Dziekan, K. I. (2003). Postsecondary inclusion through academic accommodations: Attitudes, experiences, and perceptions of college students with learning disabilities and faculty (Publication No. 3081632) [Doctoral dissertation, Syracuse University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/docview/305264263

Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY); ProQuest document ID: 305264263

Students with learning disabilities and their professors’ experiences, attitudes, and perceptions toward several academic accommodations were examined. The following accommodations were discussed: extra time during examinations, accommodations that provided writing support, alternative examination formats, and tape-recorded lectures.

This study was conducted at two universities -- one public and one private -- in the Northeast (U.S.) during the 1997-1998 and 1998-1999 academic years. Undergraduate college students with learning disabilities and tenured or tenure-track faculty from the two universities were asked to participate in this study via survey. The public and private universities' Office of Learning Disabilities Services served 400 and 365 students, respectively.

Feedback from respondents was divided into three categories: attitudes, experiences, and perceptions. Attitudes were measured via students' expectations of and faculty members' comfort with accommodations. Experiences were measured via the academic accommodations that students used and found helpful. Experiences were also measured by the accommodations that faculty members provided, and the level of difficulty associated with implementing them. Perceptions were analyzed via students' and faculty members' concept of academic standards.

Students reported that the most beneficial academic accommodations were extra time during exams and those that aided them with writing. Faculty members shared that they were most comfortable with accommodations that they were familiar with, that took little effort to implement, and benefited all students. Providing alternative examination formats was cited as the most difficult accommodation for faculty members to implement, while tape-recording lectures was cited as the easiest. Results showed that faculty members with more experience teaching students with disabilities were more likely to provide alternative forms of exams and homework assignments. Lastly, while students perceived writing accommodations as helping to maintain academic standards, faculty members questioned the fairness of these accommodations.