The Lived Experiences with Accessibility of Undergraduate Students with Disabilities

Abstract

People with disabilities is the largest minority group in the United States, and it is a group any individual can join at any point in their life, so issues related to disability are relevant as they can impact anyone. There is a need for college educators and college counselors to increase their understanding of the experiences of college students with disabilities. More research related to accessibility on college campuses for students with disabilities will aid in fulfilling the needs of students with disabilities in areas of their overall lived experiences, sense of belonging, and disability identity development. The purpose of this study is to build on the body research about college students with disabilities and their sense of belonging and disability identity in relation to their experience with accessibility on campus. The current research study aimed to explore the lived experiences with accessibility of students with disabilities at a large public southeastern university to identify if there is an impact on their sense of belonging and how they develop their disability identity. The findings will be used to provide educators and administrators with resources to better support students with disabilities on college campuses and in the classroom.