and socioeconomic disadvantage together magnified vulnerabilities and hurdles faced while aspiring to and accessing higher education. The article concludes by highlighting the urgent need for universities to change entrenched structures that perceive students with disabilities as a homogeneous group and disability as an individual problem, in order to enable participation of all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scoping review provides insight into the empirical evidence on the effects of disability-related services, health promotion, testing accommodations, social and academic integration on academic success of students with disabilities in higher education. A systematic literature search was conducted in EBSCO, ERIC, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Sociological Abstracts, Cochrane Library, and LIVIVO. Empirical studies published between 2008 and 2022, in English and German language, were included. In summary, 46 studies met the inclusion criteria. The results were categorised into four intervention groups and catalogued through a system of categories. The paper demonstrates contrasting effects of the interventions on academic success. The qualitative studies showed that students evaluated the interventions as important for adaption on campus and academic success. However, quantitative studies lacked from sufficient sample sizes and causal relationships of the variables could not be established. The interventions of disability-related services, and testing accommodations did rarely show statistically significant effects on academic success. Health promotion, and social and academic integration showed significant effects of the interventions on success outcomes. The findings of this study have practical implications for university's staff and disability services, helping to promote the academic success of students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMethodsResultsConclusion\nIMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThe aim of this study was to explore the impact of AT in identity for students with disabilities in higher education and if/how this changes over time.Using a longitudinal qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with students with disabilities (n = 13) in higher education in Ireland on two occasions during an academic year. A trajectory approach to longitudinal analysis was employed. This involved the use of matrices and identification of a through line for the study, which connects participant change over time.The through line identified was feeling valued, which was central in the negotiation of identity over time across three themes: feelings of autonomy and competence; claiming disability; and feeling like you belong as a student. AT impacted experiences across the three themes which subsequently promoted or undermined students’ sense of value. Reciprocally, feeling valued influenced use and perceptions of AT. Factors specific to a higher education context were also identified which influenced meanings attached to AT over time.Creating an environment where students feel valued is key in promoting use of and positive perceptions of AT. This should form an integral part of AT and disability policy in higher education.Assistive technology (AT) use can have significant implications for one’s identityAT indirectly impacts on students with disabilities’ sense of value through its influence on three areas of identity change/continuity; feelings of autonomy and competence, claiming disability and feeling like you belongFeeling valued was central to the negotiation of identity over time for students with disabilities in higher educationCreating an environment where students feel valued is integral to supporting students in their pursuit of a positive sense of identity and key in promoting use of and positive perceptions towards AT. This should form a central part of AT and disability policy in higher education.Assistive technology (AT) use can have significant implications for one’s identityAT indirectly impacts on students with disabilities’ sense of value through its influence on three areas of identity change/continuity; feelings of autonomy and competence, claiming disability and feeling like you belongFeeling valued was central to the negotiation of identity over time for students with disabilities in higher educationCreating an environment where students feel valued is integral to supporting students in their pursuit of a positive sense of identity and key in promoting use of and positive perceptions towards AT. This should form a central part of AT and disability policy in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of unpaid and informal care is a crucial part of the health and social care system in Australia and internationally. As carers in Australia have received statutory recognition, concerted efforts to foster engagement in carer participation in work and education has followed. However, little is known about the strategies and policies that higher education institutions have implemented to support the inclusion of carers. To address this lack of information, existing higher education institution policies were located to canvas supports available to student carers and identify organisational representative participants. Semi-structured interviews were then undertaken with staff from five higher education institutions to discuss their institutions' policies and their experiences as stewards of carer inclusion and support. Findings indicate difficulty in identifying carers, the infancy of inclusion policies, support measures that are similar to those for students with a disability and difficulties accommodating flexibility in rigid institutional settings. Findings were synthesised into a framework of strategies, policies and procedures of inclusion to support student carers in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of disabled research higher degree (RHD) candidates in Australia and other countries is slowly increasing. However, little research has examined the experiences and perspectives of disabled RHD candidates. To address this gap, we conducted interviews with six disabled PhD candidates at an Australian university, aiming to understand the experiences and challenges of undertaking postgraduate study while living with disability. We present participants' experiences of seeking – and commonly being refused – 'reasonable adjustments'. Our findings invert the expectations of institutional adjustment, highlighting instead the constant adjustments made by the participants: temporal adjustments, workspace and equipment adjustments, supervision adjustments and emotion and body adjustments. We argue that these adjustments are necessitated by, and often reinforce, ableist assumptions about normative academic practices, assumptions that reward those who can conform and punish disabled candidates even as they work to adjust to institutional demands. Disabled PhD candidates in this study were often denied reasonable adjustments or accommodations over their course of candidature. The denial of reasonable adjustments was distressing and impacted upon the PhD candidates' understandings of their research ability and sense of belonging at their university. In the absence of institutional ajustments, the PhD candidates in this study had to make adjustments to their use of time, where and how they worked, their supervisory relationships and their expectations of their bodies and emotions. For the PhD candidates in this study, adjustments often came at high financial, time, professional and social costs. