Editor's Choice: Lessons on Disability and the Rights of Students

Abstract

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 form the basis for this discussion of students with disabilities and the role played by community college faculty in promoting their success. After asserting the need to foster self-awareness in one's perceptions of those with disabilities, the author defines practices that ensure receptive classroom environments with examples of effective attitudes, behaviors, and language.

Identifying the Unmet Needs of College Students on the Autism Spectrum

“…85 This framework promotes the use of flexible teaching approaches that can be adapted to fit individual student needs. 31,35,86 In an exploratory study of factors that influence successful degree completion among students with a wide range of cognitive, emotional, and physical disabilities, numerous promising practices and hypotheses for further testing were identified. 84 Findings from this national survey of community colleges are especially relevant for shaping future efforts, especially given the growing role of these institutions in educating at-risk students with disabilities who are of color or low socioeconomic status.…”

“…Both groups are enrolling in postsecondary schools in increasing numbers; 28 both are at risk for withdrawing from college prior to completing their degrees; [29][30][31] both are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and, as such, are entitled to campus-and community-based accommodations and services; 32 both have hidden disabilities, with the consequence that their symptoms and needs are not visible to roommates, faculty, and staff; both may need to navigate issues of perceived stigma and disclosure about their illnesses and to practice self-advocacy skills in order to acquire support needed for academic and personal success; 33 both are increasingly enrolled in community colleges; 34,35 and both have disabilities whose sequelae are correlated with poorer relationships with other students, faculty, and administrators, and with low levels of campus engagement and retention. How similar are the experiences and needs of ASD college students with secondary mental health concerns to those of non-ASD students with primary psychiatric illnesses?…”

“What Do We Have to Do?” Community College CTE Faculty Perceptions, Preparedness, and Propositions in Supporting Disabled Students’ Employment Opportunities

“…Although few researchers have explored the intersection of community college faculty and disability (for exceptions, see Hansen & Dawson, 2020; Treloar, 1999), and all but ignored postsecondary career and technical education faculty engagement with disabled students, the narratives conveyed in the literature more broadly indicate limited understandings of and problematic perspectives about disabled students. In turn, scholarship has yet to fully unravel the intricacies associated with how community college faculty—at the front lines of supporting students who enter specialized industries—perceive, interact with, and support disabled students.…”

Teaching Sul Tasto: Making String Ensembles Accessible for Students with Light and Sound Sensitivities

“…Before you begin planning accommodations for your students, take a moment to reflect on any internalized bias or prejudice you may have (Treloar 1999). Ableism refers to prejudice against disabled people that views disability as a negative condition that deviates from the social norm of abled, healthy bodies (Kattari 2015).…”