College Students' Utilization and Perceptions of Disability Support Services.Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine students with disabilities' knowledge of services available on campus and whether or not they viewed the services as adequate. Surveys were distributed to all students registered with the Disabilities Services Office at a northeast Arkansas Arkansas, river, United States Arkansas (ärkăn`zəs, är`kənsô'), river, c.1,450 mi (2,330 km) long, rising in the Rocky Mts., central Colo. university. The university utilized in this study has adaptive computer labs, as well as library research assistance for students with disabilities. However, many students reported that they were unaware of these services. Among those who were aware of computer services Data processing (timesharing, batch processing), software development and consulting services. See service bureau, SaaS and ASP. and library assistance, most individuals did not utilize those services. In addition, the majority of students stated that they would like to join a peer group to discuss issues pertaining per·tain intr.v. per·tained, per·tain·ing, per·tains 1. To have reference; relate: evidence that pertains to the accident. 2. to their particular disabilities. In regard to these findings, implications for future research and practice are discussed. Introduction The enrollment of students with disabilities at post-secondary institutions in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. has increased significantly during the last ten years (Barnett Barnett as a personal name can refer to:
Ada (ā`ə), city (1990 pop. 15,820), seat of Pontotoc co., S central Okla.; inc. 1904. It is a large cattle market and the center of a rich oil and ranch area. ) which dictates the implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation rehabilitation: see physical therapy. Act of 1973 (Carroll Car·roll , James 1854-1907. British-born American physician noted for his research on yellow fever. In 1900 he deliberately infected himself with the disease for experimental purposes. & Johnson Bown, 1996; Johnson & Rubin Ru´bin n. 1. A ruby. , 1982). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that post-secondary institutions provide equal access to academic programs for students with disabilities (Rhoads, Slate, & Steger Steger can refer to: People
Due to the expanding numbers of students with disabilities attending post-secondary institutions, there is a vast need for additional staff, extended resources, and developing a team to address access for students with disabilities. Some of the relevant issues include the types of services provided to students with disabilities, disseminating dis·sem·i·nate v. dis·sem·i·nat·ed, dis·sem·i·nat·ing, dis·sem·i·nates v.tr. 1. To scatter widely, as in sowing seed. 2. the information so that students become aware of the services, and the extent to which students with disabilities utilize the provided services. Appropriate accommodations are necessary to foster college success for students with disabilities (National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities, 1999), yet services that are available to students with disabilities are not always effectively utilized. Students may lack knowledge of the availability of services or, due to a lack of prior exposure regarding effective accommodations, they might not perceive the value of obtaining the services. In addition, many students with disabilities are not diagnosed until they reach college; therefore, they may not recognize the importance of accommodations for college success. Colleges need to educate students with disabilities, as well as faculty and staff, about the resources, services, and modifications that will enhance students' access of programs on campus (Heath heath, tract of open land heath, tract of open land characterized by a few scattered trees, abundant moss cover, and numerous low shrubs, principally of the heath family (see heath, in botany). Resource Center Newsletter, 1995). Research has demonstrated that accommodations facilitate positive educational outcomes (Kruse, Elacqua, & Rapaport, 1998; Office of Institutional Research and Analysis, 1998), yet some students remain uninformed. In a report by the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (1999), the importance of the availability and accessibility of technology was addressed, and adaptive technology Adaptive technology is the name for products which help people who cannot use regular versions of products, primarily people with physical disabilities such as limitations to vision, hearing, and mobility. was shown to facilitate the access of curricular materials. Thus, the provision of adaptive technology is important, but students need to be aware of the accommodations, and they need to recognize the importance of using the service. Many students with disabilities also do not realize that they need to provide information to their instructors (Kruse, et al., 1998). Self-advocacy is important for college success (Merchant & Gajar, 1997); these students need to initiate discussions with professors and to acquire the means necessary to accomplish tasks. Some studies indicate, however, that students with disabilities often perceive faculty as unsupportive or unwilling to make classroom accommodations (Finn, 1997; Smith & Nelson, 1994). Through in-service in-service In-service training adjective Referring to any form of on-the-job training noun In-service training of an employee training, professors realize the importance of making classroom accommodations for students with disabilities (Babbitt, 1998). Social supports are also important for college success. The utilization of peer support programs apparently influences an individual's ability to successfully negotiate the college setting (Carroll & Johnson Bown, 1996; Schaefer Enright, Conyers, & Szymanski, 1996). Research has also found that involvement in campus organizations fosters both socioemotional adjustment and academic adjustment (Sanders San´ders n. 1. An old name of sandalwood, now applied only to the red sandalwood. See under Sandalwood. & DuBois, 1996). The purpose of this study was to