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles may offer a more effective framework for making research higher degrees programmes more accessible and welcoming for people living with disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite big advances, in recent years, students with disabilities have not been greatly present in the university world, and those who do enter higher education are confronted with architectural and psychosocial barriers. Among the latter category, it is necessary to highlight the attitudes of their classmates and teachers towards students with disabilities; but we also need to take their own ideas and beliefs into account. This study therefore examines the ideas and beliefs of university students in Spain with disabilities about attitudes towards disabilities. Taking their responses into consideration, it can be concluded that the students in question consider neither their disability nor the university to be an obstacle to them accessing and finishing their studies. Furthermore, they perceive the attitudes of their teachers and peers to be positive, thus feeling themselves to be fairly well integrated into the university community. However, they also call for better training on disability. This article examines the ideas and beliefs held by university students with disabilities in Spain on the attitudes of their teachers and classmates towards their inclusion. This article looks in detail at the real-life interactions between students with disabilities and people without disabilities. The students with disabilities, although considering their peers and teachers to have positive attitudes towards them and feeling themselves to be included, called for the educational community to be better informed about their disabilities. For them, it is essential to have a welcome plan and a central unit coordinating and advising the entire educational community on this issue. This type of research is important, because it can help to give students with disabilities a voice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although higher education typically strengthens people with disabilities' chances to be in a competitive job market as a leverage to break away from poverty, the contemporary marketization of higher education within the era of neoliberalism has made degrees and diplomas increasingly unaffordable. The federal government responded to this predicament by increasing the Canada Social Transfer to offer up-front targeted funding to students with disabilities in 2008. However, virtually no literature has acknowledged whether financial grants meaningfully provide students with disabilities with an equitable opportunity to engage in post-secondary education. Using critical discourse analysis on government online materials that address federal and provincial disability grants for post-secondary students with disabilities in Alberta and Ontario, this study reveals how the neoliberal rhetoric of personal responsibility shapes the practice of government disability grants. This practice can leave students with 'more responsibility' while rendering 'less control' over their finances in an already disabling world. This study looks at how language is communicated by federal and provincial government grants to post-secondary students with disabilities in Alberta and Ontario. The research found that Canadian financial assistance programs for students with disabilities have been operating using techniques that largely reflect self-reliance and personal responsibility. Students with disabilities are left with more responsibilities to prove their worthiness for assistance. At the same time, students cannot know for sure whether they will receive the necessary funds to continue their studies. Medical understandings of disability are strictly used to determine the eligibility for financial assistance, leaving little room for students to decide what they need to suit their individual needs best. The findings suggest that government financial assistance programs are not firmly committed to providing students with disabilities with an equitable opportunity to engage in PSE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unprecedented growth of universities in recent years has meant that there are more students with learning disabilities attending courses. Consequently, universities have had to adapt, improve and create new resources to ensure greater inclusivity. These resources, their design, and development are managed by inclusion support services, aiming to the full inclusion of students with disabilities and the promotion of community awareness. This article aims to shed light on the current role of inclusion services in supporting students with learning disabilities, and the link these services have with the different university stakeholders, using a thematic analysis from the experiences of this services staff in eight Spanish universities. The results show that: i) there is no uniformity in the support services; and ii) more resources and work are needed to ensure increased inclusion and awareness. The discussion and conclusions drawn highlight the trends, challenges, and opportunities for universities improving their inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education acknowledges evaluation as a core component in pedagogy. However, K–12 institutions implement different applications of formative evaluation, and Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) still use traditional evaluation almost exclusively. Adjustments made for students with disabilities (SWDs) are often exam accommodations rather than modifications in the evaluation process itself. The current study aims to examine the perceptions of students from different cultural backgrounds and abilities on Culturally Responsive Academic Evaluation (CRAE), which also takes into consideration SWDs and sees them as a distinct cultural group. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) was used as a guiding framework for formative evaluation for students with and without disabilities. The study used a qualitative method through a phenomenological approach. Twelve undergraduate and graduate students were interviewed using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Results showed three themes concerning CRAE in higher education: Multiculturalism and diversity sensitivity, diversification in evaluation methods, and social responsibility. According to the participants' statements, the student population is ready for more flexible and diverse evaluation methods, as long as boundaries are set to preserve academic standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students with disabilities encounter challenges through higher education and into employment. Despite holistic disability paradigms, higher education institutions continue to view disability as a human quality, providing support services through a medical lens. Through participatory action research, students with disabilities, in collaboration with university researchers co-create an intervention to promote the voices of students with disabilities