Perceptions of Accommodations and Services Received in Higher Education Held by Students with Disabilities

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research study was to examine in-depth, the perceptions of accommodations and services received by students with disabilities while in higher education as well as explore how disability advisors on campus perceive and address their students' feedback. Data was collected from students and advisors at three higher education institutions via semi-structured interviews and surveys. Triangulation of data was implemented in this research study to ensure objectivity. This study aligns closely with the Constructivist theoretical framework. The data collection and analysis found that overall, the participants were highly satisfied with their disability advisors, the accommodations, and services they received while in higher education. However, they perceived that some changes were needed. It is still inconclusive about how disability advisors act on their student's feedback. Overall, the disability; advisors reported positive student feedback. The pandemic created some unexpected challenges and opportunities for disability advisors in terms of different accommodations that were now accessible to students such as remote attendance. However, some participants reported challenges with online learning. The disability advisors reported that students are facing a higher incidence of depression and anxiety because of the pandemic. The disability advisors went to great lengths to support their students and that agrees with the participants perspectives. In the future, it is important that disability advisors continue to collaborate with their students and other faculty to come up with additional ways to support their students in their academic success.

1 Perceptions of Accommodations and Services Received in Higher Education Held by Students with Disabilities Philip A. Wilford School of Education, Westminster College MED 680: Research Project Dr. Kalani Eggington & Nancy Garrison M.Ed. May 5, 2021 PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 2 Abstract The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research study was to examine in-depth, the perceptions of accommodations and services received by students with disabilities while in higher education as well as explore how disability advisors on campus perceive and address their students’ feedback. Data was collected from students and advisors at three higher education institutions via semi-structured interviews and surveys. Triangulation of data was implemented in this research study to ensure objectivity. This study aligns closely with the Constructivist theoretical framework. The data collection and analysis found that overall, the participants were highly satisfied with their disability advisors, the accommodations, and services they received while in higher education. However, they perceived that some changes were needed. It is still inconclusive about how disability advisors act on their student’s feedback. Overall, the disability advisors reported positive student feedback. The pandemic created some unexpected challenges and opportunities for disability advisors in terms of different accommodations that were now accessible to students such as remote attendance. However, some participants reported challenges with online learning. The disability advisors reported that students are facing a higher incidence of depression and anxiety because of the pandemic. The disability advisors went to great lengths to support their students and that agrees with the participants perspectives. In the future, it is important that disability advisors continue to collaborate with their students and other faculty to come up with additional ways to support their students in their academic success. Keywords: accommodations, services, perception, feedback, executive functioning, resources, disability services, pandemic, collaboration, disability, zone of proximal development (ZPD), higher education PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 3 Acknowledgements There is a saying that I clearly remember, “Actions speak louder than words”. There are several individuals whose actions have made a definitive positive impact on my life and future success. I would like to sincerely acknowledge them for their continual support of my research study as well as my academic success in the M.Ed. program. Thank you to Kalani Eggington and Nancy Garrison for providing guidance, knowledge, and support while completing this research study. Nancy provided me with expert advice, and unconditional support. She was there for me at every step of the research process. I always knew that I could count on her candor. I greatly appreciate her dedication and empathy in that endeavor. Thank you to Shamby Polychronis. Thank you for all your wisdom, guidance and support you provided me while you were my advisor and instructor. It really meant a lot to me. Your support enabled me to persevere in the master’s program even when I felt slightly defeated. Thank you to my parents, Jane, and Andrew Wilford, who always supported my academic pursuits and encouraged me to succeed in grade school as well as in higher education. Jane, even though she did not need to read my papers did so anyway as a way of supporting my education. Andrew always encouraged me to put off other household duties and instead work on my assignments that were due for class. That is how you know when you are loved by your family. Thank you, Chris LeCluyse and staff, at my college’s writing center. They really put in a great deal of time to help me edit my paper via electronic consultations or online visits to enhance the quality and coherency of my multitude of assignments and papers. The literature review chapter was very difficult, and I greatly appreciate that Chris did a great job of helping me get a handle on a different writing style that was brand new to me. I could not recommend their service enough to others looking for writing assistance. Thank you to my COVID-19 cohort. I really appreciated our online class sessions, especially PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 4 where we were able to conduct peer reviews of each other’s papers. Their insights and guidance greatly assisted me in improving my research study. Thank you so much to one of the people in my cohort, that went out of their way to assist me with the research study, and I greatly appreciate you for all you did for me. Last but not least, I owe a great deal of gratitude to the participants at the different higher education institutions that participated in this research study. Without them, this research study would not have been possible. The actions of these individuals that have supported me will always be with me. I want you all to know that I will never forget you and what you have done for me. I greatly appreciate all of you and thank you. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 5 Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................ 7 Statement of Topic ..................................................................................................................... 8 Potential Significance ................................................................................................................ 8 Theoretical Framework .......................................................................................................... 10 Limitations ............................................................................................................................... 11 Statement of Researcher ......................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 2: Literature Review .................................................................................................... 13 Support Services on Higher Education Campuses ............................................................... 13 Needs of Students on the Autism Spectrum .......................................................................... 14 Accommodations and Services for Students with Autism ................................................... 15 Mechanisms for Student-Staff Communication in Higher Education ............................... 16 Theoretical Framework: Constructivism .............................................................................. 17 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 18 Chapter 3: Methodology ............................................................................................................. 19 Methodological Approach and Rationale .............................................................................. 19 Setting ....................................................................................................................................... 20 Participants .............................................................................................................................. 21 Data Collection......................................................................................................................... 23 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 25 Validity and Trustworthiness ................................................................................................. 26 Ethical Considerations ............................................................................................................ 28 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 29 Chapter Four: Findings .............................................................................................................. 30 Accommodations...................................................................................................................... 31 Variety of Options ................................................................................................................. 31 Ways to Access...................................................................................................................... 34 Meaningful Solutions ............................................................................................................ 36 Feedback ................................................................................................................................... 37 Student Impressions............................................................................................................... 37 Advisor Impressions .............................................................................................................. 40 Collaboration ........................................................................................................................... 43 Student Teaming .................................................................................................................... 43 Advisor Teaming ................................................................................................................... 45 Pandemic Impact ..................................................................................................................... 49 PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 6 Student Experience ................................................................................................................ 49 Advisor Experience ............................................................................................................... 50 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 54 Chapter Five: Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 56 Summary of Findings .............................................................................................................. 56 Recommendations.................................................................................................................... 57 Implications for Future Research .......................................................................................... 58 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 59 References .................................................................................................................................... 60 Appendix A .................................................................................................................................. 63 PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 7 Chapter 1: Introduction While in high school, I had a history teacher, Mr. Draper, who truly believed in me. He was also my drama coach. Because I have a nonverbal learning disorder, he would give me extra time to complete exams. If I had a question, I slightly knew the answer to he would ask me, “What do you think?” He encouraged me to think for myself instead of relying on others. When I came to get letters of recommendation to take the ACT, he wrote a strong letter for me. In the letter he stated that he knew I could be successful in college if I had support and sufficient time to complete exams and assignments. Mr. Draper taught me to believe in myself when none of my other teachers believed in me. Once I entered college, I learned early on from my disability advisors how important it was to form a close relationship with them as well as my professors. Because of my close relationships, as well as high-quality service and accommodations I have been quite successful throughout my college career. I am now completing a master’s in education. I wanted to go into a career as a disability advisor at a college or university. I have been deeply interested in the experiences and perspectives of other college students with learning disabilities. I have always been inquisitive about the quality of accommodations and services that are provided to these students on different college campuses. During my research it became apparent that students with autism, and Asperger’s syndrome often have a far different experience in college. By becoming more aware of the experiences of other students with learning disabilities I hope this knowledge will help me to be more effective once I am a disability advisor. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 8 Statement of Topic This research study centered around the experiences students with disabilities have while in higher education and addressed how higher education looks at students’ feedback. By combining research from articles, qualitative interviews, surveys, and my research journal, I hoped to provide a well-rounded understanding of the current circumstance in higher education and what potential adjustments may be needed to ensure college academic success for students with learning disabilities. The purpose of my phenomenological research study was to address the main question: What are the perceptions that college students with learning disabilities have about the accommodations and services they receive in terms of their needs being heard and met from their disability resource center on campus? Additionally, I had two sub-questions which were: What systems are in place for college students with learning disabilities to provide feedback to their disability resource center? How do college or university disability resource renters perceive and act on the feedback received from their students with learning disabilities? Potential Significance A high percentage of students with disabilities are attending higher education, however, they graduate at much lower rates than their peers who do not have disabilities (Francis et al. 2018). According to Barnhill (2016), there is an increasing number of students with Asperger syndrome and high functioning autism enrolling into college. However, there was not much research done on supports these populations will need to be successful. Based on the limited amount of research done on this topic, it was clear that many students with learning disabilities perceive there being a deficit in terms of the quality of the accommodations and services they received. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 9 While a survey conducted by Francis et al. (2018) found that 81 percent of the 109 students they surveyed felt either satisfied or very satisfied with disability services on their campus, these perceptions were not shared by students on the autism spectrum who have sensory and social deficits. Sarrett (2018), investigated the experiences of college students who have autism to determine if these schools were providing accommodations to their additional needs. Many of the participants did not feel like the accommodations were addressing their sensory, social, or academic needs. Another qualitative study provided an in depth look at Jillian, a student with autism spectrum disorder, who ultimately ended up dropping out of college because she lacked self-advocacy skills (Sayman, 2015). Accardo et al. (2018) investigated the experiences of 43 Belgian students with autism spectrum disorder. After looking at 14 accommodations, the study found that extended time was perceived by the students as the most effective accommodation. To meet these needs, institutions had to put standards and procedures in place to provide equal access to services and accommodations. Accardo et al. (2019) looked at the needs of college students who have autism, recommending that college faculty and staff should focus on proactive supports and development of services that would help ensure the college success of students with Autism. A study by Guzman and Balcazar, however, found that many college professionals such as disability advisors have a wide range of education, experience and understanding of disabilities (as cited in Fleming et al., 2017). This inconsistency then left advisors ill-prepared to handle certain challenges presented to them by students on the autism spectrum. To address the relative lack of research in this area, the focus of this research project was to look at how college students with learning disabilities, especially those with autism and PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 10 Asperger syndrome, perceived the accommodations and services they received from their local disability resource center. In addition, there was an investigation into how disability resource centers handled the feedback they received from their students. This research project attempted to address the gap between the experiences students with learning disabilities have while in college and how disability resource centers treated that feedback. Given that I am emic to this population and that I have received accommodations and services and I know that what services I received worked well, it was clear that the quality of services and accommodations are not so certain for other students who have learning disabilities and other health issues. I wanted to know what strategies there could be to improve the quality of services and accommodations others receive so that they are maximizing the quality of their education in higher education. Theoretical Framework The theoretical framework chosen for this research study was constructivism. According to Jean Piaget, constructivism is defined as a student who actively creates knowledge through collaboration instead of passively receiving the information from a teacher (as cited in Boudourides, 2003). Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget are two of the main contributors to this theoretical model. The constructivist theoretical framework aligned with my research study because I believed that students collaborate with their peers and teachers to form an understanding of the world around them and how it works. I wanted to gain a holistic perspective of the experiences my research participants lead in life. It was important to gain a clear understanding of the complexities that make up a student’s past experiences. The purpose of my research was to investigate the perspectives of students who have learning disabilities and how they viewed the services and accommodations received while in PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 11 college. I was also deeply interested in the experiences of the participants in this research study. The study looked at the participants’ experiences including all the factors that may have influenced a participant’s perceptions on this matter. Limitations Due to the pandemic, I was not able to meet with students in-person and it was all conducted virtually. That limited the flexibility in how I could recruit and communicate with participants. Unfortunately, due to the limited scope of this research study, it did not focus on the experiences of college students who have physical disabilities such as mobility issues. This study did not include any participants who were not currently registered for classes or receiving hospital care and were therefore unable to participate in this research. In addition, due to the nature of the participant recruitment process, this research study did not include any students who have autism or who have Asperger’s syndrome. This limitation did not allow me to discover if students with autism or Asperger’s syndrome lived experiences confirmed or disconfirmed the evidence found in the literature review. The ratio of male to female participants was heavily unbalanced. As a result, I was not able to examine in detail the gender differences in terms of how they perceive the accommodations and services received on college campuses. This study could not be generalized to extend to the vast array of experiences college students have within the larger community of students with disabilities. The study only included a small population of students to get an in-depth qualitative understanding of their experiences and perceptions while in college. The limited number of participants also enabled me to address most of the main key research questions. Doing so gave greater meaning to each participant’s contribution to the study and provided greater depth. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 12 Statement of Researcher I was diagnosed as a child with a nonverbal learning disorder. My disability impacts me both socially and academically. Throughout my life I have been in and out of resource classes, then once I entered college, I received accommodations from the disability resource centers at several large state universities and at a small liberal arts college. Ever since I entered higher education, I personally have found the accommodations and services I received to be more than adequate to provide me with the necessary assistance in my college courses. However, I was curious about how other students with learning disabilities perceived the services and accommodations they receive from their college disability resource center. I was also curious about how disability resource centers handled any feedback they received from their students. I was aware that I have certain biases regarding my experiences with disability resource centers while in college. However, during my research study I wanted to keep an open and objective view of the articles I found as well as the data I collected from my research participants. That way my research findings were reliable and valid. I aligned my view of the world with the descriptive interpretivism paradigm (Rossman & Rallis, 2017). I liked to learn deeply about people’s experiences, and I found them interesting. I wanted to know what it has been like for students with learning disabilities to go through higher education. It was important to know what accommodations and services they found beneficial and which they did not. Only then can colleges and universities know what strategies are potentially needed to further ensure student academic success. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 13 Chapter 2: Literature Review The purpose of my phenomenological qualitative research study was to address the following main question: What are the perceptions that college students with learning disabilities have about the accommodations and services they receive in terms of their needs being heard and met by their disability resource center on campus? Additionally, I had two sub-questions which were: What systems are in place for college students with learning disabilities to provide feedback to their disability resource center? How do college or university disability resource centers perceive and act on the feedback received from their students with learning disabilities? In this chapter, we will focus on literature and discussion surrounding five main themes: • Support services on higher education campuses. • Needs of students on the autism spectrum. • Accommodations and services for students with autism. • Mechanisms for student-staff communication in higher education • Constructivism theoretical framework that aligns with this research study. Support Services on Higher Education Campuses According to Barnhill (2016), there is an increasing number of students with Asperger syndrome and high functioning autism enrolling into college. However, there is a scarcity of research done on what supports these populations will need to be successful. Francis et al. (2018) sent out a survey to 111 students who registered with their university disability services office and they replied. While forty-eight percent of the students were extremely satisfied with the services they received, they did not cite specifically what students were included in that percentage. In addition, this data is not illustrative of the satisfaction rates on all college campuses. Moreover, according to Sarrett (2018) these perceptions are not shared by students on PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 14 the Autism spectrum who have sensory and social deficits. Based on the limited amount of research done on this topic, it was not clear whether students with learning disabilities perceived there being a deficit in terms of the quality of the accommodations and services they receive. Needs of Students on the Autism Spectrum Sometimes providing accommodations and services for college students on the autism spectrum could be challenging because autism is a wide spectrum disorder and these students often have needs that do not fall into traditional means of accommodations. According to Taylor, a challenge on college campuses is that students with Asperger’s syndrome and high functioning autism do not have obvious physical disabilities such as blindness or deafness. As a result, they are not typically recognized as having a specific disability so typical accommodations and adjustments are not made for them (as cited in Barnhill, 2016). Research done identified several barriers that make it difficult for students on the autism spectrum to succeed in college. A research study asked college students on the autism spectrum what factors create barriers to success for them. For example, the students identified that they have a lot of mental health needs. These students often felt anxiety, fear, low self-esteem, and other insecurities (Accardo et al., 2019). To develop a sense of that deficit, it was important to look at the perceptions of students who have autism. Sarrett (2018), investigated the experiences of college students with autism to determine if these schools are providing accommodations to meet their additional needs. Many of the participants did not feel like the accommodations were addressing their sensory, social or academic needs. Another qualitative study provides an in depth look at Jillian, a student who has autism spectrum disorder, who ultimately ended up dropping out of college because she lacked PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 15 self-advocacy skills (Sayman, 2015). The difficulties that students with autism experience were compounded by additional challenges that college campuses encounter in trying to meet diverse student needs. A study by Guzman and Balcazar found that many college professionals such as disability advisors have a wide range of educational preparedness, experience and understanding of disabilities (as cited in Fleming et al., 2017). This inconsistency then leaves advisors ill-prepared to handle certain challenges presented to them by students who are on the autism spectrum. Accommodations and Services for Students with Autism Colleges and university disability service centers