Supporting persons with disabilities to succeed in higher education

This report details the findings and recommendations from the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) Research Fellowship entitled 'Supporting persons with disabilities from regional, rural, and remote Australia to succeed in higher education'. The study explored how students with disabilities were supported in their higher education studies by trained, professional disability support officers and the wider institutional community. A key aim of the study was to investigate whether there were any significant differences between the experiences of regional and metropolitan Australia students with disabilities.

The key findings from the study are: (1) Despite increases in participation over the last decade, people with disabilities remain underrepresented in higher education and lag national averages for retention, success and completion. These indicators are generally lower for regional students with disabilities than metropolitan students with disabilities; (2) In the national survey, students with disabilities generally reported high satisfaction levels with disability support. However, there was also evidence that social barriers remain for some students with disabilities regarding: attitudes towards students with disabilities; processes and procedures intended to support students with disabilities; the physical and built environment - in particular, the failure in some cases to follow principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL); communication - particularly how educational content is delivered, both in the classroom and online; and social inclusion in both curricular and extracurricular activities; (3) In terms of satisfaction with support, there was little difference in ratings between regional and metropolitan students. However, regional students with disabilities face issues concerning: access to specialist health services; the digital divide; and the quality of support services at regional institutions; and (4) [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 has had a demonstrable effect on support levels, with both regional and metropolitan students with disabilities experiencing a decline in support in 2020. A number of recommendations are proposed to address these issues.

Edited excerpts from publisher's website. Show less