in higher education. This study explores and describes the co-creation processes. Data were generated through group discussions, mapping, shared analysis, and shared writing through digital and in-person workshops, and shared documents. A reflexive thematic analysis resulted in the generation of five themes; enabling participation and including all voices; sharing and relating to each other; shifting from being a problem to being discriminated; and translating experiences into actions. The fifth and overall theme is the transformation of co-creators’ understandings. The results indicate empowering processes of being awakened to discriminating structures and seeing own capabilities to make changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students with dyslexia face particular challenges in higher education. Individuals with disabilities have a right to accommodations to guarantee equal opportunities and participation in education. The present study addresses (1) the frequency of functioning and participation problems of students with dyslexia in higher education, (2) the teaching and evaluation methods during which the functioning and participation problems emerge, and (3) the effectiveness of accommodations perceived by students with dyslexia. Results showed that students with dyslexia primarily have problems with reading comprehension, reading speed, spelling and text writing. Furthermore, most students with dyslexia experience more problems during classical teaching (e.g. lecture) or classical evaluation methods (e.g. written exam with open questions) than during dynamic or activating teaching methods (e.g. excursion or internship) or alternative evaluation methods (e.g. peer evaluation). Finally, perception of the effectiveness of accommodations depends strongly on the individual functioning and participation problems students with dyslexia experienced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been increasingly acknowledged that universities need to include and support students with disabilities in order to benefit these individuals. Yet, university students with disabilities often face significant barriers that impact their ability to succeed. Traditional higher education practices and belief systems have been identified as problematic, in how they influence students' feelings and attitudes towards disability, and their self identity construction. Our qualitative research study was thus originally designed to understand how higher education students engaged with medical and social constructions of disability. The study findings prioritise these students' perspectives and voices through interpretative phenomenological analysis and poetic interpretations. The findings are further nuanced in terms of how several students took up positions of identity that reflect social relational and affirmative disability conceptions. Aside from individuals with disabilities, this study has implications for university staff, medical and human services professionals, and disability researchers focused on higher education. Despite increased enrollments of students with disabilities in higher education, concerns have been raised about these students' university achievement and completion. There is a gap in research when it comes to examining the views and experiences of university students with disabilities, from their own perspectives and voices. Research was carried out with university students with different disabilities in order to gauge the impact of the social and medical models on their perspectives. The research found that there was no single model that dominated their individual identities, as various life experiences resulted in complex and multifaceted understandings of disability. This research is important not only for the service providers who work with individuals with disabilities, but also family members, researchers, and other university staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a form of assessment, examinations are designed to determine whether students have met learning outcomes. However, students with disabilities report avoiding examinations, selecting units of study where the assessments align with their strengths. To ensure examinations do not contribute to the systematic exclusion of students with disabilities, it is important to explore their experiences. In this paper, we use a sociomaterial frame to analyse how examination arrangements construct inclusion in examinations. Interviews with 40 students were conducted across two universities. Inclusion or exclusion was variably constituted for students through emergent combinations of social and material arrangements. Covid-19 pandemic related social distancing related changes such as shifting examinations online, using technology, increasing time limits and moving to open-book examinations contributed to increased inclusion for most students, who were able to use familiar equipment in spaces they had adapted to their own needs. Staff acceptance and implementation of access requirements and assessment flexibility also contributed. While the attitudes and actions of staff involved in examinations can facilitate inclusion, reducing the need for adjustments through assessment design is important. This requires consideration of how time, technology, equipment and materials contribute to inclusion or exclusion, which may have benefits for many students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In scholarly research, disabilities are predominantly understood as something that obscures assessment rather than enriches it. In this study, I examine how research on assessment adjustments (e.g. extra time in tests and separate testing rooms) portrays disabled students. I discuss how this area of research plays a role in constructing an image of 'the ideal student' and its shadow, the 'non-ideal student'. I conduct a critical review to analyse how 26 assessment adjustment studies portray their object, disabled students, as being ontologically different from normal and ideal students. The 'disabled examinee' is portrayed as 'a spanner in the works' that endangers the objectivity of the assessment systems in higher education. Disabled students are framed as 'Others' who pose a danger for academic standards and integrity: assessment adjustments are thus seen as safeguarding academia from this danger. I argue that this portrayal contributes to marginalising disabled students in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of a study that gave a voice to 119 faculty members of 10 Spanish universities, who were recommended by their students with disabilities for carrying out an inclusive pedagogy. Following a qualitative methodology, two interviews were held to analyse different areas of inclusive pedagogy: beliefs, knowledge, designs and actions. The data were analysed through an inductive system of categories and codes. The results show the positive aspects and benefits highlighted by these faculty about their experiences regarding the presence of students with disabilities in their classrooms, as well as the main challenges they encounter when attempting to achieve the social and educational inclusion of these students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-integrated learning (WIL) or university placements are valuable opportunities for students to apply their