Supporting Students with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Perspective of Disability Resource Professionals
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Methods
2.1. Recruitment and Participant Inclusion Criteria
2.2. Sample
2.3. Instrument and Analysis
3. Findings
3.1. The Experiences and Perceptions of Disability Resource Professionals: Initial Lockdown
3.2. The Experiences and Perceptions of Disability Resource Professionals: Nine Months into the Pandemic
3.3. Changes to Accommodation Requests and Administrative Resources
4. Discussion and Implications
4.1. Shift #1: Institution-Wide Planning and Systemic Approaches
4.2. Shift #2: Cross-Campus Involvement and Collaboration
4.3. Shift #3: Technology Enhanced Operations with Intentional Focus on Connections with Students
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Wave 1 (n = 535) | Wave 2 (n = 631) | |
---|---|---|
Institution Type | ||
Private | 36.3 | 34.1 |
Public | 63.6 | 61.4 |
Other | 0.2 | 1.7 |
Not Applicable | 0.0 | 2.8 |
Minority Serving Institution (MSI) | 23.2 | 17.0 |
Institution Size | ||
Less than 1500 Students | 11.4 | 8.7 |
1500–9999 Students | 47.1 | 41.7 |
10,000–19,999 Students | 17.8 | 19.3 |
20,000–29,999 Students | 9.9 | 10.2 |
More than 30,000 Students | 13.8 | 20.1 |
Difficulty | |
---|---|
Access to network/Wi-Fi access | 90.9 |
Having needed equipment/devices | 82.6 |
Access to health services | 82.2 |
Access to financial services | 81.4 |
Access to housing and food | 80.2 |
Communication/collaboration with other students | 78.2 |
Communication with instructors | 77.9 |
Access to needed technology support and/or training | 77.3 |
Access to counseling/mental health services | 69.7 |
Using the learning management system (e.g., Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, etc.) | 68.7 |
Access to software, assistive technology programs | 68.5 |
Access to learning materials, course texts | 64.2 |
Access to academic support/tutoring | 63.6 |
Access to course assessments or exams | 63.3 |
Access to library resources | 60.7 |
Receiving previously approved accommodations | 55.6 |
Access to academic advising | 51.1 |
Difficulty | |
---|---|
Providing documentation of a disability (if needed) | 65.8 |
Using assistive technology | 62.1 |
Receiving testing accommodations | 61.9 |
Discussing new access barriers and solutions | 60.9 |
Receiving notetaking accommodations | 54.7 |
Participating in the interactive process | 50.6 |
Receiving materials in alternate format | 42.6 |
Receiving interpreter services | 39.4 |
Requesting previously approved accommodations | 39.1 |
Receiving CART/typewell services | 39.0 |
Improvement | No Improvement | Worsening of Conditions | Never a Barrier | Not Sure | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Needing Devices/Equipment | 48.7 | 15.6 | 4.0 | 15.6 | 16.0 |
Access to Software, Assistive Technology Programs | 45.7 | 17.1 | 4.0 | 20.4 | 12.8 |
Access to Network/WiFi | 45.7 | 17.6 | 8.0 | 9.1 | 19.7 |
Access to Counseling/Mental Health Services | 44.8 | 13.7 | 15.7 | 9.4 | 16.3 |
Communication with Instructors | 36.1 | 22.3 | 14.3 | 11.3 | 16.0 |
Access to Housing and Food | 27.4 | 13.9 | 14.9 | 14.1 | 29.7 |
Communication/Collaboration with Other Students | 27.3 | 21.1 | 16.7 | 8.8 | 26.2 |
Effective | Not Effective | Do Not Know | |
---|---|---|---|
Requesting Previously Approved Accommodations | 94.0 | 0.2 | 5.8 |
Discussing New Access Barriers and Solutions | 93.5 | 0.4 | 6.1 |
Participating in Interactive Process | 93.1 | 0.9 | 6.0 |
Providing Documentation of Disability | 90.7 | 2.7 | 6.5 |
Receiving Testing Accommodations | 89.9 | 2.2 | 8.0 |
Receiving Materials in Alternate Formats | 88.2 | 1.3 | 10.5 |
Using Assistive Technology | 85.9 | 2.9 | 11.2 |
Receiving Note Taking Accommodations | 74.4 | 9.9 | 15.8 |
Receiving Interpreter Services | 67.1 | 2.1 | 30.8 |
Receiving CART/Typewell Services | 63.4 | 2.1 | 34.5 |
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Share and Cite
Aquino, K.C.; Scott, S. Supporting Students with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Perspective of Disability Resource Professionals. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 4297. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054297
Aquino KC, Scott S. Supporting Students with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Perspective of Disability Resource Professionals. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(5):4297. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054297
Chicago/Turabian StyleAquino, Katherine C., and Sally Scott. 2023. "Supporting Students with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Perspective of Disability Resource Professionals" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 5: 4297. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054297
APA StyleAquino, K. C., & Scott, S. (2023). Supporting Students with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Perspective of Disability Resource Professionals. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 4297. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054297