Inclusive Education at a Crossroads: Assessing Accommodations for Online Students with Disabilities

Abstract

The rapid growth of online learning in higher education necessitates reevaluating accommodations for students with disabilities. This study aimed to examine the differences in accommodation requests and satisfaction between online and traditional learning environments for students with disabilities, identify barriers to accessing accommodations, and assess the impact of these accommodations on students' sense of belonging and academic engagement. A survey was developed to collect feedback from students with disabilities across various disciplines at a large public university in the United States. The study utilized quantitative and student first-person qualitative measures to capture comprehensive data on accommodation requests, barriers to access, satisfaction levels, and the relationship between accommodations and students' sense of belonging. Quantitative data were analyzed using chi-square and logistic regression. Students with disabilities studying on campus were approximately seven times more likely to seek accommodations than their online peers (OR = 0.14, p = .002). Additionally, students with disabilities generally expressed satisfaction with the accommodations received, though barriers such as a lack of awareness and administrative hurdles were common. Feeling a sense of belonging at the university was also significantly correlated with the likelihood of seeking accommodations. We invoke a critical disability framework to examine the implications of the study results. The study underscores higher education institutions' need to adopt more inclusive and accessible practices to support students with disabilities in online and traditional learning environments.

Keywords: Inclusive education, online learning, disability accommodations, accessibility, digital divide.