knowledge in an authentic work setting and help support their transition from university to employment. However, as our study evidenced, students with disability face significant and unique barriers to securing and completing WIL placements. In this study, we surveyed students with disability at an Australian university (n = 132) to explore their experiences and perceptions of WIL placements. Our findings indicate that while many students are motivated to participate in placements, they have concerns about how their disability, medical or mental health condition(s) will be accepted by the organisations and whether their requests for accommodations will be facilitated without judgement from supervisors. The findings from our study are relevant to the fields of disability/inclusion and employability, as the results showcase that current policies and practices do not adequately support diverse students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the experiences of students with chronic illnesses in UK universities. Sixty-seven students with chronic illnesses completed an online survey with open-ended questions about their experiences in higher education. Questions covered four main topics: academic work; university staff; social and extracurricular activities; and participants' miscellaneous opinions. Using thematic analysis, the data were analysed with references to the social model of disability and social representations of chronic illness. Participants wrote of misconceptions surrounding chronic illnesses, a sense of inequality, and feeling undervalued. Many staff members seemed to lack understanding and so 'policed' academic regulations rather than accommodating for their chronic illnesses. However, some participants wrote of social and academic 'allies' who offered understanding and proactive support. The findings add substance to the chronic illness literature with the focus on students at university, and we offer recommendations to universities for improving inclusivity for students with chronic illnesses. Disabled students with energy-limiting chronic illnesses are frustrated by a lack of support and feel that they have fewer opportunities than non-disabled students. Some university staff may hold negative views of disabled individuals, and so provide inadequate support. This can lead to students' reluctance to disclose chronic illnesses. Students with chronic illnesses felt that some staff and peers did not class chronic illnesses as 'real' disabilities and felt that they were perceived lesser than those with visible disabilities. Some students proudly owned the label of 'disabled' to educate others, including staff, who sometimes used university regulations inappropriately to excuse not adjusting support for disabled students. Some staff and students were perceived as supportive allies. Universities must listen to disabled students and those with chronic illnesses to ensure they fulfil their legal and moral obligations of providing equality of opportunity, enabling all students to succeed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is currently a steadily growing number of disabled students at universities in Taiwan, there has been as yet no research concerning the attitude towards inclusive education of university instructors. This study investigated differences in attitude towards inclusive education among instructors at universities in Taiwan using a 'University Instructor Attitude towards Inclusive Education' questionnaire to examine instructors' attitudes and the differences in inclusive education of instructors' attitudes in various background variables. The inclusive education attitude questionnaire contained three subscales respectively examining cognition, affection, and behavioural tendencies; 299 valid ones of the 400 distributed questionnaires were collected, the valid questionnaire response rate was 74.7%. The study revealed that while university instructors in Taiwan had an active, positive attitude towards inclusive education, there were significant differences in attitude towards inclusive education among instructors with different gender, special education backgrounds, school type, and teaching field. This study also makes recommendations based on our findings, hopes to provide a reference aiding the drafting of special education policies at the higher education level in Taiwan, and also seeks to provide Taiwan's experience to other countries as a reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enacting critical pedagogies within physical education (PE) contexts have been found to increase critical consciousness and disrupt hegemonic taken-for-granted assumptions about ability and the body. As an under-researched area, the aim of our research was to explore the extent to which a critical pedagogical approach in PE can disrupt normative ableist notions of disability through a disability-specific, critically orientated, tennis class. Six students from a large southeastern US university chose to participate and student video narratives and reflective essays were collated as data sources. Through inductive and deductive data analysis, the key themes constructed were: (1) 'the learning journey in critical education', underpinned by the following subthemes: (i) 'initial shock', (ii) 'new experiences', and (iii) 'humbling encounters'; and (2) 'consequences of critical pedagogy', supported by (a) 'building a community through meaningful relationships', and (b) 'change in perspective'. We conclude by discussing the pedagogical potential of our critical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As postsecondary online programs increase, the accessibility of online course content becomes a serious issue in higher education. There is currently little information about how postsecondary institutions address online course accessibility. This exploratory mixed-methods study examined the degree to which university online course checklists represent accessibility criteria and which criteria were most and least represented in university checklists. Further, this study also examined the relationship between several university factors. This review of university online course checklists against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines criteria revealed some areas that may warrant closer inspection for researchers and universities. Results indicated that online program enrollment was linked with how the university handled accessibility compliance and how they trained faculty regarding online course accessibility. These findings have implications for how learner inclusion in online programs can be impacted at the university level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distance education celebrates its humanitarian mission of providing opportunities for disadvantaged and marginalized individuals who do not have access to traditional campus-based higher education. Large enrolments of students necessitate an industrialized approach in planning, design, and delivery informed by a normative assumption of ableism. In the context of post-apartheid South Africa, distance education fulfills a particular important role in ensuring access to education for all. This scoping review addressed two questions: "What is currently known, in the context of distance education in South Africa, about the educational experiences