Teaching Students with Disabilities at the College Level

Abstract

The number of students with disabilities who attend college is increasing, however, many of them are not completing their degree program (Fleming, Plotner & Oertle, 2017). Many students with disabilities are not socially prepared to attend college. They may struggle with developing relationships with peers and faculty, which leads to a lack of feeling supported (Herts et al., 2014). There are a variety of perceptions regarding individuals with disabilities from peers and faculty that can negatively impact students with disabilities in college (Baker, Boland & Nowik, 2012). Students with disabilities do have a legal right to receive accommodations at the college level, however, many students are not aware of those rights or choose not to implement them. Colleges/universities and faculty need to be a support system for students with disabilities. They need to be proactive in being informed about the law and the types of accommodations they can provide. Students with disabilities can be successful in college if everyone works together to set them up for success.