Expectations of student with disability living in off-campus student housing in Ghana: a Gap Model approach

Abstract

PurposePrevious students' housing studies have neglected the need to study all-inclusive student housing and quality of services delivery among students with disability. This study explores the expectations in students' housing among university students living with disabilities (SWDs) in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a mixed-methods approach, involving 423 SWD selected from five public and three private universities across Ghana. Grounded on the Gap Model, the study employed exploratory factor analysis to extract factors of service quality delivery and universal building design for SWD living in off-campus students' housing.FindingsThe study uncovered that, expectations of SWD regarding building design specifications hinges more on inbuilt universal design than external building environment designs. SWD are more interested in safety, health, managerial assurances and security. In all, five factors provided a huge gap in services quality delivered by off-campus students' housing.Practical implicationsThe Gap Model technique offers a framework that provides an insight for students' housing investors, managers, researchers and local authorities that provides an insight on the needs of SWD in student housing, thus making it possible to attain satisfactions amongst SWD.Originality/valueUnlike health-related studies that deals with expectations of all-inclusive buildings for persons with disability in hospitals, this study uniquely uncovered the expectations of services delivery and building design support to SWD in the Ghanaian context.

Innovation diffusion effects on student housing investment in Ghana

“…In the Ghanaian context, student housing has become relevant among tertiary educational institutions because of the central government and developers' low capacity and inability to adequately accommodate the increasing student population (Attakora-amaniampong et al, 2020). As part of the growing nature of student housing across developing countries, studies have confirmed that student housing investors have focused on students' preferences such as accessibility and proximity, comfort, entertainment and security as means of increasing student turn-out and returns (Attakora-Amaniampong et al, 2021;Khajehzadeh and Vale, 2016;Sanni-anibire and Hassanain, 2016). However, implementing innovations to increase occupancy and sustain investment returns among student housing investment options is emerging around university campuses (French et al, 2018).…”

“…, 2020). As part of the growing nature of student housing across developing countries, studies have confirmed that student housing investors have focused on students' preferences such as accessibility and proximity, comfort, entertainment and security as means of increasing student turn-out and returns (Attakora-Amaniampong et al. , 2021; Khajehzadeh and Vale, 2016; Sanni-anibire and Hassanain, 2016).…”

“…Aside, student housing studies in Ghana are new. While student housing is gaining increasing popularity among housing researchers (Attakora-Amaniampong et al, 2021;French et al, 2018;Hassanain and Garkuwa, 2018; M. T. Nazarpour and Norouzian-Maleki, 2020;Simpeh and Shakantu, 2019), innovation diffusion in student housing studies is limited. In Ghana, investors' fear of competition and student tenant attrition have ignited many innovative ways to sustain occupancy in their investment (Attakora-amaniampong et al, 2020).…”

“…Aside, student housing studies in Ghana are new. While student housing is gaining increasing popularity among housing researchers (Attakora-Amaniampong et al. , 2021; French et al.…”

Student housing design implications for single-room occupancy during COVID-19 in Ghana

“…With the ongoing reflections, architectural designs and space usage for crowded populations have become more essential to be scrutinized. Housing is perceived as one of the physiological, psychological and social needs required for the quality existence of students, which has a bearing on the development of the human capital of every nation (Attakora-Amaniampong et al, 2021;Nazarpour and Norouzian-maleki, 2021). However, university campuses are looking to return to normal in the COVID-19 pandemic (Yıldırım et al, 2021).…”