Disabled Students’ Experiences With Disability Cultural Centers and Disability Culture in U.S. Higher Education
This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.
About the autistic author markerKulshan, T. (2023). Disabled Students’ Experiences With Disability Cultural Centers and Disability Culture in U.S. Higher Education [Dissertation]. Available on research gate. http://uri.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/disabled-students-experiences-with-disability/docview/2878675108/se-2
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Abstract
The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act improved access to postsecondary education for disabled students, yet they are still marginalized and leave university at rates 17% higher than nondisabled students (Lombardi & Lalor, 2017). The specific problem is that disabled students face compounding barriers to success, including oppressive structures and ableism. Disability cultural centers (DCCs) have the potential to directly support disabled students and to promote a disability-positive campus culture. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of disabled students with DCCs and disability culture at U.S. universities, generating empirical evidence about the understudied structure of DCCs. Using hermeneutic phenomenological analysis design, the primary instrument was in-depth, semistructured interviews with 15 disabled students from seven U.S. colleges with DCCs. Transcripts were analyzed iterating between qualitative data analysis software and manual thematic analysis. The results comprised 11 themes relating to DCC structures (forms), disabled students’ experiences (functioning), and cultural expressions (meanings). The themes were applied to draw conclusions: Disability is still understood as an individual problem on U.S. campuses. DCCs are “safe houses” that directly support disabled students and disability subcultures, regardless of design. They foster transculturation and disability-positive pockets on campus. It is recommended that university leaders prioritize disabled students’ success by visibly committing resources to DCCs and including disability culture in diversity, equity, and inclusion programming. Future research with DCCs could consider including more schools, campus histories, and curricular influences. The results of this study can be used for disability advocacy with university leaders and policymakers at all levels.
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