offered several general accommodations and services to students with learning disabilities. The most common accommodations were extended time on exams, a notetaker, a quiet room for taking exams, and alternate due dates for assignments. When looking at students who have different types of disabilities, they may have had suggestions on how to improve services on campus. Students with disabilities identified in a survey listed the top three services they would like provided on campus which were emotional and mental health support, time management and money or budget management (Francis et al. 2018). According to Accardo et al. (2019), students with autism are more likely to choose a college with an available tutoring center, a sense of community and a smaller campus. Accardo et al. (2018) investigated the experiences of 43 Belgian students with autism spectrum disorder. After looking at 14 accommodations, the study found that students perceived extended time on exams as the most effective and beneficial accommodation. Some of the participants in this research study offered some suggestions on how their college could assist with this need. One student with autism suggested that college faculty acknowledge when an PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 16 assignment is not turned in on time and then provide the needed accommodation immediately (Accardo et al., 2019). To provide equal access to services and accommodations, institutions must put standards and procedures in place. Accardo et al. (2019) recommend that college faculty and staff focus on proactive supports and development of services that would help ensure the college success of students with autism. Mechanisms for Student-Staff Communication in Higher Education Various types of feedback are often utilized in the higher education setting. Among those types are surveys, discussion groups, evaluations and support groups. However, outside of articles addressing online education, there was a lack of research produced regarding other types of feedback. There were several ways that educational professionals can receive feedback regarding the effectiveness of accommodations. According to Wang (2014), a survey was released online to students to gain their feedback regarding trust inducing factors and to get the college students perspective of online learning. There were 15 students who have disabilities who responded to the survey. These students would request accommodations for the online course. All of the students with disabilities held reservations about disclosing their disability and asking for accommodations for the online course (Wang, 2014). Therefore, students should be provided a means of expressing their need for accommodations without having to disclose their disability. To combat the declining student success rates in online learning, professionals have come up with ways to provide a workable solution. According to Drouin et al. (2015), there was a quasi-experimental study done to determine how effective teacher to teacher mentoring is for online classes. Of the participants in the study, twenty-five percent of the teachers desired formal PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 17 training in online teaching. A lack of documented feedback could potentially make it difficult for higher education staff to provide appropriate accommodations and services to their students with learning disabilities. Theoretical Framework: Constructivism The constructivist theoretical framework aligned directly with the objectives of my research study. Vygotsky and Piaget are two of the main contributors to this theoretical model. According to Eun (2019), Lev Vygotsky a Russian psychologist came up with a theory called “the zone of proximal development (ZPD). ZPD is a theory that explains human development as it is applied to learning (Eun, 2019). This theory states that a student is allowed to struggle with learning up to a point where the individual cannot sustain it any longer. At which time, a teacher then assists the student to further advance their learning (Eun, 2019). It was not as clear how the constructivist theoretical framework would be applied within the context of a disability service center on a higher education campus. Constructivism is heavily utilized as a teaching method in classrooms. According to Powell and Kalina (2009), there are two types of constructivism used in the classroom which are cognitive or individual constructivism based on Jean Piaget’s theory and social constructivism promoted by Lev Vygotsky. Piaget pioneered cognitive constructivism. He viewed children as scientists and believed that they construct their own knowledge in life (Powell & Kalina, 2009). On the other hand, Lev Vygotsky the founder of social constructivism believed that knowledge is acquired through collaboration and social interaction in the classroom. Social constructivism is also a highly effective method of teaching that is widely used (Powell & Kalina, 2009). Since social interaction happens to be the main way college campuses provide accommodations and services to students with disabilities, social constructivism was an effective theoretical PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 18 framework to be applied to this study. Conclusion To address the relative lack of research in this area, the main focus of this research project was to look at how college students with learning disabilities, especially those with autism and Asperger syndrome, perceived the accommodations and services they received from their local disability resource center. In addition, there was investigation into how disability resource centers handled the feedback they received from their students. This research project attempted to address the gap between the needs students with autism had while in college and how disability resource centers perceived and responded to those needs. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 19 Chapter 3: Methodology The purpose of my phenomenological qualitative research study was to address the main question: What are the perceptions that college students with learning disabilities have about the accommodations and services they receive in terms of their needs being heard and met from their disability resource center on campus? Additionally, I had two sub-questions which were: What systems are in place for college students with learning disabilities to provide feedback to their disability resource center? How do college or university disability resource centers perceive and act on the feedback received from their students with learning disabilities? In this methods chapter I will focus on discussion and explanation of the following topics: · Methodological approach and rationale · Setting · Participants · Data collection · Data analysis · Validity and trustworthiness · Ethical considerations Methodological Approach and Rationale I conducted a qualitative research study. According to Rossman and Rallis (2017), the purpose of qualitative research is to answer questions through the collection of data to find any patterns. That data collected becomes information and then is used or applied in some way to become knowledge (Rossman & Rallis, 2017). Phenomenological research is a genre of qualitative research which I intended to utilize in my research study. It investigated the lived experiences of a small group of people. An extensive PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 20 amount of time is spent with this small population of people often using in-person interviews (Rossman & Rallis, 2017). Additionally, the researcher through this approach seeks to understand the deeper meaning behind the participants' lived experiences (Rossman & Rallis, 2017). Both definitions aligned perfectly with my research. I closely investigated the experiences of a small group of students who had learning disabilities and other health issues in a higher education setting. Additionally, I examined the perspectives and actions possibly taken by the disability resource centers on the selected college campuses. This assisted me in gaining a clearer understanding of whether the accommodations and services being provided on college campuses were in fact working or not. If they were not working, the research sought out possible solutions to ensure student academic success. Setting My research took place at an open enrollment community college, a liberal arts college, as well as a large research institution/university. The public community college has several satellite locations spread throughout the intermountain west. It had an average student enrollment of twenty-two thousand students. It is considered a transition school since students who graduate from there often transfer to other four-year programs at larger institutions. The public community college offers several two-year associate degree programs in areas such as communication, business, computer science, health sciences, humanities, applied technologies, science, math, social and behavioral science. This public community college offers several services such as disability services, Trio, Veterans Affairs, and Counseling Services. The public higher education research institution has PAC 12 sports status, five schools, a PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 21 medical facility and a veteran’s hospital. The institution is heavily involved in research which provides funding to their institution. It is mostly a commuter institution. They serve both undergraduate and graduate students from a wide range of backgrounds. The institution offers several programs at the bachelors, masters, and doctorate levels such as nursing, medicine, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other programs. The public research university offers a variety of resources that focus on students’ unique needs such as disability services, a counseling center, peer mentoring, tutoring and others. The third institution investigated is a small private liberal arts institution. There are five schools within the college that offer undergraduate level programs. In addition, they offer graduate level programs such as an MBA, MED, MRN, MPH, Master of Communications as well as a PhD RN. This private liberal arts college offers different types of resource centers to support student academic achievement which includes, a writing center, disability support, and counseling. These different schools offer many ways to assist various student populations. This research study focused on the disability service centers at each of these institutions that support students with different learning disabilities. These three settings allowed me to gauge perceptions and experiences from a variety of institutional types. Conducting research across these types of institutions enhanced the diversity of my sample as well as the range of services students received at each. Participants The participants were comprised of six disability advisors as well as seven students who have learning disabilities or other health issues (Figure 1, Figure 2). Disability advisors were all working in a disability service center on one of the three college campuses. Also, the students I PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 22 interviewed needed to have some form of a learning disability and be receiving accommodations and services from their disability resource center. I obtained permission to recruit participants from the three institutions. The disability advisors assisted me with the recruitment process and each participant voluntarily agreed by email to participate in this research study. 7 Number of Participants 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Other Health Impairment Learning Disabilities Learning Disability and Health Impairment Figure 1: Student participant demographics. Male Female Graduate Undergraduate PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 23 6 Number of Advisors 5 4 3 2 1 0 Male Female Emic Etic < 1 Year in the Field > 1 Year in the Field Figure 2: Disability advisor demographics. Data Collection I conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews with participants from the three different colleges. The informal interviews were with two disability advisors from the community college, three disability advisors at the research institution, and one disability advisor at the small liberal arts college. I interviewed three students, with varying disabilities, from the private liberal arts college. In addition, I interviewed two students, with health and learning disabilities at the research university. I had students who received accommodations from the different colleges' disability resource centers fill out surveys characterizing their experiences with higher education. I received two student surveys, one from the small liberal arts college and the other from the large research institution and 11 interviews to be analyzed during the research study. I conducted informal one-on-one semi-structured interviews with the disability advisors PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 24 as well as the students. This form of interviewing, with students that volunteered to participate, enabled me to get a well-rounded and in-depth perspective on the participants’ experiences in higher education. The pre-planned interview questions I asked the disability advisors were: · What are the typical accommodations your students request and why? · What feedback have you typically received from your students regarding the accommodations or services your disability resource center provides? · What services do you provide students with learning disabilities? · What systems do you have in place for students to provide feedback? · What accommodations do your students with learning disabilities tend to find most beneficial? · How do you assist students who have sensory or social difficulties in college? The one-on-one interviews with the disability advisors provided in-depth valuable feedback from the advisor perspective on the quality of service and accommodations. Because I am emic to this population of college students with learning