This study presents a series of key aspects to achieve inclusive education in Spanish universities, from the viewpoint of students with disabilities and disability support service staff. The study used a qualitative methodology through in-depth semistructured interviews. Data analysis was inductive, through a system of categories and codes. Results revealed various essential aspects to facilitate inclusive education: the positive attitude of the faculty members towards students with disabilities promotes the inclusive education, the need to make reasonable adjustments (methodologies, evaluation systems, and resources) to guarantee the learning of students with disabilities, and the use of technologies to facilitate access to learning. Results allowed us to conclude that the faculty was a key figure in the inclusion of students with disabilities and it´s necessary a universal learning design approach into practice to benefit all students.

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The present study provides partial findings from research currently underway at the University of Seville: ‘Hurdles & Help as Perceived by University Students Disabilities’. (Directed by Dr. Anabel Moriña, project funding: MICINN, I+D+I, ref. EDU 2010‐16264). How does the university, as an institution, open doors and/or put hurdles in the way of students with special needs? The present study adopts a qualitative methodological approach. More specifically, biographic‐narrative methods are employed to give shape to a series of life stories. A wide range of data gathering techniques were used, including discussion groups, in‐depth interviews, classroom observation sessions, photographs, biograms, etc. Data analysis was carried out in two phases. In the first, the focus was on individual life stories. The second phase involved applying comparative data analysis methods to transcriptions of documents generated using aforementioned methods, in line with Miles and Huberman (1994). Maxqda10 data analysis software was the tool of choice. Results will be discussed with the following questions as a backdrop: Is the University inclusive? We will analyse institutional barriers and aids, as perceived by the students themselves. Architectural and structural hurdles affecting access to university classrooms, infrastructures and other spaces will be assessed here. Finally, we will take a closer look at student expectations with respect to their conception of the ideal university. Is the University an institution that opens or closes its doors to students with disabilities? Based on the analysis in the previous section, a number of conclusions can be reached. The first and foremost is the fact that the students coincided in their opinions, independently of the disability they might have and the courses studied, both when identifying help and barriers. Having said that, the number of barriers identified surpassed the help.

This article describes the key elements to develop an inclusive pedagogy in the university context through the testimonies of a group of Social Sciences and Law faculty members. A total of 25 faculty members of these fields of knowledge from seven different Spanish universities participated in the study, who were recommended by their students with disabilities based on their good practices. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted individually with each participant. The data were progressively analysed using a system of categories and codes. The results show three key elements to improve the academic experience of students with disabilities: disability-specific training for faculty members, a good faculty-student relationship and the willingness to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities. This article proposes a well-trained faculty, who develop a flexible teaching with a positive and close relationships toward their students, as the ideal profile to serve as an example to other colleagues and institutions of Higher Education in order to improve the quality of academic and social experiences for students with disabilities.

This article analyzes the functioning of disability support offices and their contribution to inclusive education in seven Spanish universities from the perspective of staff. Using a qualitative methodology, interviews with office staff were conducted, and data were analyzed through an inductive coding system. The results are organized around five themes: characteristics of disability support offices, staff training, functions performed by different services, barriers and opportunities identified by office staff, and proposals to improve attention given to disabled students. Information gathered leads to the conclusion that the work carried out in disability support offices must receive support from universities, as these offices are a key element for the access and retention of students with disabilities in the university and for the successful completion of their studies. Points of interest• Disability support offices in universities contribute to inclusive education in higher education. • The research found that disability support offices may work with a very small number of students. • Some students are not known to disability support offices because they prefer not to disclose their disabilities. • The research concluded that vocational guidance is a key factor leading to access to the university. • Disability support office staff considered they are not sufficiently trained, so more actions are needed in this direction.