As the college student population continues to grow, students are bringing various backgrounds to the higher education classroom. Students with learning disabilities are increasing in rapid numbers. In 2008, the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor approved, by a vote of 43 to 1, a bill that would update the Americans with Disabilities Act…

Higher education research suggests that the development of a sense of belonging is key to academic success and persistence, yet we know little about how first-year students with disabilities develop a sense of belonging as they transition into and through their first year in postsecondary environments. Themes from a grounded theory study of 8…

Research points to significant numbers of students on college campuses experiencing mental health distress and an ever increasing number of college students who are choosing to make an off-campus educational experience a part of their college careers. When we consider both of these trends together, it is quite apparent that a significant number of…

Adults with a diagnosis of High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HF ASD) are becoming a significant presence on college campuses across the United States. A number of colleges have created programs to provide services to support accommodations for these students under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); the first was created in 2002.…

More than 50% of all college students with a disability enroll in public 2-year institutions. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a type of disability that affects a growing number of students in postsecondary education. Currently, over 70% of 2-year public institutions enroll students with ASD. In spite of increased awareness, the vast majority of…

More than ever, students with disabilities are enrolling in higher education, yet despite their growth, they still underperform compared to their nondisabled peers in grades and graduation rates. The Americans with Disabilities Act grants students with disabilities access to special accommodations and services in postsecondary institutions, and…

Recent efforts to change the teaching profession and teacher preparation include a number of innovations to use portfolio assessment, value added measures (VAM), accountability metrics and other corporate education reform ideas. These approaches may provoke considerable potential legal consequences. Traditional constitutional and civil rights…

This paper provides an introduction to Universal Instructional Design (UID), an adaptation of the architectural concept of universal design (UD), and discusses the benefits of this model as an inclusive approach to higher education. UD originated in the field of architecture as a proactive means of responding to legislated architectural…

University faculty members play an essential role in ensuring that students with disabilities receive a quality postsecondary education. Many factors influence the willingness of faculty to provide quality services. The purpose of this survey study was to identify these influential factors through a structural equation modeling model. Findings…

In this article, the author offers suggestions for effectively addressing disability in and outside the classroom. She believes that a new vision for disability education that moves away from a limitations model and toward humanizing disabilities is crucial for campus communities. Through an introduction to universal design of instruction,…

Access to education has always challenged students with disabilities. The increase of online instructional materials presents new opportunities--and possible barriers--for accessibility in higher education. Despite rising numbers of students with disabilities in higher education, colleges and universities have not ensured accessibility of online…

The inclusion of students with disabilities at the university is a relatively new occurrence in the field of special education. Although legislation in the United States has supported the acceptance of students with disabilities at the post-secondary level, it has only provided minimal support with the emphasis on the learner rather than the…

This chapter presents additional information and resources for distance educators at community colleges, focusing in particular on the Americans with Disabilities Act, the TEACH Act, and learning objects and models.