Online Accommodations and Support for Autistic/ADHD Post-Secondary Students from Historically Underrepresented Groups

Authors

Abstract

Despite growing numbers of autistic and ADHD students from historically underrepresented groups and the increasing prevalence of digital learning, little is known about how these students describe the accommodations and support they receive in online courses. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand how autistic and ADHD post-secondary students from historically underrepresented groups describe their attitudes toward, perceptions of, and strategies for accessing accommodations and support in online learning environments across the United States. This study was guided by the Dis/Crit framework and explored how systemic barriers, digital design, and institutional practices influence students’ sense of access and inclusion. Data were collected through an open-ended online questionnaire (n = 38) and semi-structured Zoom interviews (n = 15) with participants who met inclusion criteria of being autistic or ADHD, members of historically underrepresented groups, and post-secondary online students. A reflexive thematic analysis approach was used to generate and refine codes, clusters, and themes that reflected participants’ descriptions and experiences. Findings demonstrated that participants’ attitudes and perceptions of accommodations and support were mixed. Also, findings demonstrated that participants utilized many kinds of strategies to access accommodations and support, often reflecting persistence, organization, and strong self-advocacy. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how to best provide accommodations and support for not only autistic and ADHD students from historically underrepresented groups, but all post-secondary online students.

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