disabilities, I recognized that some students could have felt uncomfortable with one-on-one interviews. I gave participants the opportunity to answer the same questions via an electronic, anonymous survey. The questions were designed to query students about their experiences with receiving accommodations and services from their disability service center. The pre-planned interview and survey questions I asked participants with learning disabilities or health issues were: · What is your disability? · How old were you when you were first diagnosed with the disability? · What accommodations do you find the most beneficial in your classes and why? · What accommodations or services to do you wish your college offered to you? PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES · What other suggestions might you have for your disability advisor? · What do you struggle with the most in college? · What changes do you wish your disability advisor would put in place to help you in 25 your classes? · How would you rate the overall quality of the accommodations you receive for class? I kept the surveys and interviews strictly confidential to protect the privacy and anonymity of my participants in the research study. The open-ended interviews and emailed surveys allowed me to gain a deep perspective from students with learning disabilities about their quality of service and accommodations received in college. Because of COVID-19, I had to conduct the participant interviews virtually via Zoom and Facetime. Lastly, I kept an up-to-date research journal. It was a digital journal I kept on my laptop computer where I recorded pertinent notes, themes, or trends that I noticed during my data collection and research. I believe the research journal provided me with valuable insights and a broader awareness of my research study than what I would have had without it. I think it helped me to keep a more objective point of view on the research topic. Data Analysis All interview and survey data were coded using the constant comparative method (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). The general step-by-step data analysis process is explained as follows: I began by collecting data and looked at relevant issues, events, etc., that could have become a central part of the study based on how it was organized. I continued data collection that brought certain categories into focus and began writing about the different categories and incidents being explored and at the same time searched for new incidents. I continued to follow this series of PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 26 steps to decide if I needed to collect more data (Boeije, 2002). Once the coding was refined and put into categories and themes, I applied my theoretical framework to the data to solidify my conclusions. Initially, I transcribed each interview and then coded each transcript using a grounded theory approach. I completed four phases of grounded coding of the interview transcripts and surveys. My data analysis roughly follows the process explained in the previous paragraph. In the first phase of coding, I began by getting an authentic understanding of the experiences that each participant was trying to convey that was relevant to the focus of this research study. During the second phase of grounded coding, I looked for data that supports my constructivist theoretical framework. In the third phase, I scanned the data for information that supports my research questions. During the fourth and final phase of grounded coding, I looked for information that either supports or disconfirms research that was highlighted in the literature review chapter. After coding the data, I clustered the codes into groups and used those groups to create different themes that directly relate to my research questions as well as my constructivist theoretical framework. Throughout the whole process I made sure to include any disconfirming evidence for the research study to maintain objectivity. Validity and Trustworthiness To ensure validity and trustworthiness in my phenomenological research study, I utilized triangulation combining data collected through one-on-one semi-structured interviews, surveys, and a research journal. The study also included disconfirming evidence, member checking, and peer debriefing. According to Creswell and Miller (2000), triangulation is the process where the researcher relies on multiple sources of data and then looks for patterns within a study to form themes or categories. During my research study, I obtained data from the multiple methods listed PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 27 previously and looked for any trends, themes or patterns that may emerge as the study progressed. Another way to ensure trustworthiness is using disconfirming evidence. Within this process, the researcher first establishes any pertinent themes or categories in the study. Then the researcher looks through the collected data for information that would either confirm or negate the prior information (Creswell & Miller, 2000). During my study, I examined different articles from other research and information about this subject matter. I made references to the literature reviewed for the study to determine if my data is in contrast with other researchers’ findings. I wrote down any unforeseen insights and disconfirming information in my research journal. Peer debriefing is essential to ensuring trustworthiness in my study. Creswell and Miller (2000), state that peer debriefing occurs when the researcher has someone else look at the research with a critical perspective. The peer asks the hard questions and provides constructive feedback and guidance to the researcher. I leaned on my thesis advisor to periodically review my research study critically in search of any areas of improvement, new insights or to simply know if I was on track at any given moment. This critical perspective helped to ensure that I was being as objective as possible regarding the collected data. My thesis advisor was well informed on the topic, purpose, and goal of my research study. Through collaboration with my thesis advisor, I was confident that my research study was trustworthy and valid. Lastly, I wanted to ensure there was member checking in this study. Member checking is where the researcher relies on the participants to verify precise understanding. The researcher shares the data and interpretation with the participants to ensure their account of the participants point of view and life experiences are accurate (Creswell & Miller, 2000). After conducting the interviews with each research participant, I provided the participants the opportunity to review PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 28 the verbatim transcripts. I will do the same regarding my final thesis upon completion. I believed that this candid and transparent communication with each participant helped to create a strong rapport between us as well as increased their level of confidence and trust in the research study. This final method helped ensure my phenomenological research study was valid and trustworthy. Ethical Considerations To conduct this research, my college institutional review board (IRB) required that my research be approved. I submitted my IRB application to the review board, and it was approved. I received the form “F” verifying approval. The application and the form mentioned above are part of the IRB requirements. I made it clear to every participant that this was an entirely voluntary pursuit. They were able to withdraw at any time if they felt uncomfortable and that was in keeping with my commitments to the IRB approval. I have collaborated with a research advisor that helped design a study that focuses on the do no harm principle. Several steps were conducted during this qualitative research study to ensure the participants involved were protected and the study met IRB guidelines for ethical research and was both HIPAA- and FERPA-compliant. All steps that were taken helped to ensure the data collected was valid and reliable. All participants involved in the study needed to fill out a written formal consent form. They were informed at that time that they can exit the study at any time without question. There was no emotional, psychological, or physical harm done to the participants during this study. Some questions about students' personal experiences may have caused a degree of discomfort, which may have been compounded by students' disabilities. For example, if the student maybe had difficulty with interpersonal communication. I would have met with the PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 29 participant either virtually or in-person in a public outdoor space so that they would feel comfortable and confident in the study. If a participant did not feel comfortable meeting inperson, I would have offered to communicate through other means. I did not require any names or other personally identifiable information on the surveys provided to students. None of the questions on the surveys addressed the participants’ identity. I did not require the participants to answer all the questions on the survey if they felt uncomfortable, and participants were able to opt out of the study at any time. During the interviews I made it clear to the participants that their name, address, phone number or any other personally identifiable information would not be disclosed to anyone else. I assigned aliases to the participants to further protect their identities. This was meant to protect the anonymity of the participants. For data security, I had password-protected participant files and other data collected located on my laptop computer. That laptop was always under my supervision, and it was kept in a locked filing cabinet while I was absent. Conclusion Overall, the methods that I employed in my phenomenological research study strived to provide a more well-rounded comprehensive picture of the perspectives that come from students with learning disabilities and other health issues, as well as the perspectives of disability advisors. Taken as a whole, my methods not only protected the participants involved in this study but also ensured that it was trustworthy and valid. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 30 Chapter Four: Findings The purpose of my phenomenological qualitative research study was to address the main question: What are the perceptions that college students with learning disabilities have about the accommodations and services they receive in terms of their needs being heard and met from their disability resource center on campus? Additionally, I have two sub-questions which were: What systems are in place for college students with learning disabilities to provide feedback to their disability resource center? How do college or university disability resource centers perceive and act on the feedback received from their students with learning disabilities? All of the participants in this study will be referred to by the use of a pseudonym. While conducting the data analysis, I coded the interviews and surveys and from those grounded codes I identified four main themes within the research that will be further explored in this chapter. Those themes are: • Accommodations • Feedback • Collaboration • Pandemic Impact In this chapter, I will address in detail the previously mentioned themes in order. Within the four themes, I will explore the intricate connections they have with my constructivist theoretical framework for this research study. Finally, I will conclude with a summary of the findings as to how they relate to each of my research questions. I will also include in the conclusion insights into how the pandemic has impacted students’ experiences with their local disability services center. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 31 Accommodations Variety of Options Accommodations are a central part of what disability advisors provide to their students. Disability advisors offer students a wide array of accommodations to meet diverse student needs. Students and advisors often share different definitions of what they perceive as beneficial accommodations based on their own experiences. Although none of the participants in this study have autism or are on the autism spectrum, many of the participants found that extended time on exams was the most beneficial accommodation. Syringa, a graduate student at a private liberal arts college, perceived extra time on exams as being the most beneficial. Syringa was diagnosed with PTSD, a TBI, and anxiety. Syringa stated extra time on exams and a quiet room, because sometimes her thoughts will wander, she can zone in and focus only on the exam and not be distracted by other people. I also interviewed Ralph, an undergraduate from the state research university. He was diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and later ADHD. His experiences were different than the student at the private liberal arts college because he did not fully utilize his accommodations. He said: Throughout college I typically received note taking, extra time on exams, and obtain large assignments in advance. The advance assignments were so that I could formulate a plan and make sure I could finish the assignment completely in time. Extra testing time was by far the most beneficial accommodation for me. Before, I did not fully utilize my accommodations because I felt embarrassed. There are participants in this study who cited other types of accommodations to be the most beneficial to them. These personal experiences deviate from the evidence presented in the PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 32 literature review. For example, Isabel, a private liberal arts college graduate student who had a traumatic brain injury mentioned on a survey: Extensions on homework due dates are helpful because when I get stressed my brain does not process information as well. The extension gives me more opportunity to complete my homework when I am unable to process all the information needed to complete an assignment. Isabel's limitations impact her differently than most of the other students because those obstacles are due to an injury, rather than from a type of learning disability. Syringa and Ralph’s experiences align with previous research. Accardo et al. (2018) investigated the experiences of 43 Belgian students with autism spectrum disorder. After looking at 14 accommodations, the study found that students perceived extended time on exams as the most effective and beneficial accommodation. However, unlike the research states, some participant students based on their own specific circumstances and academic needs still valued other accommodations as well. When I looked at the typical accommodations provided by disability resource centers, disability advisors had a slightly different definition than the student participants of what they perceived to be the most beneficial accommodations for students. William, a disability advisor with a state research university, stated that disability services typically offer a variety of accommodations. Those would be extra time for exams, a smartpen or any audio recording device, and Kurzweil, which is a computer program that reads textbooks back to the student in audio form. Melissa, a disability advisor at a public community college, went over different accommodations that mostly agree with William’s view. However, she specifically mentioned that she prefers the notetaking technology because it is more dependable. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 33 However, Helen, a disability advisor at a private liberal arts college has a different perception about student accommodations. She said that it is important to recognize that accommodations are provided to students on a case-by-case basis, but certainly, there are trends. The note taking accommodation is frequent and is handled differently on a case-by-case basis and not in a stereotypical manner. The most common accommodation that they provide is extra time on exams and minimal distractions. However, during the pandemic a lot of those exams changed to take-home versions. Helen said she is cautious about how she handles accommodations. Students come to her directly and they then look at the students’ barriers and how to address those needs. Students with disabilities typically require an assortment of accommodations and services to satisfy their diverse needs. The research supports this view. To provide equal access to services and accommodations, institutions must put standards and procedures in place. Accardo et al. (2019) recommends that college faculty and staff focus on proactive supports and development of services that would help ensure the college success of students with autism. As mentioned in the literature, all three higher education institutions do put in place standard procedures to ensure they are serving their students the best possible. The advisor participants mostly pointed out that they offer a diverse assortment of accommodations to satisfy the needs of their students. All three higher education institutions do provide extra time on exams to students. However, Helen believed that accommodations should be handled on a per individual student basis. A couple advisor participants spoke of a variety of options for supporting students who have sensory or social limitations. This research study did not have any participants with sensory difficulties. However, some disability advisors reported that they do aid students with those limitations. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 34 William, a disability advisor at a state research university, mentioned use of a constructivist framework to support students who are on the autism spectrum. He said that students can be overwhelmed by their environments and that can get in the way of note taking and they teach them how to use useful assistive technology in class. He specified that they always collaborate when necessary. From the disability advisor perspective, some of the higher education institutions involved in this study do provide resources that support students who are on the autism spectrum. The advisor point of view on this matter does not agree with the student perspectives indicated in the research. Sarrett (2018), investigated the experiences of college students with autism to determine if these schools are providing accommodations to meet their additional needs. Many of the participants did not feel like the accommodations were addressing their sensory, social, or academic needs. On the other hand, some student participants in this research study, brought up some difficulties accessing and receiving accommodations or asking for help because they do not know how things work or they feel insecure about asking for help in college. Ways to Access Isabel, a graduate student at a private liberal arts institution said, “I was unaware that the disability center provided resources, but I would have never known of their existence until my academic advisor informed me”. Isabel’s experience brings up a case where the college would need to establish a more significant means of informing students of the resources available on campus. Lisa, an undergraduate at the same private liberal arts college, stated: I told Helen, a disability advisor, that one of the hardest things for me is asking for help. There are many times when I felt like I did not deserve accommodations. I believed that PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 35 at that time it was just anxiety and that everyone has that. However, I was diagnosed with it and I am on medication for it. Helen has tried hard to reassure me that I can have these accommodations and she has been helpful. Here are some participant examples that emphasize how capable they are despite having their own insecurities and contrary to what the following research points out those students did not drop out of school due to a lack of support. Another qualitative study provides an in depth look at Jillian, a student who has autism spectrum disorder, who ultimately ended up dropping out of college because she lacked self-advocacy skills (Sayman, 2015). The two student participants expressed either discomfort with social interaction or a lack of awareness of disability services on the same college campus. This information could be indicative of a larger issue relating to accessibility to accommodations or resources on college campuses that relates to the research previously done on this topic. This leads onto another significant issue regarding the establishment of standard protocol within disability services on college campuses. A participant pointed out an issue with correct protocol for student engagement with their class instructor. I interviewed Sandra, an undergraduate student at a private liberal arts college. She was diagnosed with Bartonella and Lyme disease after a previous misdiagnosis. Sandra expressed that her disability advisor informed her of the standard procedure on campus for student engagement with professors regarding their requested class accommodations. However, the student was not clear about the correct protocol. Sandra said that she was not sure of the legality around that issue. Where there is confusion, that could potentially lead to more difficulty for students with disabilities. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 36 To provide equal access to services and accommodations, institutions must put standards and procedures in place. Accardo et al. (2019) recommend that college faculty and staff focus on proactive supports and development of services that would help ensure the college success of students with autism. The research and participant testimony agree that there needs to be standard protocol established on campus for student and professor interactions regarding their needed accommodations in classes. Meaningful Solutions Some student participants expressed some suggestions they have for disability advisors that would greatly benefit them and their academic success. For example, Lisa an undergraduate student at a liberal arts college said that it would be nice if the disability services center had more information about their disabilities or other resources to help with executive functioning skills, or to know where you can get more fidget toys or coupons for those toys. Accardo et al. (2019) recommend that college faculty and staff focus on proactive supports and development of services that would help ensure the college success of students with autism. As the participant pointed out there needs to be standard protocol for student and professor interactions regarding their needed accommodations in classes. Just like in this research presented, this student participant also expressed a strong need for change such as additional guidance, resources, and help with different approved accommodations. In conclusion, accommodations were evident in participant data as well as in the literature, the constructivist framework and shed light on my research questions. This theme agrees with the research study that looked at Jillian, who we brought up before and she ultimately dropped out of college. A couple participants reported either feeling insecure in asking for help or not knowing what resources were available on campus. The constructivist theoretical PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 37 framework is at the core of this theme. According to Lev Vygotsky, the founder of social constructivism. He believed that knowledge was created by the social interaction of people. Also, he came up with the zone of proximal development theory to explain human development as it relates to learning. In this theme, the participant students start out with a certain level of knowledge and capability. The accommodations assist the students to reach their full potential within their academic courses. In addition, the participant students are actively creating knowledge every time they engage with their disability advisors, other students, faculty, and staff on campus. This theme directly addresses my research questions through student and advisor participant shared personal accounts of extra time on exams and other accommodations being beneficial and helping to ensure academic success. Student and disability advisor collaboration within disability services is essential so that disability advisors know what their students’ specific needs are and can prescribe the correct accommodations to meet their specific needs. Feedback Student Impressions Feedback in higher education is important because it provides students an opportunity to inform their disability advisors. The student participants shared different perceptions on their experiences in college. Through interviews and surveys, the participants from the state research university and the private liberal arts college gave an overall satisfaction rating on a scale of one to ten, where 1 is the worst and ten is the best, ranging from a low of eight point five to a ten. Overall, they were highly satisfied with their experiences with their local disability centers, which largely agrees with the research done on this subject. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 38 Isabel, a graduate student at a private liberal arts college, indicated on the survey that her class accommodations have been excellent. Not only did she have the support of her academic advisor, but Isabel also felt like she always had support from her professors. I asked Lisa, an undergraduate who studies at the same private liberal arts college, how she felt, and She offered feedback about her disability advisor. She said: Helen, the disability advisor, is a great person. She has gone past my expectations with everything since she joined us. I think she joined last year. So ever since, I feel like things have been getting better at the disability center. The student participants testimonies agree with this following, Francis et al. (2018) sent out a survey to 111 students who registered with their university disability services office and they replied. While forty-eight percent of the students were extremely satisfied with the services they received, they did not cite specifically what students were included in that percentage. In addition, this data is not illustrative of the satisfaction rates on all college campuses. The student participant testimonies as well as the feedback shared in the research are similar, both indicating a high degree of satisfaction with their college experiences. However, Ralph, an undergraduate at a state research university, experienced some social difficulties transitioning to college and between two colleges. He mentioned he had a bad first impression at the state research university because he felt judged by people and felt like he did not belong. Then he went to a private liberal arts college where he did not feel that way and he did not have any issue asking for help. By the time he went back to the state research university he had a pretty good idea about how to ask for help, so the transition was easier. He did not want to express weakness and risk embarrassment. He said that it is more hurtful when you do not do well in school. