Student and Faculty Awareness and Attitudes about Students with Disabilities
Main Article Content
Keywords
higher education, faculty, disability
Abstract
Every year an increasing number of students with disabilities are graduating from high school and entering into postsecondary education. In an effort to assess the university climate for students with disabilities a survey was conducted on a large Northeastern campus. The survey focused on the attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge of university students and faculty on disability-related issues. Results are presented from undergraduate, graduate, and faculty perspectives. Most students and faculty report positive attitudes and interactions with students with disabilities, however these interactions are often limited and awkward. Disability issues are not often presented in the classroom content and the majority of faculty do not announce the availably of accommodations in the classroom. Implications for postsecondary institutions are explored.
References
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Baggett, D. W. (1993). Study of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst faculty's knowledge of disabilities, experience with educating students with disabilities, and attitudes that faculty possess towards students with disabilities. (Doctoral Dissertation, University of Massachusetts.) Dissertation Abstracts International, 54, 06A.
Benham, N. E. (1995). Faculty attitudes and knowledge regarding specific disabilities and The Americans with Disabilities Act. (Doctoral Dissertation, University of Southern Mississippi, 1995). Dissertation Abstracts International, 57, 01A, (1995).
Bordiere, J., & Drehmer, D. (1986). Hiring decisions for disabled workers: Looking at the cause. The Journal of Applied Psychology, 16, 197-208.
Bowman, J. T. (1987). Attitudes toward disabled persons: Social distance and work competence. Journal of Rehabilitation, 53(1), 41-44.
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Cook, L., Hennessey, M.L., Cook, B.H., & Rumrill, P.D. (2007). The views of university members and service providers regarding the increased enrollment of students with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 14(3), 205-216.
Crowne, D.P., & Marlowe, D. (1960). A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 24, 349-354.
Dodd, J. M., Fischer, J., Hermanson, M., & Nelson, J. R. (1990). Tribal college faculty willingness to provide accommodations to students with learning disabilities. Journal of American Indian Education, 30(1), 8-16.
Elston, R., & Snow, B. (1986). Attitudes toward people with disabilities as expressed by rehabilitation professionals. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 29, 284-286.
Fonosch. G. G., & Schwab, L. O. (1981). Attitudes of selected university faculty members toward disabled students. Journal of College Student Personnel, 22, 229-235.
Gerald, D. E., & Hussar, W. J. (2002). Projections of education statistics to 2012. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Gil, L.A. (2007). Bridging the transition gap from high school to college. Teaching Exceptional Children, 40 (2), 12-15.
Hergenrather, K., & Rhodes, S. (2007). Exploring undergraduate student attitudes toward persons with disabilities: Application of the desirability social relationship scale. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 50(2), 66-75.
Hill, J.L. (1996). Speaking out: Perceptions of students with disabilities regarding adequacy of services and willingness of faculty to make accommodations. Journal on Postsecondary Education and Disability, 12(1).
Jin, B., & Gu Suh, Y. (2005). Integrating effect of consumer perception factors in predicting private brand purchase in a Korean discount store context. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 22, 62.
Leyser, Y. (1990). A survey of faculty attitudes and accommodations for students with disabilities. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 7, 97-107.
Lewis, M. L. (1998). Faculty attitudes toward persons with disabilities and faculty attitudes toward to accommodate students with learning disabilities in the classroom. (Doctoral dissertation, Auburn University). Dissertation Abstracts International, 59, 08-A, (1998).
Madaus, J.W., Gerber,P.J., & Price, L.A. (2008). Adults with learning disabilities in the workforce: Lessons for secondary transition programs. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 23(3), 148-153.
McCarthy, M., & Campbell, N. J. (1993). Serving disabled students: Faculty needs and attitudes. NAPSA Journal, 30(2), 120-125.
McGee, K. A. (1989). Attitudes of the University of Virginia faculty and administration toward disabled college students (Doctoral dissertation, University of Virginia). Dissertation Abstracts International, 50, 10A.
Miller, K.W., Wilder, L.B., Stillman, F.A., & Becker, D.M. (1997). The feasibility of a street-intercept survey method in a n African-American community. American Journal of Public Health, 87, 655-658.
