Accommodating Students with Disabilities: A Case Study of Faculty Attitudes and Behaviors at a Community College

Abstract

Postsecondary education at a community college is increasingly becoming an expectation for students with disabilities. However, research and practice in the area of community college support systems for students with disabilities has been limited. This dissertation reports the findings from a small-scale qualitative case study to discover the challenges faculty face in accommodating students with disabilities at a large, Midwestern United States community college. In the study, 10 faculty members were interviewed to gain their unique, as well as common, attitudes and behaviors about accommodating students with disabilities. The conclusion emphasizes the need for more research and special attention required to address the unique challenges faculty face in accommodating the individual needs of students with disabilities in community colleges.|Keywords: Disability, Support Services, Community College, Faculty Perspectives