ascertain the extent of students with disabilities' knowledge of available services on campus, as well as their perceptions of whether or not the services were adequate. Students also were asked to provide information pertaining to which areas or services they felt warranted improvement. Some of the main services that were targeted in this survey included readers, note-taking, library assistance, computer assistance, tutoring, and testing services. Finally, students' interest in joining a support group was assessed Method Participants This survey was conducted at a northeast Arkansas university. Surveys were mailed to all students who were registered with Disability Services in the fall of 1998. Of the 256 students registered, only 47 students (18.4%) returned the surveys. Although this rate of return is very low, similar low response rates have been found when surveying individuals with disabilities (Kruse, et al., 1998). Among the individuals who returned the surveys, 14.9% reported a visual disability; 12.8% reported a heating disability; 23.4% reported learning disabilities; 21.3% listed a physical disability; 4.3% mentioned a psychiatric psy·chi·at·ric adj. Of or relating to psychiatry. psychiatric adjective Pertaining to psychiatry, mental disorders disability; 10.6% mentioned multiple disabilities; and 12.8% listed other disabilities not mentioned (e.g., lupus lupus (l  `pəs), noninfectious chronic disease in which antibodies in an individual's immune system attack the body's own substances. , epilepsy epilepsy, a chronic disorder of cerebral function characterized by periodic convulsive seizures. There are many conditions that have epileptic seizures. Sudden discharge of excess electrical activity, which can be either generalized (involving many areas of cells in , etc.). In five cases, students mentioned more than one disability, and a decision was made to classify clas·si·fy tr.v. clas·si·fied, clas·si·fy·ing, clas·si·fies 1. To arrange or organize according to class or category. 2. To designate (a document, for example) as confidential, secret, or top secret. them into one of the six aforementioned a·fore·men·tioned adj. Mentioned previously. n. The one or ones mentioned previously. aforementioned Adjective mentioned before Adj. 1. categories based on the types of services requested by the students. Measures Students completed the Survey of Disability Services questionnaire which was developed specifically for this project. The survey contains 16 general items targeting a variety of accommodation issues. Items were created by identifying specific campus services listed in a handbook
This article is about reference works. For the subnotebook computer, see .
Procedure The data in this study were collected in the spring of 1999. Surveys were mailed to all students who were registered with Disability Services in the fall of 1998. Follow-up letters follow-up letter n → carta recordatoria were mailed to all students two weeks later. The survey consisted of 16 items created to assess students' knowledge and utilization of services available to students with disabilities. Students who completed the surveys mailed the surveys to the Disability Services office. Anonymity was ensured by replacing students' names with numerical numerical expressed in numbers, i.e. Arabic numerals of 0 to 9 inclusive. numerical nomenclature a numerical code is used to indicate the words, or other alphabetical signals, intended. codes. Data Analysis Our first objective was to ascertain the extent of students with disabilities' awareness and utilization of the services available to them on campus. Students responded to whether or not they were aware of each specific service available, and frequencies were recorded. They also indicated whether or not they used each of the services. Percentages of students using each service were obtained. Our second objective was to examine students' satisfaction with the services they receive as well as with the Disability Services office. The number of students who were satisfied with each service and with Disability Services in general was calculated, and percentages were determined. An open-ended question A closed-ended question is a form of question, which normally can be answered with a simple "yes/no" dichotomous question, a specific simple piece of information, or a selection from multiple choices (multiple-choice question), if one excludes such non-answer responses as dodging a was created to gather opinions regarding areas that students perceived to need improvement. Our final goal was to assess students' interest in joining a support group for students with a particular disability. Again, frequencies were recorded, and percentages were calculated. Results Satisfaction With Support Services support services Psychology Non-health care-related ancillary services–eg, transportation, financial aid, support groups, homemaker services, respite services, and other services When asked if students were satisfied with the support services available at their college, 95.7% responded that they were satisfied. In addition, 91.3 % indicated that they felt that they had received adequate individualized in·di·vid·u·al·ize tr.v. in·di·vid·u·al·ized, in·di·vid·u·al·iz·ing, in·di·vid·u·al·iz·es 1. To give individuality to. 2. To consider or treat individually; particularize. 