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 39 A study by Guzman and Balcazar, found that many college professionals such as disability advisors have a wide range of educational preparedness, experience and understanding of disabilities (as cited in Fleming et al., 2017). Some students struggle with the transition to college, such as the participant experience shared above. It could be possible that inconsistencies in staff training in college campuses could create issues like this. However, once students get past the transition and understand the processes in place, most of the students really like their experiences and know how to use the services and resources available to them. Some student participants offered suggestions for how disability service centers can create more efficiency for students with disabilities in college. Michele, an undergraduate at the state research university said, “They need to do more advertising. It was hard for me to find out about disability services. I think they need to be more open about the concept when there are a lot of people who need their services”. In addition, Lisa an undergraduate student at a private liberal arts college, mentioned that it would be nice if a disability resource center could have group meetings where students come together and share their experiences with receiving accommodations and services. She said she would love to meet other people who are in disability services and that It would be neat to form a close-knit community. Furthermore, Michele, an undergraduate student at a state research university, suggested that student reply time could be improved. Within the university administration sometimes the dean or that office takes a while to reply. Francis et al. (2018) sent out a survey to 111 students who registered with their university disability services office and they replied. While forty-eight percent of the students were extremely satisfied with the services they received, they did not cite specifically what students were included in that percentage. In addition, this data is not illustrative of the satisfaction rates PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 40 on all college campuses. The student participant findings do not agree with this research because the students found areas where disability service centers could create more efficiency in operations to assist students in their academic success. Advisor Impressions The advisor participants in this study shared a lot of insight into their perspectives on the student feedback they receive and issues that may arise in this process of receiving it from students. It is a collaborative effort between students and advisors. William, a disability advisor at a state research university, expressed: I would say, positive feedback and it is not so much different than the kind of positive feedback that we have received in typical circumstances. So that is good, but they are very grateful for our services once they are authorized, and the support is there. Furthermore, Melissa, a disability advisor at a public community college, commented about the feedback they receive. She said: That depends a lot on the student, there are a lot of students who are very positive and are grateful for the help we give them. And then there are students who are on the other end of the spectrum, who no matter what have problems and are unhappy. But I would say often, we have pretty good positive feedback from them. And that they feel like they need the accommodations and appreciate having them. Francis et al. (2018) sent out a survey to 111 students who registered with their university disability services office and they replied. While forty-eight percent of the students were extremely satisfied with the services they received, they did not cite specifically what students were included in that percentage. In addition, this data is not illustrative of the satisfaction rates on all college campuses. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 41 By and large, the advisor participant reports, and the research have a lot of agreement because overall, they receive mostly positive feedback. This also connects with the constructivist theoretical framework because it takes collaboration between students and disability advisors to generate student feedback. However, an advisor participant at a private liberal arts college had a slightly different impression of their student’s feedback. When I interviewed Helen, a disability advisor at a private liberal arts college, she brought up an interesting dilemma with collecting student feedback. She mentioned: Often students feel compelled to thank the disability services center for their accommodations and services. It is important that as an advisor we do not collect feedback that comes directly from us even though the feedback we receive is remarkably positive. I am not sure that this is the full picture about students’ experiences. It is hard to get a real sense of how students feel about disability services. We have held three student panels, where students could share their experiences. Helen also offered a potential solution to this dilemma that she thought of doing. She said: I think what I would like to do in the future is to disaggregate myself from the survey so we could maybe get a third-party survey where the students could really feel more comfortable sharing that information. Because of course with the student panel, you run into the same issues. There is a power differential there and often faculty are present. So many times, students may not feel fully comfortable being totally authentic and being able to say what they really think, because there are some stakes there for them. According to Wang (2014), a survey was released online to students to gain their feedback regarding trust inducing factors and to get the college students perspective of online learning. There were 15 students who have disabilities who responded to the survey. These PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 42 students would request accommodations for the online course. All the students with disabilities held reservations about disclosing their disability and asking for accommodations for the online course (Wang, 2014). Therefore, students should be provided a means of expressing their need for accommodations without having to disclose their disability. Yes, as the advisor participant mentioned there is a feedback dilemma. Contrary to what is mentioned in the research, like the participant mentioned that solution may work or there may be other ways to encourage students to collaborate with disability services on campus and provide authentic feedback. The advisor participants mentioned some other factors that could influence the quantity and quality of the student feedback they received. Rebecca, a disability advisor at a state research university, mentioned: that some students may not be aware that they can provide feedback because she only receives it occasionally. Or perhaps they do not read their emails that include a student survey about their experiences with the Center for Disability and Access. Advisors need to educate students on how to go about leaving feedback since some students simply do not know how. She also mentioned that hearing students are taught to not ask questions unless they think it is important. They must be invited to leave feedback. However, in the deaf or hard of hearing culture they tell you everything and they do not have any restraint. A study by Guzman and Balcazar, found that many college professionals such as disability advisors have a wide range of educational preparedness, experience and understanding of disabilities (as cited in Fleming et al., 2017). What was mentioned by the advisor participant relates to the research because staff training inconsistencies could potentially impact how PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 43 inclined students are to leave feedback. Collaboration and training are key to encouraging students to provide feedback about their experiences. In conclusion, feedback was evident in participant data as well as in the literature, the constructivist framework and shed light on my research questions. This evidence agrees with Francis et al. (2018) sent out a survey to 111 students who registered with their university disability services office and they replied. While forty-eight percent of the students were extremely satisfied with the services they received, they did not cite specifically what students were included in that percentage. Overall, once students were able to get past the learning curve of higher education, most of the student participants reported being satisfied with their experiences. This theme is tightly connected with the constructivist theoretical framework. Lev Vygotsky, the founder of social constructivism believed that knowledge is acquired through collaboration and social interaction in the classroom. Social constructivism is also a highly effective method of teaching that is widely used (Powell & Kalina, 2009). Since social interaction happens to be one of the main ways disability advisors provide accommodations and services to students with disabilities, social constructivism is heavily at play when it comes to feedback received from students. However, based on the findings it is still not clear how disability advisors act on the specific feedback they receive from their students. Collaboration in disability services on college campuses is integral for disability advisors to receive feedback from their students and to then support them effectively in their academic success. Collaboration Student Teaming In higher education, students often collaborate with other peers, faculty, other departments, and disability advisors to get their needs met. For example, Rachel an undergraduate at a state research university mentioned on the survey: PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 44 Before I got my accommodations approved, I had a test coming up in one of my classes. I met with the teacher and explained my situation. He told me not to worry and that he would give me the time I needed. According to Eun (2019), Lev Vygotsky a Russian psychologist came up with a theory called “the zone of proximal development (ZPD). ZPD is a theory that explains human development as it is applied to learning. Like what is mentioned in the research, Rachel provided a clear example of how collaboration between students and advisors gets students the accommodations that assist them in getting from an initial starting point of knowledge and skill to a point of reaching their full academic potential in the classroom. Isabel, a graduate student at a liberal arts college, stated in her survey how she did not collaborate with an advisor much in college. She wrote: Because my TBI is stable I have only talked with my disability advisor one time. We have recycled my services for every semester I have been enrolled in graduate school. There has been no other need for me to meet with my disability advisor because my professors handle my services. On the other hand, Michele an undergraduate at the state research university described the collaborative relationship she had with her disability advisor. She said in the interview: I can text him whenever I feel like I need more accommodations, or I just want to chat about how to make something work better. I know that I can talk to him whenever I need to or walk in the disability services and ask someone a question. Lev Vygotsky, the founder of social constructivism believed that knowledge is acquired through collaboration and social interaction in the classroom. Social constructivism is also a highly effective method of teaching that is widely used (Powell & Kalina, 2009). Regardless of how PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 45 frequently the two student participants collaborated with college staff, they both provided clear examples of agreement with the research presented. There was still knowledge that was being socially constructed while these students collaborated with college faculty. Advisor Teaming Disability advisors are at the center of collaboration when they work to provide accommodations, services, and resources to their students. The following diagram describes in detail the intricate network of collaboration that occurs in higher education. Figure 3: Advisor teaming diagram Students with sensory and social limitations sometimes need to collaborate with faculty or staff. To exemplify this point, when I interviewed William, a disability advisor at the research university, he said: If a student on the spectrum needs support while communicating with an instructor, I am happy to join a Zoom meeting with both and I try and stay invisible as much as possible, because I want to encourage self-advocacy and development of their skills. If they want PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 46 to benefit from my presence to clarify the impact of the disability, I can do that. Our Student Success Advocates are very helpful for those on the spectrum and with executive functioning concerns because they serve as a peer tutor or a mentor who can teach them about study skills, note taking and time management. Helen, a disability advisor at the private liberal arts college, provides supports for this population like that of William’s university. She said, the college offers a peer mentoring program on campus and they work on time management and other executive functioning skills. She will also work directly with these students on those management skills. On the contrary, the public community college does not currently offer any support for students that struggle with executive functioning. When I interviewed Melissa, a disability advisor at the community college, she mentioned that they really need to setup a support center through their disability service center. It would really be helpful for students with autism. They are looking at doing something along those lines. Accardo et al. (2019) recommend that college faculty and staff focus on proactive supports and development of services that would help ensure the college success of students with autism. Most of the advisor participant statements, and the previous research partly agree that It is important for students who are on the autism spectrum to have collaborative supports and resources in place to assist students. That way, students have their best shot at functioning more independently in college. Another area where advisor teaming comes into play is through assisting students with the accommodation approval process. Rebecca, a disability advisor at the state research university mentioned that, when students are seeking accommodation approval, she will go through the approval process with the student step-by-step. That way students know exactly what PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 47 is entailed in the approval process and what documentation a student needs to provide to help the process move smoothly. That way, the student also has power over the approval process. The student needs to understand their role in the process. Students transferring right out of high school do not have any idea about how it all works. The advisor’s role is to explain it completely. Lev Vygotsky, the founder of social constructivism believed that knowledge is acquired through collaboration and social interaction in the classroom. Social constructivism is also a highly effective method of teaching that is widely used (Powell & Kalina, 2009). Just as the constructivist theoretical framework described here states, the advisor participant described a circumstance where she actively engaged in social construction with students to assist them in being approved for accommodations. At the same time there was also a more balanced social relationship created between the student and the disability advisor. Sometimes disability advisors engage in more complicated issues that require collaboration to support their student’s academic success. William, a disability advisor at a state research university, brought up an interesting dilemma that requires a great deal of collaboration among university faculty and staff. He stated: We are having to change how we look at flexibility. For example, the mechanical engineering program on campus uses a computer program that pushes all the formulaic problems that they give to all their students. That is done based on due dates in Canvas. The dilemma occurs when a student is allowed alternate due dates and that changes the due date for everyone. That forces the instructor to delay. With the computer program it is all or nothing. So, either the whole class is impacted by this or the student does not get the flexible due date visible in the learning management system. Neither scenario is good. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 48 To find a solution we collaborated with engineering to find that middle ground. We now allow a student to have three homework drops and that is flexibility in different way. Accardo et al. (2019) recommend that college faculty and staff focus on proactive supports and development of services that would help ensure the college success of students with autism. As stated in this research, this advisor participant described a scenario where proactive supports were put in place that ended up benefiting more than just the specific student with a disability. In conclusion, collaboration was evident in participant data as well as in the literature, the constructivist framework and shed light on my research questions. Based on the advisor participant statements, the disability advisors agree with previous research, stating that proactive supports are necessary to ensure that students with disabilities are successful in college. The advisor participants provided detailed accounts of circumstances where they went out of their way to collaborate with students or other individuals within the college community on their students’ behalf. This theme follows very closely with the constructivist theoretical framework. The student and advisor participants provided clear examples of where they utilized social constructivism to support their students. Also, the student participants provided accounts of when they collaborated with faculty to arrange accommodations which fulfilled the need for the zone of proximal development that aided in the student’s classroom success. There was only one student participant that provided insight into her perceptions of the quality relationship she had with her disability advisor. The other student participant collaborative accounts were more descriptive in nature. Within the disability service centers, disability advisors are at the center of collaborations with others on campus to support their students. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 49 Pandemic Impact Student Experience Student participants expressed varying experiences with accommodations and learning during the pandemic. For example, Lisa, a student at a private liberal arts college, described her experiences with learning during the pandemic. She said during the interview: It is so tough, and this year has just been terrible. I hear from everyone that they are feeling that way. It is especially hard for people with disabilities because we already have terrible resources. If you do not give us those resources and then you add the pandemic it is a recipe for disaster. I almost dropped out last semester, because I was so overwhelmed, and my disability advisor really helped me not drop out she kind of helped me stick with it. Furthermore, Ralph an undergraduate student at a state research university also had a rough experience adjusting during the pandemic. He briefly said: It is weird doing most things online. It was hard for me the first four months last year. It was such a total shift and without face-to-face connection with people. School and work were all on Zoom. I was depressed and getting used to a whole culture shock thing. However, Michele an undergraduate at the same state research university as Ralph, said, “During the pandemic, I have been taking exams and most are online. All my quizzes have been open note which has been nice, so I have not had too many accommodations for quizzes”. Francis et al. (2018) sent out a survey to 111 students who registered with their university disability services office and they replied. While forty-eight percent of the students were extremely satisfied with the services they received, they did not cite specifically what students were included in that percentage. Contrary to what is mentioned in this study, most of the PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 50 interviewed student participants expressed unsatisfactory experiences with learning during the pandemic. However, one of the student participants had a positive experience with receiving accommodations. Advisor Experience The advisor participants in this study occupy a unique position because they can be more objective and identify certain trends that have occurred during the pandemic. For example, technology during the pandemic makes certain accommodations possible to administer that were not feasible before. William, a disability advisor at a state research university, stated in the interview, “Remote attendance for classes is an accommodation that we have seen more of during the pandemic. We did not have that accommodation before where you could attend via Zoom”. When speaking with Helen, a disability advisor at a private liberal arts college, she agrees with William about the feasibility of remote class attendance. She said, It is not that it has been requested more it is that in the past it was denied, because you cannot attend a lab remotely. However, because of the pandemic we have been able to say, we can do that remotely. It is less about the requests and it is more about the feasibility. Accardo et al. (2019) recommend that college faculty and staff focus on proactive supports and development of services that would help ensure the college success of students with autism. Like the research suggests, the advisor participants pointed out a trend in student accommodations that is enabling disability services on two college campuses to put in supports that were not feasible before the pandemic and now they are. During the pandemic, another unique trend has occurred. Helen, a disability advisor at a private liberal arts college, pointed out a shift in how accommodations are administered. She said: PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 51 I think it is a shift, so before when it was just people with disabilities requesting something it was, we cannot do that. But when everybody needed it that was feasible and there was a shift. So, my point is I think it is a perspective shift as well. We recognize that through universal access and design you can address the needs of a large group of people. It is not just certain people with disabilities at that point. Lev Vygotsky, the founder of social constructivism believed that knowledge is acquired through collaboration and social interaction in the classroom. Social constructivism is also a highly effective method of teaching that is widely used (Powell & Kalina, 2009). As mentioned in this constructivist theoretical framework, the advisor participant agrees that people through collaboration reshaped how they socially view accommodations and how to address student classroom needs in higher education. The advisor participants pointed out instances where student populations they served were impacted by the pandemic. According to Rebecca, a disability advisor at a state research university, said, “The pandemic has made it a lot easier for deaf and hard of hearing students since they prefer online learning. It is easier and more efficient to provide interpreting for those students as well”. However, the pandemic has impacted other students differently. William, a disability advisor at the same state research university as Rebecca, said during the interview, “Being in the pandemic under lockdown has created some problems for a lot of people with generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, because the social interaction components not there and because they are alone, and it is hard”. There were some conflicting advisor participant reports about student empowerment. Rebecca, a disability advisor at the state research university, mentioned that during the pandemic some students have not felt like they could ask for help. On the contrary, Helen, a disability PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 52 advisor at a private liberal arts college, said she feels like during the pandemic students were feeling more empowered to act and speak out. Another qualitative study provides an in depth look at Jillian, a student who has autism spectrum disorder, who ultimately ended up dropping out of college because she lacked selfadvocacy skills (Sayman, 2015). Like Jillian, the advisor participants pointed out that other student populations have dealt with the pandemic in their own way and that can influence their college experiences and how assertive they were with other people. The trick is in how disability advisors respond to those unique challenges that students have encountered during the pandemic. The advisor participants mentioned during the interviews a variety of resources they had available on campus for their students. William, a disability advisor at a state research university, said that they had counseling services available for free to students and that this was a tremendously helpful intervention. Helen, a disability advisor at a private liberal arts college, also mentioned that they offered students resources such as crisis intervention, a mobile health unit or being connected with a counselor or therapist. Helen also made some comments during the interview regarding fear and social isolation. She said: Social isolation can be very damaging and can turn to mental health challenges. Students with disabilities could face that at a much higher rate. That is why I am here every single day and I come into the office. I make it a point for students to know if they need to come in here and see somebody face to face, they can. That is what students have asked of me. It is important for me to be able to provide that service. It is even more difficult when students are isolated in their dorm alone. Accardo et al. (2019) recommend that college faculty and staff focus on proactive supports and development of services that would help ensure the college success of students with autism. The PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 53 advisor participants were implementing social supports and resources, like what is suggested in the research, to help ensure their students’ academic success and mental wellbeing during the pandemic. One advisor participant even recognized the damage social isolation could create for students and went out of her way to be there for her students. In conclusion, pandemic impact was evident in participant data as well as in the literature, the constructivist framework and shed light on my research questions. There are students who have various disabilities like Jillian a student with autism who dropped out of college and who was mentioned before in this chapter. They were impacted by the pandemic differently due to personal issues, such as their disability or skills they possess. Or combined with a different degree of support available to them on or outside of campus that could influence how successful they were in college. The constructivist theoretical framework posed by Lev Vygotsky, was still at the center of how students, disability advisors, faculty and staff socially engaged with one another during the pandemic to support their student’s success in class. The student participants in this research study, shared varying perceptions of learning during the pandemic. One student participant struggled with the transition to online learning. Advisor participant experiences were more objective because they interacted with various populations of students and they could notice different patterns and trends. Within the disability service centers, at the higher education institutions included in this study, the advisor participants cited several examples of how and why they collaborated with students, and other faculty to support their students. For example, during the pandemic, the advisor participant at the liberal arts college made it a point to be present on campus to meet with her students. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 54 Conclusion During the data collection and analysis phase of my research I uncovered some interesting findings that largely agree with the research literature that was done on this topic. The literature review chapter was mainly focused on students who have autism. However, none of the participants included in the research study are on the autism spectrum. All three disability resource centers at, a state research university, a community college, and a private liberal arts college, collect feedback via email. Two of the universities request student surveys. Based on the findings it is still unclear as to what steps the higher education institutions take to respond to their student’s specific feedback. In addition, only one disability advisor uncovered an inherent issue with how disability resource centers collect that feedback. Most students who participated in this research study were satisfied with their collegiate experiences and generally satisfied with the quality of the services and accommodations provided on-campus. Also, most of the students who participated in this study listed extra time on exams as the most beneficial accommodation. Some of the supports that are available for students who have sensory or social issues can also assist other student populations such as students with ADHD to help them with executive functioning difficulties. These findings agree with prior literature from Accardo et al. (2019) who recommended that college faculty and staff focus on proactive supports to assist college students with autism. However, some of the participants in this study who attend a private liberal arts college and a state research university, were not aware that their college aids with executive functioning. There are cultural differences that were pointed out that disability advisors should be aware of. For example, there are differences in how the hearing and deaf cultures tend to PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 55 respond to providing feedback to disability advisors. That in turn can influence the quality and quantity of feedback. There is also the issue of student feedback authenticity and how valuable that feedback is to disability advisors. The pandemic has created a lot of unexpected challenges and opportunities for higher education institutions as well as students. It is more challenging for some students to conduct their classes online instead of in-person. On the other hand, remote attendance is an accommodation that is now feasible for colleges and universities to offer their students. Research participants offered specific recommendations for their disability advisors such as having a support group where students with disabilities can get together and share their feedback with disability services. The conclusion chapter will explore any implications for further research that may benefit higher education institutions. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 56 Chapter Five: Conclusion The purpose of my phenomenological qualitative research study is to address the main question: What are the perceptions that college students with learning disabilities have about the accommodations and services they receive in terms of their needs being heard and met from their disability resource center on campus? Additionally, I have two sub-questions which are: What systems are in place for college students with learning disabilities to provide feedback to their disability resource center? How do college or university disability resource centers perceive and act on the feedback received from their students with learning disabilities? In this chapter, I will provide a summary of the findings in this research study, provide recommendations, address the implications for future research and then conclude with some final remarks. Summary of Findings During the data collection and analysis phase of my research I uncovered some interesting findings that mostly agree with the research literature that was done on this topic. All three higher education institutions included in this study gather feedback via email, two collect surveys. However, one school cited the use of student panels. It is still unclear as to what steps the higher education institutions take to respond to their student’s specific feedback. Student empowerment, Feedback authenticity as well as cultural differences, are main issues that were brought up by the participants in the study. All of the students who participated in this research study were generally satisfied with their experiences in college and felt like they receive great support and accommodations in their classes. Most of the students who participated in this study listed extra time on exams as the most beneficial accommodation. All the participants reported strong positive relationships with their disability advisors. However, some of the students still expressed areas where they felt like there PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 57 was room for improvement with their disability resource center or the college. For example, some of the students were not aware of some of the resources on campus, such as what could assist with executive functioning needs. The pandemic has created a lot of unexpected challenges and opportunities for disability resource centers and students who have disabilities in higher education. For example, a participant cited that their disability resource center is now able to feasibly offer remote attendance which was not as possible before. Student participants with health concerns also found that they preferred online learning. Recommendations Some participants mentioned that they were unaware of the existence of their disability resource center or that their disability center offered resources. Based on these participant findings and the previous research done, I would recommend that disability resource centers create standardized procedures, through the use of billboards in high traffic areas on campus, that all staff and faculty are aware of in order to make their services obvious to students and readily accessible. That way students do not struggle to get the assistance and support they need to excel in college. Participants in this study and earlier research previously indicated that their college should provide additional resources to further assist them in higher education. I would recommend based on this data that disability resource centers implement some sort of support group where students can meet and express their needs openly without fear. That way, each students' needs are clearly heard and addressed. A student participant indicated that there was an issue regarding the legality of approaching their professors to discuss their requested accommodations each semester. The PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 58 disability advisor said that a student should not have to negotiate their accommodations with a professor. It was not clear to the student what the correct protocol is for discussing this with professors. This issue raises some questions. Do higher education institutions have standard practices for student engagement with professors? If not, I would recommend based on this testimony that a standard practice should be made, and it be clear to all faculty and staff on higher education campuses. A participant advisor pointed out that there are differences in how students in the hearing or hard of hearing culture provide feedback to their disability services centers on campuses. If a disability advisor is unaware of these differences, this could create a barrier for some students. Based on this evidence, to create more equity for students, I would recommend that disability service centers have standard training provided to their advisors and staff. That way individuals who interact with students are culturally aware and are sensitive to the needs of their specific students. A participant indicated that feedback can be biased because students feel like they are extending generosity directly to the disability resource center instead of being honest about their experiences. I would recommend that perhaps disability resource centers rely on a third-party company to send out surveys to students. That way, students can authentically comment on their experiences receiving accommodations and services without being embarrassed by sharing their perspective. Implications for Future Research Due to the short duration allowed to conduct this research study, there are some facets of providing accommodations and services to students that were not addressed. If I had a year and unlimited resources, especially during this current pandemic, I would like to perform an in-depth PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES 59 case study. Follow each of these participants along their journey in higher education. I think that would yield a lot of important insight into any further challenges or opportunities they may experience because of adverse side effects from the pandemic, such as depression or anxiety. It would be nice to extend the research by including participants who have autism or who are neurodiverse. This current study did not include any participants within those populations. This would address some of the areas of the current research study, such as executive functioning resources available to that student population. Another means of extending the research done in this current study would be to include a greater quantity of participants in equal gender ratio in order to focus on gender differences, regarding how they experience receiving accommodations and services in higher education. There was only one male participant in my current study. Conclusion This research study enabled me to get a first-hand account of the experiences students with disabilities have with receiving accommodations and services in college. The participants shared their struggles and their successes. Participant advisors gave a deep insight into the difficulties they deal with in terms of providing accommodations to students. They also shared their joys of working in this profession and how they go to such great lengths to collaborate with other faculty and staff to truly be there and support their students. The pandemic has created additional, unexpected challenges concerning mental health in students for disability advisors, and they will need to tackle these issues so that students do not get left behind and unsupported. Disability advisors and students need to work together to create more resource awareness that will directly provide support during the pandemic. PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES References Accardo, A. L., Kuder, S. J., & Woodruff, J. (2018). Accommodations and support services preferred by college students with autism spectrum disorder. The International Journal of Research and Practice, 23(3), 574-583. Accardo, A. L., Bean, K., Cook, B., Gillies, A., Edgington, R., Kuder, S. J., & Bomgardner, E. M. (2019). College access, success and equity for students on the autism spectrum. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49, 4877-4890. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04205-8 Barnhill, G. P. (2016) Supporting students with Asperger Syndrome on college campuses. Current practices. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 31(1), 3-15. 10.1177/1088357614523121 focus.sagepub.com Boeije, H. (2002). A purposeful approach to the Constant Comparative Method in the analysis of qualitative interviews. Quality & Quantity, 36, 391-409 Boudourides, M. A. (2003). Constructivism, education, science, and technology. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 29(3), 16. Creswell, J. W. & Miller, D. L. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative inquiry. Theory Into practice, 39(3), 124-130. Drouin, M., Stewart, J., & Van Gorder, K. (2015). Using methodological triangulation To examine the effectiveness of a mentoring program for online instructors. Distance Education, 36(3), 400-418. DOI: 10.1080/01587919.2015.1081735. 60 PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES Eun, B. (2019). The zone of proximal development as an overarching concept. A framework for synthesizing Vygotsky’s theories. Educational Philosophy & Theory, 51(1), 18-30 DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2017.1421941. Fleming, A. R., Oertle, K. M., & Plotner, A. J. (2017). Student voices: Recommendations for improving postsecondary experiences of students with disabilities. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 30(4), 309-326. Francis, G. L., Duke, J., Brigham, F. J., & Demetro, K. (2018). Student perceptions of college-readiness, college services and supports, and family involvement in college: An exploratory study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48, 35733585. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3622-x Glaser, B. G. & Strauss, A.L. (1967) The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago: Aldine. Powell, K. C., & Kalina, C. J. (2009). Cognitive and social constructivism: Developing tools for an effective classroom. Education, 130(2), 241-250 Rossman, G. B., & Rallis, S. F. (2017) An introduction to qualitative research: Learning in the field (4th ed). SAGE Publications. Sarrett, J. C. (2018). Autism and accommodations in higher education: Insights for the autism community. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48, 679-693. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3353-4 Sayman, D. M. (2015). I still need my security teddy bear: Experiences of an individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder in higher education. Learning Assistance Review, 20(1), 77-98. 61 PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES Wang, Y. D. (2014). Building student trust in online learning environments. Distance Education, 35, 345-359. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2015.955267 62 PERCEPTIONS OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES Appendix A Form F 63 APPROVAL of a thesis/project submitted by Author(s): Philip Wilford School Department: MED Title of Thesis: Perceptions of Accommodations and Services Received in Higher Education Held by Students with Disabilities The above named master's thesis/project has been read by each member of the supervisory committee and has been found to be satisfactory regarding content, English usage, format, citations, bibliographic style, and consistency, and is ready to be deposited and displayed in the Westminster College—Institutional Repository. Chairperson, Supervisory Committee: Nancy Garrison, M.Ed Approved On 5/5/2021 12:56:34 PM Dean, School: Dr. Melanie J. 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