of SWDs?" and "How should we understand and respond to these experiences?" The scoping study shows, inter alia, that while there is an institutional commitment to providing equitable learning experiences, the lived experiences of students with disabilities provide evidence of their invisibility in the design, planning, and delivery of learning. The study concludes with some recommendations and provocations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online learning can potentially meet increasingly diverse students' needs in higher education, including disabled students. However, institutions have historically struggled in providing accessible and inclusive online learning. Higher education online learning leaders, those who manage instructional designers, are in a unique position to help institutions strategize and create accessible and inclusive online courses. In this qualitative study, we interviewed nine higher education online learning leaders to understand leaders' perceptions about how institutions provide accessible and inclusive online learning. Results demonstrated that despite varying conceptualizations of accessibility and inclusivity, online learning leaders perceive an insufficient but growing emphasis in higher education. Overall, participants described instructional designers as the most knowledgeable and skilled in this area. Participants described a lack of agency for instructional design teams and a need to advocate for buy-in from senior leadership. They also described strategies (e.g., faculty development, quality standards, and accessibility checkers) to support faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of students with disabilities, which covers a range of conditions including physical and cognitive impairments, is on the rise. Further and higher education institutions are obliged to ensure that teaching and assessment is inclusive. This is particularly pertinent since the pandemic as many students have missed social opportunities that may have offered academic capital. We conducted a systematic review of relevant United Kingdom literature on how assessment for distance education in further education and higher education can be made inclusive in practical and purposeful ways. Assessment is the fundamental way that we measure students' understanding and progress; it is only through demonstrating knowledge against the set criteria and learning outcomes that students can pass assessments and earn credits toward completion of their degree. We found three key themes in promoting student potential: (a) purposeful and accessible feedback, (b) online group work opportunities, (c) student agency over assessment format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides a systematic review of the literature on what factors university students with disabilities recognise as necessary for their academic success. This systematic review was conducted in ERIC, Scopus and Web of Science. The opinions of 3854 students in a total of 31 qualitative and quantitative studies were analysed through a system of categories and codes. The results were organised according to the description of the studies (type of methodology, country and type of disability) and personal and external factors favouring success. Among the personal factors of students with disabilities who progress and remain at university, self-advocacy, self-awareness, self-determination, self-esteem and executive functioning stood out. Regarding external factors, the following were identified: family, disability offices, staff and faculty members, and peers that influence their academic success. This paper includes significant findings that universities can use to develop actions that promote the development of some of the factors identified in this study, thus favouring the learning and academic success of students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study which aims to know what faculty members who develop inclusive pedagogy do to foster the inclusion of students with disability. Using a qualitative methodology, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 faculty members, who were recommended by their students with disabilities. The data were analyzed inductively through a categories and codes system. The results show the participants' experiences working with disabilities and the active and participatory methodological strategies used by the interviewees to ensure the participation of all the students, as well as some key elements to foster inclusion. Lastly, the participants offer some recommendations for other faculty members to move toward inclusion in the university. The conclusion section discusses the results of this work with those of previous studies, and offers some suggestions for further work in the scope of inclusive pedagogy and Higher Education. Faculty members need training and information on inclusive education to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Faculty members who develop inclusive pedagogy do not distinguish between students with and without disabilities, and treat all students in the same way. Active and participatory teaching methods are the most effective and beneficial for all students. Inclusive Faculty members recommend that other teachers become informed about disability, develop a good and close relationship with their students and value their abilities, not their limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

This article reports on a study conducted to explore the barriers towards accessible quality higher education for students with disabilities (SwDs) in a South African Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) institution. The ultimate purpose of this study is to understand and shed light on the challenges that need to be addressed to improve the Unisa practices in a manner that would ensure accessible quality higher education for SwDs. As such, this study which is of a qualitative nature employed a single case study research design wherein nine interviews with lecturers from seven teaching colleges at Unisa are conducted. The findings reveal that, based on the perceptions of lecturers, quality higher education for SwDs at Unisa is hampered by lack of awareness and clear procedures to identify SwDs, inaccessible learning material for SwDs and lack of capacity by lecturers to support SwDs. While it is expected that this study may not culminate in recommendations for practice as a result of limitations posed by its design, it is anticipated that its logical ending points will serve to influence future practice. Nevertheless, it is recommended for future research in South African ODeL to focus on identifying best practices that can be adapted to enhance quality higher education for SwDs in relation to the above-mentioned challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing population of young people with autism entering higher education and successfully completing qualifications, however, their postgraduate outcomes are often some of the poorest. This study responds to the gap in research regarding the transition out of higher education and into the labour market for this group. It outlines a two-phase qualitative research design to examine barriers and pathways to competitive employment for graduates with autism. Findings report the heterogenous experience of autism, the