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Hotline: Students with Disabilities Speak Out! 1 1 Adaptech Research Network 2 Dawson College Presentation at the AQICESH Conference Montreal, Quebec, June 6, 2012 Natalie Martiniello 1, Maria Barile 1, Jillian Budd 1, Mai N. Nguyen 1, Catherine S. Fichten 1,2 Slide 2 Introduction Adaptech Research Network The Study: What & Why Team Members Funder: SSHRC/CRSH 2 Slide 3 Agenda Methodology Pre-Employment Self-Management and Course Workload Disability Related Academic/Access Supports Financial Concerns Access to Information/Environment Recommendations 3 Slide 4 Methodology Academic retention of postsecondary students with disabilities and graduation Data collected in 2010 and 2011 Online questionnaire Open-ended question: Please indicate any other issues related to your education and/or job search experiences that are important to you. 4 Slide 5 How Responses Were Evaluated A coding manual was developed Two coders Coded up to 3 comments 10 distinct categories Categories of comments coded as Positive or negative Based on how comments were written 5 Slide 6 Open Ended Demographics 397 participants Female: 67% Male: 33% English: 70% French: 30% Provided up to 3 comments 497 comments total 6 Slide 7 Academic Status 75% Current students 20% Recent graduates (past 2 years) No longer studying 5% Leavers (left without completing their program) 7 Slide 8 Ranking by % of Responses Negative Pre-employment concerns 23% Self-management and course workload 17% Disability related academic/access supports17% Accessing information/school environments 7% Financial barriers due to disability 7% Positive Disability related academic/access supports 7% Self-management and course workload 2% 8 Slide 9 Pre-Employment - Negative I am very concerned about having a job, because I don't foresee there existing any job flexible enough to accommodate me. 9 Slide 10 Pre-Employment - Negative Top concern 22.9% of the responses 20% of current students 38% of graduates 14% of leavers Specific concerns Accommodations Disability disclosure Need for interview and job readiness skills 10 Slide 11 Pre-Employment - Negative Of greatest concern to Those with speech/communication and hearing impairments Participants with low vision (33%) vs. participants who are blind (22%) Participants in career/technical and professional programs Female participants (25%) vs. male participants (20%) 11 Slide 12 Self-Management and Course Workload - Negative I wish [the] disability services would concentrate not only on the accessibility issues on campus, but also how to live with a disability in our academic and professional lives. 12 Slide 13 Self-Management and Course Workload - Negative Awareness of difficulties in managing ones course load 17% of the comments were negative 20% of females, 12% of males 2% of comments about their workload were positive 13 Slide 14 Disability Related Academic / Access Supports - Negative They seem NOT to understand that if someone is ill with pain, the last thing they need to add to their already hard-to-balance schedule and life is another doctor's appointment for something that is already registered with Disability Services. 14 Slide 15 Disability Related Academic / Access Supports - Negative Poor services provided by the OSD, individual professors, and the university at large Availability Negatively perceived by 67 participants (19% of females, 13% of males) Some professors view accommodations as lowering standards Teaching assistants often unequipped to accommodate 15 Slide 16 Disability Related Academic / Access Supports - Negative Onerous documentation and "proof" requirements Lack of assistive technology and training 7% females and 6% of males offered positive comments 7% of comments received about Disability Related Academic/Access Supports were positive 16 Slide 17 Disability Related Academic / Access Supports - Positive The accessibility services at [U of XX] have made my university career much easier and much more enjoyable 17 Slide 18 Access to Information / Environments - Negative I find waiting for textbooks for courses to be converted to PDF format or having to buy new books so that we can get them converted is wrong []. The lack of audio books, and the lack of digital books for research (so that we can use our programs to read them) is a challenge. 18 Slide 19 Access to Information / Environments - Negative Mentioned by 8.1% of respondents English: 6%, French: 10% Negative comments from 8% of current students, 4% of graduates, 5% of leavers Physical barriers (inside and outside) Difficulty accessing course materials 19 Slide 20 Financial Concerns - Negative Au niveau de l'aide financire aux tudes, ces formes d'aide financire (bourses) ne refltent plus la ralit montaire de nos besoins de base : loyer, lectricit, chauffage, tlphone, Internet, assurances, nourriture et passe d'autobus 20 Slide 21 Financial Concerns - Negative Disability-related financial concerns as a hindrance for 7% of current students 8% of graduates 14% of leavers Leavers expressed the most concern about financial burdens caused by disability 21 Slide 22 Recommendations 22 Slide 23 Pre Employment Inform students about employment counselling services and other organizations Provide interview skills workshops Consider mentorship opportunities 23 Slide 24 Workload Management Organize study skills workshops Stress management support Importance of time management Importance of obtaining course material in advance Inform that reduced load is available for full time students 24 Slide 25 Disability Related Academic / Access Supports Public education: disability awareness and universal design instructions Training on adaptive and general use information and communication technologies 25 Slide 26 Financial Concerns Provide information about bursary programs and scholarships for students with disabilities Provide help with complex government forms Educate students about free and inexpensive adaptive software 26 Slide 27 Access to Information and School Environments Encourage professors to finalize course material in advance Encourage publishers to provide alternative formats Educate students about adaptive technology (e.g. scanning software) Advocate for universal design from the start (e.g. school websites) 27 Slide 28 Universal Design: Built Environment Accessibility starts in the parking lot Choice of classroom set up Quiet places for studying and exams Environmental sensitivity issues 28 Slide 29 Management issues Snow-free ramps Working elevators Keep accessible spaces free 29 Universal Design: Built Environment Slide 30 Universal Design of Instruction Learn the benefits & limitations of UDI Create links with diversity of students in your institutions Be flexible in required paper work Create links with community resources that can assist students 30 Slide 31 Universal Design of Instruction Advise faculty to: Provide their course outline in print & online from the first class Hold flexible office hours and use different meeting methods (in person, phone, MSN, etc.) Indicate an openness to any discussion related to courses to all their students Provide an estimate of costs of various course materials 31 Slide 32 Universal Design of Instruction Assist students to communicate directly with faculty and other institutional personnel Address students concerns 32 Slide 33 Universal Design of Instruction Encourage the administration to provide workshops on The needs of diverse student populations (based on gender, culture, disability, learning style, etc.) Understand how to apply UDI at all levels of the educational institution 33 Slide 34 Questions Have you noticed similar concerns in your institution/country? How have these been addressed? 34 Slide 35 This project was funded by 35 Slide 36 Adaptech Research Network Authors Natalie Martiniello, Maria Barile, Jillian Budd, Mai N. Nguyen, Catherine S. Fichten 36 Slide 37 Information Natalie Martiniello nmartiniello@dawsoncollege.qc.ca Maria Barile mbarile@dawsoncollege.qc.ca Adaptech Research Network www.adaptech.org To download this presentation: http://dc160.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/adapt2/Presentations/MartinielloAQICESH2012.pdf 37