Examining Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities in a Higher Education Setting

Abstract

Public Law 94-142 (PL 94-142), the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, was signed into legislation in 1975. This anchor piece of legislation became one of the most influential in the advocacy of a special needs population that previously had been institutionalized or removed from the public school setting because they were not learning as other students were. With subsequent pieces of legislation and continued advocacy, significant numbers of students with disabilities (SWDs) are enrolling in institutions of higher education. Students are provided with transition plans, which are legislatively mandated to offer postsecondary options for SWDs. However, the general problem is the low retention and graduation rates of postsecondary SWDs. Comparatively, postsecondary SWDs earning a college degree range from 11–13%, whereas 28–30% of their non-disabled peers earn a college degree. Specifically, academic accommodations have been the catalyst for learning in the K-12 setting, yet there is a common misunderstanding of their purpose and use in the postsecondary setting. This transcendental phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of postsecondary SWDs accessing academic accommodations in their postsecondary educational attainment. Specifically, this study will examine perceptions, experiences, attitudes, and academic accommodations related to the success or failure of postsecondary SWDs. Participants will include postsecondary SWDs attending a small, private, faith-based institution of higher education in Lakeland, Florida, a city in Polk County, which is centrally located between Tampa and Orlando, Florida.