Facing Challenges: Experiences of Young Women with Disabilities Attending a Canadian University.

This qualitative study examines the perspectives of students with disabilities studying at a postsecondary institution in Canada. Seven female students, five of them with learning disabilities, participated in focus group meetings and shared their experiences of studying at a university. Both individual characteristics, such as disability-specific needs, and contextual factors, including attitudes of faculty members and peers, were reported as barriers affecting students’ full participation to university life. Participants reported that the Office for Students with Disabilities acted as an important support mechanism at the overall school-level. Findings indicate that postsecondary institutions should support students with disabilities not only by providing accommodations but also by addressing hidden attitudinal barriers to enable equal participation opportunities for all. Some recommendations for creating a barrier-free school community are made based on the suggestions of the participants. Increasing numbers of students with disabilities choose to pursue postsecondary education in North America (Eckes & Ochoa, 2005; Fichten, 1995; Fichten, et al., 2003; Roer-Strier, 2002). However, research show that university or college graduates with disabilities experience diffi culty in fi nding employment, have limited independence and low standards of living (Doren & Benz, 2001; Lindstrom & Benz, 2002; Madaus, 2005). Transition to higher education, and later to work settings, present challenges for every young adult; however there is a rich literature particularly from the North American context suggesting that certain student populations such as students with disabilities and female students may experience more obstacles during their studies (Doren & Benz, 2001; Dwyer, 2000; Lindstrom & Benz, 2002). Studies reveal that students with disabilities are still an under-represented group and face several barriers which may limit their full participation to postsecondary education (Duquette, 2000; Fichten, 1995; Weir, 2004). Even though there is evidence suggesting that accommodations are provided to students with disabilities at the postsecondary level (Cox & Walsh, 1998; Duquette, 2000; Hill, 1992, 1996), some research fi ndings show that students with disabilities have diffi culty accessing and obtaining accommodations and supports (e.g. Dowrick, Anderson, Heyer & Acosta, 2005). Even though the results of the National Longitudinal Transition Study II (NLTS2) of the U.S. Department of Education reveal an increase in the number of female students continuing higher education, girls are mostly attending 2-year colleges while boys attend both 2and 4-year colleges (Wagner, Newman, Cameto, & Levine, 2005). Research on career development and transition for women also show that female students are less likely to fi nd employment compared to male students with or without disabilities (Doren & Benz, 2001; Lindstrom & Benz, 2002). Additionally, young women who are employed tend to have lower incomes and work in lowstatus jobs compared to their male counterparts (Doren & Benz, 2001). Thus, the dual presence of gender and disability categories may cause limitations for pursuing higher degrees and career options for young women (Lindstrom, Benz & Doren, 2004). There is limited research focusing on students’ perspectives and experiences at the postsecondary level (Dowrick et al., 2005; Dwyer, 2000; Evans-Getzel & Thoma, 2008; Troiano, 2003). The following study aims to present voices of students with disabilities studying at a large research university in Canada. The participants of the study are Canadian young women with disabilities, majority with learning disabilities (LD), attending postsecondary education. Given that Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 24(2) 102 there is research evidence suggesting that female students with disabilities may be at a greater risk of experiencing obstacles in higher education (e.g. Dwyer, 2000), we focus on the unique perspectives of this sub-group of students. We discuss both individual characteristics (e.g. disability type, severity, and gender) and context-related barriers to having a successful postsecondary education life. Students with Disabilities and Postsecondary Education: A Canadian Perspective The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms has created a solid rights-based ground for which all provincial laws, policies, and institutions are developed (Roeher Institute, 1996). The following statement: “Equality of all people under the law and protection of individuals against discrimination on the basis of disability (Roeher Institute, 1996, Section 15[1]),” protects people with disabilities from discrimination. According to this statement, legislation must be free from discrimination, and recognize that all people have the right to equal opportunities (Roeher Institute, 1996). Over the past decades, with provincial