3. assistance through Disability Services. However, when individuals were asked to describe services that needed improvement, these students listed several areas in need of improvement: more handicapped parking; the placement of elevators; comfortable seating in all classrooms; transportation for students with disabilities; better adaptive computer software; career planning; improved access to all buildings and facilities; and closed captioned videos shown in classes. Computer Labs The campus has computer labs with adaptive equipment Adaptive equipment are devices that are used to assist with completing activities of daily living. Bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and feeding are self-care activities that are including in the spectrum of activities of daily living (ADLs). for students with disabilities. When asked if they were aware of these computers, 26.1% of the students with disabilities had no knowledge that the computers were available. Of the students who were aware of the adaptive computers available for students with disabilities, 48 % (n = 12) mentioned that they use the adaptive equipment. Assistance With Library Research Another type of assistance for students with disabilities is library research assistance. Surprisingly, however, 44.7 % of the respondents In the context of marketing research, a representative sample drawn from a larger population of people from whom information is collected and used to develop or confirm marketing strategy. were unaware that this service existed. Of those who were aware, only 43.5 % (n = 10) utilized this assistance. Usually students with visual and physical disabilities are encouraged to use these services. Therefore, perhaps these groups of individuals are the students who utilized library assistance. Note-takers and Reader Services Note-taking services is the most widely used program and is used by students with a wide array of disabilities. Almost all students (91.5%) were aware of the note-taking services provided to students with disabilities, and the majority of students (61.7%) reported that they were aware of reader services for students with disabilities. Willingness to Join a Disability-Related Group The majority of students with disabilities in this study stated that they were generally satisfied with the support services they received on campus. When asked about joining a group that discusses issues pertaining to disabilities, however, most students (71%) indicated a desire to participate in such a group. Therefore, most students desire to engage in discussions about issues related to their disabilities with other students with the same disability. Discussion The majority of the respondents in this study indicated that they were satisfied with the provision of services on campus; however, whether or not the individuals who returned the surveys are representative of all students with disabilities on this campus is unclear. Perhaps the respondents are those persons who are actively involved and view campus life more positively than those who did not return the survey. The majority of students with disabilities reported satisfaction with services provided by Disability Services; this finding is consistent with other research that has reported that students are satisfied with the accommodations that they receive (Kruse, et al., 1998; Sanders & DuBois, 1996). Furthermore, the study by Finn (1997), in which she interviewed students with learning disabilities about their perceptions of the benefits of services available, indicated that the majority of students mentioned the director or support staff in a positive manner. Many students with disabilities do not take advantage of the services available on campus, and numerous students are unaware of some of the services available. As reported in the present study, fewer than half of the students knew of the services provided for library research, and many students (26.1%) were unaware of the adaptive computer labs on campus. Yet, nearly all students with disabilities were aware of note-taking services, and the majority knew about available reader services. Even when students were aware of the services, many of them did not utilize the resources. Students not comprehending how their disability might possibly affect their ability to succeed in a career could explain why they do not actively pursue the benefits offered on campus. As noted by past research (Hitchings Hitch·ings , George Herbert 1905-1998. American biochemist. He shared a 1988 Nobel Prize for developing drugs to treat leukemia and gout. , Luzzo, Retish, Horvath, & Ristow, 1998), students with disabilities are often unaware of the potential impact of their disabilities on their future careers. In addition, only six students in the study by Hitchings and his colleagues received any transition services during high school. Therefore, this lack of knowledge may affect students' perceptions of the college environment. Another possible factor that may impact the reluctance of students with disabilities to use services could be attributed to the stigmatization stigmatization /stig·ma·ti·za·tion/ (stig?mah-ti-za´shun) 1. the developing of or being identified as possessing one or more stigmata. 2. the act or process of negatively labelling or characterizing another. that occurs when these individuals apply for services. To take advantage of services, individuals with disabilities must be classified as being "inferior INFERIOR. One who in relation to another has less power and is below him; one who is bound to obey another. He who makes the law is the superior; he who is bound to obey it, the inferior. 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 8. " and needing assistance to function adequately (Szymanski & Trueba, 1994). Research has also indicated that nondisabled students and faculty are uncomfortable interacting with students with disabilities (Conyers, Schaefer Enright, & Strauser, 1998). Thus, students with disabilities may be apprehensive about disclosing their disability, because they do not want others to know (Finn, 1997); they may also want to maintain a sense of autonomy. Acceptance of one's disability impacts college success (Smith & Nelson, 1993). Because of the fear of being stigmatized by their peers and faculty, students may be reluctant to seek assistance. Social interaction with peers has been found to impact college success. Students with disabilities need to understand others' perceptions of students with disabilities; techniques for dealing with the socialization socialization /so·cial·iza·tion/ (so?shal-i-za´shun) the process by which society integrates the individual and the individual learns to behave in socially acceptable ways. so·cial·i·za·tion n. issue should be incorporated into the programs offered by Disabilities Services. Because students with learning disabilities make up a sizable siz·a·ble also size·a·ble adj. Of considerable size; fairly large. siz  a·ble·ness n. portion of the population of students with disabilities, this