Research shows accommodations are often underutilized by learners with disabilities. Curious to learn why? 

A 2018 study involved a systematic review of 36 articles from the US, UK, Canada, Belgium, Norway and Ireland involving youth with disabilities and accessing accommodations. 

Below are some findings: 

• The most common barriers to disclosing disability and requesting accommodations were stigma, discrimination and a lack of knowledge of supports.
• “Students with disabilities are often reluctant to disclose their condition for fear of differential and discriminatory treatment from their professors and peers." 
• Many youth encounter difficulties accessing and obtaining accommodations and supports. For example, people with disabilities often encounter significant social exclusion, negative attitudes, discrimination and stigma, which are substantial barriers for youth entering and completing post-secondary education.
• The most common barrier, noted in 19 studies, included stigma, discrimination and the related concerns about the negative effects of disclosing a disability.  
• A second barrier for youth (noted in 14 studies) included lacking knowledge of potential supports and accommodations (e.g. note takers, tutors, extra time, physical access, assistive technology) and how to access them. For example, Holloway (2001) described that students found it stressful and time consuming to arrange their accommodations. Some youth had negative experiences with faculty who often had insufficient knowledge about disabilities. 
• Others found that the physical, mental and emotional demands of disclosing presented challenges to receiving accommodations.
• Many studies conveyed that disclosing was a complex and personal issue that depended on many factors such as disability type, extent of self-advocacy skills and availability of support to access them, type of course and instructor, coping styles, and type of disability.  
• Consistent with previous research, our review found that those with non-visible disabilities often encounter additional challenges with identifying their need for support. 

Understanding the barriers learners may encounter and the reasons they can then be hesitant to connect with Accessible Learning Services can help faculty and staff who are working with learners who disclose they have a disability but have not connected with Accessible Learning Services to request accommodations.  

Source: A Systematic Review of Barriers of Disability Disclosure and Accommodations for Youth in Post-Secondary Education. (2018) International Journal of Disability Development and Education.  

Visit our ALS Information for Faculty website to learn more about accommodating students with disabilities. 

Please email us at accessible-learning@humber.ca with suggestions for key accessibility-related topics that you would like us to address through the Communiqué.