Minskoff, E., Sautter, S., Hoffman, F., & Hawks, R. (1987). Employer attitudes toward hiring the learning disabled. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 20, 50-52.
Moore, C.J., & Nye, H. (1986). Faculty awareness of needs of physically disabled students in the college classroom. Bulletin of the Association on Handicapped Student Services Programs in Postsecondary Education, 4, 137-145.
Mullins, J., Rossler, R., Schriner, K., Brown, P., & Bellini, J. (1997). Improving employment outcomes through quality rehabilitation counseling. Journal of Rehabilitation, 63(4), 21-32.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. (2006). Profile of Undergraduates in U.S. Postsecondary Education Institutions: 2003–04 (NCES 2006-184).
Piggott, L. & Houghton, A. (2007). Transition experiences of disabled young people. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 26(5), 573-587.
Rao, S. (2004). Faculty attitudes and students with disabilities in higher education: A literature review. College Student Journal, 38(2), 191-199.
Sedlacek, W., & Stovall, C. (1983). Attitudes of male and female university students toward students with different physical disabilities. Journal of College Student Personnel, 24, 325-330.
Schoen, E., Usyal, M., & McDonald, C. D. (1986). Attitudes of faculty members toward treatment of disabled students reexamined. College Student Journal, 21(2), 190-193.
Spooner, C., Bishop, J., & Parr, J. (1997). Research methods for studying injecting drug users in a rural centre. Drug and Alcohol Review, 16(4), 349-355.
Wright, M., Gendall, P., & Lewis, T. (1999). Making survey-based price experiments more accurate. Journal of Market Research Society, 41(2), 245.
Wagner, M., Newman, L., Cameto, R., Garza, N., & Levine, P. (2005). After high school: A first look at the postschool experiences of youth with disabilities. A report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
Williamson, P. T. (2000). Attitudes of the Troy State University Dothan faculty toward students with disabilities (Doctoral dissertation, Auburn University). WorldCat, OCLC: 44857670.
Baggett, D. W. (1993). Study of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst faculty's knowledge of disabilities, experience with educating students with disabilities, and attitudes that faculty possess towards students with disabilities. (Doctoral Dissertation, University of Massachusetts.) Dissertation Abstracts International, 54, 06A.
Benham, N. E. (1995). Faculty attitudes and knowledge regarding specific disabilities and The Americans with Disabilities Act. (Doctoral Dissertation, University of Southern Mississippi, 1995). Dissertation Abstracts International, 57, 01A, (1995).
Bordiere, J., & Drehmer, D. (1986). Hiring decisions for disabled workers: Looking at the cause. The Journal of Applied Psychology, 16, 197-208.
Bowman, J. T. (1987). Attitudes toward disabled persons: Social distance and work competence. Journal of Rehabilitation, 53(1), 41-44.
Burgstahler, S. (1994). Improving campus attitudes about students with disabilities. Speeches and Conference Papers (150), Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Association for Higher Education and Disability, Columbus, OH, July 27-30, 1994.
Burgstahler, S., Duclos, R., & Turcotte, M. (2000). Preliminary Findings: Faculty, Teaching Assistant, and Student Perceptions Regarding Accommodating Students with Disabilities in Postsecondary Environments. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED456718) Retrieved from ERIC database.
Cook, L., Hennessey, M.L., Cook, B.H., & Rumrill, P.D. (2007). The views of university members and service providers regarding the increased enrollment of students with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 14(3), 205-216.
Crowne, D.P., & Marlowe, D. (1960). A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 24, 349-354.
Dodd, J. M., Fischer, J., Hermanson, M., & Nelson, J. R. (1990). Tribal college faculty willingness to provide accommodations to students with learning disabilities. Journal of American Indian Education, 30(1), 8-16.
Elston, R., & Snow, B. (1986). Attitudes toward people with disabilities as expressed by rehabilitation professionals. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 29, 284-286.
Fonosch. G. G., & Schwab, L. O. (1981). Attitudes of selected university faculty members toward disabled students. Journal of College Student Personnel, 22, 229-235.
Gerald, D. E., & Hussar, W. J. (2002). Projections of education statistics to 2012. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Gil, L.A. (2007). Bridging the transition gap from high school to college. Teaching Exceptional Children, 40 (2), 12-15.
