Banning, C. A. (2024). Neurodiversity persistence in STEM programs: A phenomenological study of self-efficacy among autistic students in higher education [Doctoral dissertation, Liberty University]. Liberty University Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5634

Dissertation
Banning, C. A. (2024). Neurodiversity persistence in STEM programs: A phenomenological study of self-efficacy among autistic students in higher education [Doctoral dissertation, Liberty University]. Liberty University Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5634

Tags

Attention problem; Autism; Emotional/Behavioral disability; Extended time; Hearing impairment (including deafness); Math; Physical disability; Postsecondary; Science; Specialized setting; U.S. context; Visual impairment (including blindness)

URL

https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5634

Summary

Accommodation

Accommodations were not specified; the focus was on self-efficacy of neurodiverse students in STEM-related majors. Separate testing environments and extended time were mentioned.

Participants

Eleven students with autism in STEM-related majors at two four-year institutions of higher education in the United States participated in interviews and a focus group.

Dependent Variable

Students participated in both individual interviews and a focus group via an online video platform.

Findings

Most students relied more heavily on family and online peer support networks rather than formal institutional accommodations. While some participants requested academic accommodations like extended testing time or note-taking assistance, many were either unclear about what support services were available through their institutions or found that professors were inconsistent in providing requested accommodations.