Williamson, J. N. (2024). The untold story: African American men with learning disabilities at the postsecondary level from the perspectives of parents and students (Publication No. 31237376) [Doctoral dissertation, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/docview/3047956490

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)

Specific assessment accommodations were not identified; the focus was on the experiences of African American men with learning disabilities at the postsecondary level, including their use of support services and accommodations in general. Students in the study varied in their use of accommodations, with some actively using services like extended time and separate testing locations, while others were reluctant to use available accommodations due to stigma concerns.

Ten participants (six parents and four African American male students with learning disabilities attending universities in the southern United States) engaged in interviews. The four student participants ranged in age from 19–26 years, attended different types of institutions, and had diagnoses including ADHD, processing disorders, dyscalculia, specific learning disorders, and speech disorders.

Semi-structured interviews with both parents and students were conducted to explore their experiences and perceptions regarding postsecondary education. Interviews with parents averaged 90 minutes while student interviews averaged 50 minutes, exploring psychosocial experiences, the changing roles of parents, intersecting identities of race and disability, and experiences with social and academic supports.

African American men with learning disabilities often rejected disability labels in favor of being perceived as "normal," which sometimes prevented them from accessing needed support services. When Black men with learning disabilities received services that segregated them from peers, they faced a forced choice between preserving their identity and accessing necessary support, leading to a recommendation that support services be made universally available to eliminate stigma around segregated support.