Hergenrather, K., & Rhodes, S. (2007). Exploring undergraduate student attitudes toward persons with disabilities: Application of the desirability social relationship scale. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 50(2), 66-75.
Hill, J.L. (1996). Speaking out: Perceptions of students with disabilities regarding adequacy of services and willingness of faculty to make accommodations. Journal on Postsecondary Education and Disability, 12(1).
Jin, B., & Gu Suh, Y. (2005). Integrating effect of consumer perception factors in predicting private brand purchase in a Korean discount store context. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 22, 62.
Leyser, Y. (1990). A survey of faculty attitudes and accommodations for students with disabilities. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 7, 97-107.
Lewis, M. L. (1998). Faculty attitudes toward persons with disabilities and faculty attitudes toward to accommodate students with learning disabilities in the classroom. (Doctoral dissertation, Auburn University). Dissertation Abstracts International, 59, 08-A, (1998).
Madaus, J.W., Gerber,P.J., & Price, L.A. (2008). Adults with learning disabilities in the workforce: Lessons for secondary transition programs. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 23(3), 148-153.
McCarthy, M., & Campbell, N. J. (1993). Serving disabled students: Faculty needs and attitudes. NAPSA Journal, 30(2), 120-125.
McGee, K. A. (1989). Attitudes of the University of Virginia faculty and administration toward disabled college students (Doctoral dissertation, University of Virginia). Dissertation Abstracts International, 50, 10A.
Miller, K.W., Wilder, L.B., Stillman, F.A., & Becker, D.M. (1997). The feasibility of a street-intercept survey method in a n African-American community. American Journal of Public Health, 87, 655-658.
Minskoff, E., Sautter, S., Hoffman, F., & Hawks, R. (1987). Employer attitudes toward hiring the learning disabled. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 20, 50-52.
Moore, C.J., & Nye, H. (1986). Faculty awareness of needs of physically disabled students in the college classroom. Bulletin of the Association on Handicapped Student Services Programs in Postsecondary Education, 4, 137-145.
Mullins, J., Rossler, R., Schriner, K., Brown, P., & Bellini, J. (1997). Improving employment outcomes through quality rehabilitation counseling. Journal of Rehabilitation, 63(4), 21-32.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. (2006). Profile of Undergraduates in U.S. Postsecondary Education Institutions: 2003–04 (NCES 2006-184).
Piggott, L. & Houghton, A. (2007). Transition experiences of disabled young people. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 26(5), 573-587.
Rao, S. (2004). Faculty attitudes and students with disabilities in higher education: A literature review. College Student Journal, 38(2), 191-199.
Sedlacek, W., & Stovall, C. (1983). Attitudes of male and female university students toward students with different physical disabilities. Journal of College Student Personnel, 24, 325-330.
Schoen, E., Usyal, M., & McDonald, C. D. (1986). Attitudes of faculty members toward treatment of disabled students reexamined. College Student Journal, 21(2), 190-193.
Spooner, C., Bishop, J., & Parr, J. (1997). Research methods for studying injecting drug users in a rural centre. Drug and Alcohol Review, 16(4), 349-355.
Wright, M., Gendall, P., & Lewis, T. (1999). Making survey-based price experiments more accurate. Journal of Market Research Society, 41(2), 245.
Wagner, M., Newman, L., Cameto, R., Garza, N., & Levine, P. (2005). After high school: A first look at the postschool experiences of youth with disabilities. A report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
Williamson, P. T. (2000). Attitudes of the Troy State University Dothan faculty toward students with disabilities (Doctoral dissertation, Auburn University). WorldCat, OCLC: 44857670.
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Nov 3, 2014
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Author Biographies
Mary Beth Bruder, Professor and Director, Department of Pediatrics, University Center for Developmental Disabilities, University of Connecticut Health Center
Mary Beth Bruder, Ph.D. is Professor and Director at the University of Connecticut Health Center, in the Department of Pediatrics, at the University Center for Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD).
Cristina Mogro-Wilson, Assistant Professor and Research Director, Department of Pediatrics, University Center for Developmental Disabilities, University of Connecticut Health Center
Cristina Mogro-Wilson, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor and Research Director at the University of Connecticut Health Center, in the Department of Pediatrics, at the University Center for Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD).