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The relationship between degree of academic support center use and college success was examined in a population of 262 college students with learning disabilities. Five years of attendance data and graduation rates were examined and submitted to discriminant function analysis to evaluate the predictive influence of academic support center use on college student outcomes. Results indicated that students who had higher levels of attendance in an academic support center had higher overall grade point averages and higher rates of graduation. That is to say, students with learning disabilities who attended learning support centers regularly were more likely to have higher grades and graduate college than those who did not. (Contains 3 tables.)

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a collaborative methodology that uniquely involves stakeholders in all stages of the research process. CBPR has been widely utilized in the field of public health, but not widely employed with college populations. This study utilized CBPR methods within a college community to gain insight into excessive alcohol consumption. Six student researchers planned and carried out a rigorous qualitative study at a public university in the Northeast region of the United States. A total of 48 undergraduate participants were recruited for focus groups that were facilitated by two student researchers, and transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis methods. Students' reasons for drinking alcohol were focused within the themes of inclusion, habitual default, and the student development process. Social media, strict policy/enforcement, and student's desire to avoid responsibility led to increased risk and consequences related to drinking. Students recommended late night transportation and a Good Samaritan policy as strategies to improve student safety. This study led to student advocacy and policy change directed at improving student's health and safety and demonstrated that CBPR methods show promise for engaging students and producing meaningful data.

Purpose - To utilize LGBTQ affirmative theory to inform clinical work which affords queer youth with disabilities agency and authorship in their negotiations of sexuality. Methodology/approach - The authors use a case study to explore the use of queer affirmative theory and peer consultation to guide and evaluate an ongoing clinical case of a young gay man with cerebral palsy as he negotiates his developing sexuality amid powerful messages from media, pornography, friends, and parental influence. Findings - This paper finds that a queer affirmative therapy model which explores themes of intersectionality, and utilizes nuanced views of sexual identity, sexual behavior and gender identity are useful to practitioners to encourage agency and authorship for queer disabled people in their negotiations of ability, sexuality, identity and behavior. Originality/value -- This paper provides an alternative approach to nurturing queer identity by (1) creating refuge for emerging sexualities; (2) allowing for difficult dialogues where ability, sexuality and gender can be pragmatically discussed, performed and negotiated; (3) tolerating the discomfort of these difficult dialogues and pushing through to nurturing the unique queerness that evolves out of these conversations and finally (4) encouraging transformation of all participants including client and practitioners. The practitioners discuss their own transformation through the co-created dialog with each other and with the client. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]