legislation acts, infl uences of the move towards inclusive education, and changes in the attitudes of the Canadian society, there has been an increase in the number of students with disabilities attending postsecondary education (Wolforth, 1998). Leitch (1998) reported that in 1995, there was a mere 0.25% of the population of students with disabilities in 47 Canadian universities. In 2003, the average percentage of students with disabilities registered to receive disability-related services in Canada’s provinces and territories ranged from 1.92% to 5.67% and only 8% of postsecondary institutions reported not having any students with disabilities (Fichten et al., 2003). Students with LD make up the largest proportion of this population of students with disabilities attending postsecondary education in Canada (Stewart, Cornish, & Somers, 1995). This is a similar pattern compared to the American higher education institutions (Hart, Mele-McCarthy, Pasternack, Zimbrich, & Parker, 2004; Vogel, Leyser, Kwyland, & Brulle, 1999). Results of a Quebec-based study implemented as a part of a Canadian-wide study showed that there are signifi cantly smaller proportions of students with disabilities in Quebec colleges and universities when compared to rest of the provinces (Fichten et al., 2003). Researchers suggest that provincial policies, practices, and bilingual language system may be some of the factors contributing to this lower proportion of students with disabilities in postsecondary institutions of Quebec (Fichten et al., 2003). With an increase in the number of students with disabilities continuing higher education, many Canadian postsecondary institutions have developed policies that respond to the individual needs of students with disabilities (Wolforth, 1998). By 1992, 30% of Canadian postsecondary institutions had disabilityrelated policies, while another 15% were developing similar policies (Hill, 1994). By 1994, this fi gure rose to over 65%, and by 1997, 75% of Canadian universities reported policy development for students with disabilities (Cox & Walsh, 1998). Hill (1992) surveyed the Offi ces for Students with Disabilities at 27 Canadian universities to ascertain the types of services provided to students with disabilities. This survey study revealed that although all participating universities attempted to accommodate the needs of students, some problems pertained in the following areas: (a) identifying those students who require special services, (b) making students aware of the available services, and (c) developing fair admission policies. An analysis of institutional policies for students with disabilities at 47 Canadian universities examined the types of academic accommodations provided to students with disabilities and found that academic accommodations and procedures show variation across provinces, territories, and institutions (Cox & Walsh, 1998). In general, accommodations included extended time, special seating, the provision of visual language interpreters, change of test format, the use of adaptive technology, and the provision of alternative formats of print such as Braille or large print (Cox & Walsh, 1998). In a study on technology integration and utilization by students with disabilities, Fichten, Asuncion, Barile, Fossey, and Simone (2000) found that 41% of Canadian college and university students with LD, physical, and sensory disabilities required special accommodations and adaptations to use them effectively. There is limited research on academic and social experiences of students with disabilities in Canadian higher education system (Dwyer, 2000; Jorgensen et al, 2005). In a longitudinal study extending over a period of 12 years, Jorgensen et al. (2005) compared the academic outcomes of students with and without disabilities attending a college in Quebec. Although students with LD had similar grades and graduation Erten; Voices of Young Women with Disabilities 103 rates, they required lighter course load and took longer to graduate (Jorgensen et al., 2005). In a recent online survey with 1,174 college and university students in Ontario, Tremblay et al. (2008) found that nearly two-thirds of a total of 72.9% female students and half of male students have experienced various kinds of negative social interactions during their postsecondary studies. These negative social interactions, although often very mild and verbal in nature, were experienced more by female students and students with LD (Tremblay et al, 2008) suggesting that these students may be at greater risk for experiencing obstacles at the postsecondary level. Individual Characteristics: Challenges of Being a Female Student with Disabilities Each disability presents different characteristics. Students with LD require unique accommodations at the postsecondary level as they may be at risk for experiencing diffi culties in school (Trainor, 2007). Some of the unique characteristics of this life-long disability involve cognitive diffi culties including solving problems, organizing thou