The Experience of Student Occupational Therapists with Disabilities in Canadian Universities

Abstract

Background. Canadian health professions strive for inclusivity in practice and it is imperative to extend this philosophy to health science students with disabilities. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of student occupational therapists with disabilities enrolled in Canadian universities. Methods. A phenomenological approach was used to conduct fourteen open-ended interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed to develop themes. Findings. Two themes emerged: participants recognizing strengths and needs plus participants navigating the environment. Both themes contain various sub-themes. Implications. Applying relevant practice elements, such as client-centred practice, when working with student occupational therapists with disabilities may facilitate a sense of fit for them within occupational therapy educational programs in Canada.

Accommodation Use by Individuals with Disabilities in Occupational Therapy Fieldwork

“…People with invisible disabilities who decide not to disclose may have added stress of hiding their disability to avoid stigmatization. Literature suggests that students with invisible disabilities are more challenged in their claims of disability and potential impacts on academic performance are not deemed as credible (Jung et al, 2014). Disclosure of a disability is therefore limited due to fear of discrimination against the prejudices and biases of those around them, including those in power that could impact the outcome of their studies.…”

“…Reflected in the case studies were experiences of teachers unwilling to provide reasonable accommodations. The literature demonstrates a potential gap between mandated institutional policies for how students with disabilities access education and the extent to which accommodations are successfully implemented in higher education settings (Jung et al, 2014;Marshak et al, 2010;Sahlen & Lehmann, 2006).…”

“…Another theme was "I've always viewed my disability as part of who I am," which meant that participants agreed that they did not let their disabilities get in the way of their lives since it was only a part of them. Overall, a review of the literature suggested that students with disabilities identified a consistent trend of attitudinal, social, institutional, and physical barriers to academic success (Aquino & Bittinger, 2019;Jung et al, 2014). These themes represent lived experiences for students with disabilities and are invaluable for faculty and students when determining accommodations that would be helpful.…”

Accommodating Students with Disabilities: Fieldwork Educators’ Experiences

“…Changes in legislation and increased disability awareness are enabling more students with disabilities to access post-secondary education ( Hargreaves & Walker, 2014 ; Jung et al, 2014 ; Newsham, 2008 ; Ozelie et al, 2019 , 2022 ). However, students with disabilities are underrepresented in health professional programs ( Lindsay et al, 2023 ).…”

“…However, these values do not appear to be upheld within the profession, as occupational therapists with disabilities report experiencing discrimination from managers, educators, and colleagues (Bevan, 2014;Chacala et al, 2014). Student occupational therapists with disabilities describe accommodations as forced disclosure and indicate that fieldwork settings lack the flexibility needed for their learning (Jung et al, 2014). Ozelie et al (2022) surveyed occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants about their perceptions of "reasonable" accommodations in fieldwork.…”