subpopulation sub·pop·u·la·tion n. A part or subdivision of a population, especially one originating from some other population: microbial subpopulations. Noun 1. may have affected the frequencies reported in this study. Students with learning disabilities often display minimal self-awareness self-awareness n. Realization of oneself as an individual entity or personality. of how their disability affects learning (Merchant & Gajar, 1997). Self-advocacy skills are rarely taught, and programs that address self-advocacy include components related to understanding one's own disability, accommodations needed, and communication skills (Merchant & Gajar). Therefore, these individuals may be more hesitant hes·i·tant adj. Inclined or tending to hesitate. hes i·tant·ly adv. to communicate their needs to professors or to access the services available. Addressing these issues might improve the chances for success in college for students with disabilities. Disability Services offices should incorporate support groups into the programs offered for students with disabilities. In this study, the majority of respondents reported a desire to join a support group on campus. Past research has yielded information that suggests support groups impact self-esteem self-esteem Sense of personal worth and ability that is fundamental to an individual's identity. Family relationships during childhood are believed to play a crucial role in its development. and socialization (Finn, 1997). In addition, through active discourse with other students with similar needs, more students will acquire knowledge about the services available; they will also learn the impact that these services have on learning. Finally, after hearing first-hand accounts from others with similar disabilities, students might be less apprehensive when disclosing their disabilities to instructors as well as when seeking out accommodations and necessary services. Future research should address the impact of support groups on students' willingness to self-advocate and disclose their disabilities. Furthermore, research should investigate the relationship between one's willingness to self-disclose and the utilization of services on campus. References Babbitt, B. C. (1998). University curriculum project professors reflect on impact. (ERIC Document Reproduction No. ED423636). Barnett, L., & Li, Y. (1997). Disability support services in community colleges. (ERIC Document Reproduction No. ED422044). Carroll, A., & Johnson Bown, C. E. (1996). Disability support services in higher education higher education Study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. : An extension of the rehabilitation process. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling rehabilitation counseling, n counseling started in the United States in 1920 to assist individuals disabled by industrial accidents; originally included physical, psychologic, and occupational training; expanded over the next 70 years and laid the , 27(3), 54-59. Conyers, L. M., Schaefer Enright, M., & Strauser, D. R. (1998). Applying self efficacy theory to counseling college students with disabilities. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 29(1), 25-30. Finn, L. L. (1997). Critical support services for college students with learning disabilities. (ERIC Document Reproduction No. ED412712). Heath Resource Center Newsletter (1995). Students who are deaf or hard of hearing in postsecondary education, 1-8. Hitchings, W. E., Luzzo, D. A., Retish, P., Horvath, M., & Ristow, R. S. (1998). Identifying the career development needs of college students with disabilities. Journal of College Student Development Journal of College Student Development is an academic journal founded in 1959 and is the official publication of the American College Personnel Association. The journal publishes scholarly articles and reviews from a wide variety of academic fields related to college , 39(1), 23-29. Johnson, S., & Rubin, S. E. (1982). Section 504 and higher education. Rehabilitation Literature, 43(1-2), 16-19. Kruse, B. G., Elacqua, T. C., & Rapaport, R. J. (1998). Classroom accommodations for students with disabilities: A needs assessment. Journal of College Student Development, 39(3), 296-298. Merchant, D. J., & Gajar, A. (1997). A review of the literature on self advocacy components in transition programs for students with learning disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation Noun 1. vocational rehabilitation - providing training in a specific trade with the aim of gaining employment rehabilitation - the restoration of someone to a useful place in society , 8, 223-231. National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (1999, January). Learning disabilities: Issues in higher education. ASHA Desk Reference, 1999 Edition, in press. Office of Institutional Research and Analysis. (1998). The academic impact of student support services program participation in fiscal year 1996. (ERIC Document Reproduction No. ED423917). Rhoads, M., Slate, J. R., & Steger, H. S. (1994). Limited understanding of Section 504 and its applications to higher education. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 25(2), 29-31. Sanders, K. S., & DuBois, D. L. (1996). Individual and socio-environmental predictors of adjustment to college among students with disabilities. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 12(2), 28-42. Schaefer Enright, M., Conyers, L. M., & Szymanski, E. M. (1996). Career and career-related educational concerns of college students with disabilities. Journal of Counseling and Development, 75, 103-114. Smith, D. J., & Nelson, J. R. (1993). Factors that influence the academic success of college students with disabilities. (ERIC Document Reproduction No. ED363038). Szymanski, E. M., & Trueba, H. T. (1994). Castification of people with disabilities: Potential disempowering aspects of classification in disability services. Journal of Rehabilitation, 12-20. Terri has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology & Counseling. Jennifer has a Ph.D. in Student Personnel Services and is Director of the Department of Disability Services. |
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