The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the use of academic accommodations and successful program completion of students with disabilities enrolled in two campuses of a community college. Current and past research has focused on the role, faculty perception and student satisfaction of Disability Support Services (DSS) at postsecondary institutions. However, evidence that the use of academic accommodations actually aids in the successful program completion rate of post secondary students with disabilities does not exist. A causal-comparative research method was used to examine secondary data provided by the Office of Student Accommodations located at two community college campuses to determine whether a relationship exists between successful program completion and use of academic accommodations, disability category, academic program and academic campus setting. This study also examined whether the use of academic accommodations varied by disability category, academic campus setting, academic program and successful program completion. Results indicated that users and non-users of academic accommodations are both highly successful in completing their programs. Some differences were found in use of academic accommodations related to student disability and college campus (urban versus suburban) but not in relation to academic program. Results of this study and the impact of these findings are discussed.

No description available.

This study measured postsecondary faculty attitudes toward academic accommodations and an inclusive teaching method called Universal Design for Instruction (UDI). The purpose of the study was to help determine a readiness for change among faculty with regard to implementing UDI principles, compare differences between faculty groups, as well as add to the postsecondary UDI research agenda. UDI requires faculty instructional design and has the potential to reduce the need for individualized academic accommodations and increase the retention and graduation rates of students with disabilities. The study included an online survey e-mailed to 1,621 faculty at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). Independent variables included: amount of teaching experience, teaching status (i.e., full-time, part-time), academic discipline, and amount of prior disability-related training. Results showed significant differences among faculty based upon amount of teaching experience, prior disability-related training, and academic discipline. Generally, faculty with more teaching experience and prior disability-related training had more favorable attitudes toward accommodations and UDI concepts. Faculty in the colleges of Applied Sciences and Arts (ASA), Education, and Mass Communication and Media Arts had more favorable attitudes toward multiple means of presentation than the colleges of Science and Liberal Arts. Faculty in the college of Education had more favorable attitudes toward providing accommodations than the college of ASA. The study effectively started a dialogue with SIUC faculty on their willingness to use UDI principles. Overall, faculty reported mostly positive attitudes toward UDI concepts and traditional academic accommodations. Results could be utilized when proceeding with targeted training for faculty on UDI in postsecondary settings.

"October 2004" A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Occupational Therapy. This study examined the relationship between university faculty attitudes toward academic accommodations and the provision of academic accommodations for students with disabilities. A pretest posttest design was used to examine the relationship between faculty attitudes (willingness, perceptions, and intentions) toward students with disabilities and whether the attitudes and the knowledge one posses about providing academic accommodations influences faculty teaching behaviors. According to the 2000 Census, one out of twelve children and teenagers (ages 520) living in the United States has a physical or mental disability (Cohen, 2002). This statistic indicates that the number of students requiring academic accommodations in post secondary education will continue to grow throughout the next decade. The literature suggests that faculty who are not well informed on how to provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities may develop negative attitudes that create additional barriers for these students. Therefore, in an effort to contribute to evidence-based occupational therapy practice, a faculty-training workshop was developed and conducted to evaluate whether training faculty about academic accommodations affected their willingness to provide academic accommodations to students with disabilities. Participants were faculty at Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan who elected to participate in a four-hour training session on providing academic accommodations to students with disabilities. The results of the study suggest that both knowledge and attitudes (willingness, perceptions, and intentions) of faculty improved as a result of the intervention which in turn can have a positive impact on students enrolled in their courses. The researcher concluded that further qualitative research is needed to address if the training provided did in fact have an impact on the participants' long-term behavior and whether participating faculty are now more willing to provide academic accommodations to students with disabilities as a result of the workshop. Additionally inquiry is recommended with larger and diverse samples to determine the most effective training interventions.

No description available.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to indicate the experiences of collegiate student-athletes in meeting academic demands when experiencing prolonged recovery from concussion and if they perceive a need for academic accommodations. There is a gap in present concussion and an absence of studies that examine if academic accommodations are helpful during concussion recovery. The study was guided by 3 research questions focused on the return to learn during the recovery process. The study was limited to 9 student-athletes currently enrolled at three postsecondary institutions: Christian Brothers University, Rhodes College, and the University of Memphis. The study participants met pre-established criteria for the study, were recruited by their athletic trainer at their respective institution, and voluntarily participated in individual interviews with the researcher or co-interviewer. Through a phenomenological approach, individual interviews were conducted with the participants. Four themes were identified in the data: negative impact on academic performance, academic pressures, inequity of student-athlete treatment, and impact on concentration ability. Each study participant’s story was shared through the data analysis process, and significant statements from the interviews as related to the research questions were included in the data analysis section. Ultimately, the data suggested that future research continue to focus on how student-athletes' recovery from concussion impacts their return to learn process.

No description available.