importance of natural supports such as family, universities, or supported employment for success, and the impact of attitudes regarding autism and inclusive practice expressed by employers and wider society. The study further analyses how people, practices and policies often interact contingently to open up or close down opportunities for graduates with autism within the ecosystem of competitive employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research notes that stigmatisation still exists within higher education for individuals identifying as having a disability. Institutional members, including administrators, may indicate an overall positive perception of students with disabilities; however, this perception may not translate to consistent inclusion of this student group in the student diversity landscape. Limited research exists on if and how postsecondary administrators include disability within their overall definition of postsecondary student diversity. This qualitative study explores administrators' interpretation of student diversity and the inclusion of disability within this definition. Findings indicate that administrators do not regularly include disability as a component of student diversity. This brief report presents implications and recommendations for postsecondary stakeholders to incorporate the concept of disability within student diversity programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses differential prediction and differential validity in higher-education admissions policy for individuals with various disabilities, who were granted or denied (on either technical grounds or professional considerations) test accommodations on the Israeli Psychometric Entrance Test (PET). The sample comprised 124,501 records of first-year students in 2,036 academic departments at six universities We applied a common-line regression model using the standard high-stakes PET score, the high-school Matriculation Exams score (ME), and their composite score (CS), as predictors, and the first year GPA as the criterion. Pearson correlations between predictors and criterion were also computed. Findings showed that accommodation policy was generally fair towards individuals with disabilities, with minimal over- or under-prediction. One important practical implication was that applicants should be cautioned that failure to provide adequate documentation of their disabilities could result in technical rejection, which may result in the under-prediction of their academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new educational environments based on the use of ICT has enabled the possibility to improve access and involvement for students with disabilities at the university level. Hence, this systematic review attempts to synthesise the main findings of previous interventions aimed to promote the inclusion of these students in Online Higher Education, as well as to analyse their contribution on the students' academic success, by considering the principles of both Universal Instructional Design and Universal Design for Learning. A systematic search was conducted in four databases (WOS, Scopus, ERIC, and ProQuest) following the PRISMA-P statement. This search yielded 16 articles according to the defined criteria. Four thematic categories were identified throughout a thematic synthesis: Accessibility, support, socialisation, and academic success. The findings show that both accessibility and support are important factors for promoting the disabled students' academic success in Online Higher Education but also highlight the need to apply the Universal Design in the whole system. Furthermore, the issues of academic support, inclusive pedagogical practices, and socialisation should be deeply analysed to inquire about their contribution to the students with disabilities' academic success. Lastly, the limitations of this study and future implication for research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education institutions should ensure they create conducive spaces for students with disabilities to engage fully in both academic and social spheres. Yet, too often the educational opportunities of these students are limited by social and structural barriers to inclusion. As Principal of a teacher education college in Zimbabwe, I saw it as my responsibility to improve inclusion in my institution. I proceeded from a critical disability theory perspective, engaging ten students with disabilities in a participatory action learning and action research project, on the grounds that people with disability are best placed to know how to improve their own situation. Data were generated through transcriptions of group discussions, photo voice, written narratives, a questionnaire and researcher field notes. Thematic data analysis revealed many barriers to inclusion. The participatory process explained in this article, and the findings that emanated, generated knowledge that would not have been accessible to an able-bodied researcher. Such participatory forms of research give students with disabilities a voice and increase their sense self-worth and agency to bring about change that improves their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, invisible disabilities are among the most commonly reported types of disabilities among college students. International data suggest that students with disabilities in higher education are often reluctant to disclose their disability status in order to access accommodations and academic support from their institutions. Few studies have examined institutional disclosure processes that contribute to students non-disclosure decisions. The first day of class is an opportune time for instructors to invite students to disclose their accommodation eligibility. Guided by the multiple goals theoretical framework, 30 first-day-of-class videos from a large, public university in the United States, were collected and analyzed. The findings suggest that when instructors talk about accommodations for students with disabilities on the first day of class, they largely prioritize the students' task goals (e.g. completing documentation and assignments) and often avoid discussing the unique relational and identity needs of students with invisible disabilities. The implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic forced HE Providers (HEPs) to radically transition traditional teaching and assessment to 100% remote delivery. UK Governments' policies widening HE participation have yielded a significant minority of disabled students (15%). This study investigated English HEPs (n = 133) transition advice to academics regarding these students' needs. Of 104 respondents, 16% provided new advice regarding remote teaching for disabled students, 22% regarding remote assessment; only 2 mentioned they had conducted Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) about the changes. Disabled students' needs appear forgotten. Four response models were identified: Keep Calm and Carry On, Meet an Existential Threat, All Hands to the Pumps, An Opportunity for Change. Emergent good practice examples are given. Most English HEPs should urgently conduct EIAs under their legal Anticipatory Public Sector Equality Duty. The whole sector needs to better institutionalise delivering to disabled students' needs through effective inclusivity policy implementation, and educating academics and academic management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benefits of peer mentoring include learning to collaborate , developing relationships, skill development and career clarity. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of undergraduate university students mentoring a person with intellectual disability as part of their university practicum placement. Using a qualitative approach, peer mentors (N=11) were asked to reflect on their Up the Hill Project experience, at an Australian program supporting inclusion of adults with intellectual disability at university. Thematic analysis of interviews revealed four key themes: career development and learning; enabling positive outcomes; being a mentor; and barriers and challenges. Mentors reported a positive experience related to professional learning and development. The mentoring experience was strengthened by effective support structures and the reciprocity of the mentor-mentee relationship. Findings suggest that mentoring as part of a university practicum can be a positive, worthwhile learning experience, particularly regarding professional development for future employment in the disability field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to present an analytical tool called Model of Becoming Aware, to explore the production of the subjectivities of disabled students and new forms of exclusions during the enactment of disability policies in the Italian higher education context. It deploys Foucault's governmentality studies to frame the changing historical conditions from a welfarist to neoliberal governance, of the university and it draws upon qualitative data collected in an Italian university. The Model is the product of situational analysis of the enactment of inclusive policies and explores the mobilisation of authority, resources, practices, subjects, opportunities and knowledge by two technologies of power – autonomy and sensitivity. Findings illustrate how medical and economic truths in times of austerity are producing new forms of performative neoliberal subjectivities in higher education while subordinating forms of subjection based on expensive welfarist provisions. Through the Model of Becoming Aware, the article aims to supply a contingent tool to analyse current ableist and exclusionary practices in the enactment of disability higher education policies, providing an evidence-based space to rethink policies to support disabled students educational access and attainment in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tom (pseudonym) was an international undergraduate student with a rare visual disability, known as cone dystrophy. His appearance was that of a normal person but variations in light greatly influenced his vision. During his first two years at a university in Australia, Tom had particular difficulty making sense of assessment and feedback. His perceptions, struggles and strategies are presented here as a narrative, primarily in his own words. Tom's interactions with academics were strong contributors to his mostly negative perceptions about assessment and feedback. Key influencers were his cultural background, his approach to feedback, and his own expectations of the role feedback should play. An analysis of four in-depth interviews and a written response of this student's attitudes, needs and issues demonstrate how academics, university stakeholders and experts in assessment and feedback can develop a raised awareness of, and sensitivity to, specialised ways of assisting international students with disabilities. A greater exploration and unpacking of these students' individual needs and difficulties is suggested in the process of understanding feedback and assessment in a new academic context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enrolments of students with disabilities in higher education have increased steadily over recent decades. Yet, conjecture about the application of inherent requirements, which can prevent students in some circumstances from entering professions of their choosing, endure. This paper offers those connected to higher education three points to enhance their thinking about inherent requirements. These involve (i) foregrounding ethics in matters of integrity; (ii) orienting differently to disability, and (iii) questioning qualification to employment guarantees. Recommendations for practice are then made. The paper concludes that inclusive education can no longer be measured on enrolment quantifiers alone – how higher education providers create opportunity for all learners to study and transition to employment must surely follow. Rather than perpetuating homogeneity upon the world of education and work, higher education can utilise inherent requirements to increase social justice and equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have identified accommodations as important determinants of academic performance among students with learning disabilities (LD) in post-secondary education. The purpose of the current study was to examine the willingness of university faculty members in one northern university in Israel to provide accommodations for students with LD, using quantitative and qualitative measures. The 56 faculty members who participated in the study generally had positive attitudes towards accommodations for students with LD. Differences in willingness to provide technological accommodations were found between the Arabic- and Hebrew-speaking faculty members. When asked how they could support students with LD, faculty members mentioned outside sources of support, such as accommodations and referral to other assistance providers, but also saw themselves as agents of support through personal assistance and modified teaching methods. Interestingly, faculty members did not refer solely to academic support, but also to emotional support and empathy. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In line with global non-discrimination legislative changes and inclusive education policies, the number of disabled students in higher education institutions are increasing. Previously, disabled students were excluded from higher education. Currently, however, higher education institutions are expected to have disability statements and policies, and provide support for disabled students. In spite of this upward trend, disabled students remain seriously underrepresented within higher education, and experience barriers at a range of levels. This article examines the experiences of disabled participants entering into higher education in South Africa. The findings of this qualitative exploratory study highlight the influences of onset of disability (acquired verses congenital) on their integration experiences. It specifically examines participants' experiences accepting newly acquired disabilities and the impact of this on completion of study, experiences relating to disclosure of disability, and opportunities to select and enrol for desired subjects and courses at higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite increased access, students with disabilities in higher education face barriers and report greater dissatisfaction than peers without disabilities [Mullins and Preyde 2013; Strnadová, Hájková, and Květoňová 2015]. Many U.S. institutions require students to