Student Perceptions on Academic Accommodations
Full Title
Author(s)
Centering Voices
Year of Publication
Media Type
Media Access
The article is freely available in a digitally accessible, downloadable formats from the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies.
Reading Rooms
Usefulness to Educators
Offers educators insights into learners lived-experiences of attempting to make use of the academic accommodations system. It shows barriers to use, experiences of stigmas, experiences of accommodations being improperly administered or denied, and success achieved when educators respond well to learners with accommodations.
Premise
This paper questions the extent to which the academic accommodations model meets the needs of students with disabilities by placing the results and discussion of a survey of one university population in the context of a contemporary literature review.
Purpose
Lead by neurodivergent, student researchers at the University of Prince Edward Island, this paper uses a mix of qualitative and quantitative survey methods to gain a broad understanding of one university’s current state of meeting learner needs through its accommodations system by assessing student perceptions.
Research Methods
exploratory, mixed-methods methodology
Conceptual or Theoretical Frameworks
not explicit
Reference with Published Abstract (when available)
Substantial numbers of students with sensory, physical, and other disabilities encounter systemic, social and institutional barriers that create distinct obstacles in their pursuit of higher education. This study investigates student academic accommodation needs at a small university in Atlantic Canada to determine whether undergraduate and graduate students who require academic accommodations are receiving necessary supports and to identify any barriers. Surveying 74 students across disciplines and years of study, 58 participants self-identified as requiring academic accommodations and 48 were registered with the university’s accessibility office. Participants identified the following barriers: the registration process, testing accommodations, and unsupportive instructors and staff. Additionally, participants spoke about stigmatization and the necessity to self-advocate. Administrative and behavioural tensions are discussed, and five vignettes instructors based on their level of support, compliance with policies, and engagement. This article amplifies the voices of students with disabilities, and it models the necessity to investigate whether students’ accessibility needs are being met at all institutions across Canada.
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