present faculty with documentation prior to receiving academic accommodations; qualitative research indicates that this process of disclosing and requesting accommodations is uncomfortable. The current study sought to identify specific areas of discomfort associated with the accommodation request process and to identify individual differences related to apparentness of condition. One-hundred and fifty-five students from 2 universities responded to a survey addressing disclosing, requesting and using accommodations. Survey results indicated that participants lacked opportunities to privately disclose to faculty and revealed a significant relationship between lack of private disclosure opportunities and increased discomfort. Participants also reported discomfort and disrespectful treatment when disclosing to peers, echoing previous research and underscoring the need for private disclosure opportunities. Students with mental health related nonapparent disabilities reported significantly higher discomfort when disclosing and more negative peer interactions than students with apparent conditions or nonapparent learning difficulties. Findings highlight barriers present in systems that require students to present accommodation documentation and emphasise the role of peers in fostering inclusive environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the ways that the intersection between disability and digital technology in higher education unfolds collaborative experiences that include disabled students through what I call 'Digital Collaborative Making'. Students who participate in Digital Collaborative Making collaborate on multimedia video projects that tell stories about their relationship with digital technology. As a research-creation approach that weaves academic research and artistic practices together, Digital Collaborative Making invites students to devise creative methods of critiquing the social and cultural impact of digital technology. While digital technology can improve accessibility in education, ableist dynamics and 'disabling' ideologies remain pervasive in universities. By engaging students with different identities and lived experiences, Digital Collaborative Making presents opportunities for students with disabilities to openly express their creativity and subvert normative perspectives that stigmatise disability as a deficit. In turn, non-disabled students can learn what it means to be open to the presence of disability and difference. To illustrate these points, this paper considers the inclusive prospect of Digital Collaborative Making in Digital Lives, an undergraduate communications course at the University of Waterloo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An inclusive approach to teaching in distance learning is essential to ensure students with disabilities have equitable chances of success. However, embedding inclusive practice is challenging when considering institutional complexities, the distance nature of learning and support, and the varied roles, responsibilities and experiences of staff. To understand this better and to identify an action plan for tangible interventions, a staff survey measuring inclusion practices and perceptions was conducted in a large UK distance learning university. The survey measured knowledge, skills, attitudes and support context (in terms of training, guidance, human support and organisational commitment) in teaching staff, support staff and learning technologists. The findings (N = 466) revealed strong positive attitudes towards inclusive practice, but also identified clearly actionably training needs in relation to specific staff groups, and knowledge and skills gaps. The staff survey represents a valuable model for measuring training and intervention needs around inclusion in distance learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the key elements to develop an inclusive pedagogy in the university through the testimonies of Social Sciences and Law faculty members. A total of 25 faculty members from seven different Spanish universities participated in the study, who were recommended by their students with disabilities based on their good practices. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted individually. The data were progressively analysed using a system of categories and codes. The results show three key elements to improve the academic experience of students with disabilities: disability-specific training for faculty members, a good faculty–student relationship and the willingness to make reasonable adjustments. This article proposes a well-trained faculty, who develop a flexible teaching with a positive and close relationships toward their students, as the ideal profile to serve as an example to other colleagues and universities in order to improve the quality of academic and social experiences for students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a series of key aspects to achieve inclusive education in Spanish universities, from the viewpoint of students with disabilities and disability support service staff. The study used a qualitative methodology through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was inductive, through a system of categories and codes. Results revealed various essential aspects to facilitate inclusive education: the positive attitude of the faculty members towards students with disabilities promotes the inclusive education, the need to make reasonable adjustments (methodologies, evaluation systems, and resources) to guarantee the learning of students with disabilities, and the use of technologies to facilitate access to learning. Results allowed us to conclude that the faculty was a key figure in the inclusion of students with disabilities and it's necessary a universal learning design approach into practice to benefit all students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education institutions in Spain are required, by law, to make anticipatory reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities. This work explores the contributions of 119 faculty members for the inclusion of students with disabilities. Specifically, the aim was to know their beliefs and knowledge about reasonable adjustments, which types of adjustment they carried out, what implications that affect faculty members were associated with making such adjustments, and what support they had to apply them. A progressive data analysis was performed using a system of categories and codes. The results show that the faculty members made different types of reasonable adjustments in the classrooms, and that they had a favourable attitude toward this. However, there was a lack of knowledge about the needs of the students, as well as doubts of the faculty members based on such lack of knowledge. The research explores how inclusive faculty attend to the needs of university students with disabilities. Faculties showed predisposition and a favourable attitude toward making adjustments. The participants make different types of adjustments depending on students characteristics. University faculties need support to address to the needs of students with disabilities. The study shows that students with disabilities are a professional challenge for faculty, providing new learnings and greater professional satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]