CW: Ableism
According to The U.S. Government Accountability Office, the number of disabled college students has nearly doubled over the last two decades, with up to 21% self-identifying as disabled in 2020. Disabled students encounter numerous barriers in college, which may lower their chances of graduation.
An estimated 3.5 million disabled people in the U.S. attend college. Much of the population’s growth can be attributed to an increase in students reporting mental health issues, such as depression, or disabilities that affect executive functioning, such as attention deficit disorder.
Disabled students with these diagnoses accounted for approximately 69% of all disabled students in 2020. 2020 is the most recent year for which data is available.
Although there are many more disabled students attending college, they still struggle to achieve the same outcomes as their nondisabled peers. The U.S. Government Accountability Office’s research found that disabled students have lower GPAs. Disabled students are also more likely to drop out of college before graduation.
There is a disparity between the number of students who say they have disabilities and those who register with their campus disability services office. The truth is that far too many disabled college and university students choose not to request the accommodations that they may require to succeed. The biggest reason is perhaps stigma.
Disability stigma is an ongoing concern on college campuses, resulting in discrimination, a hostile learning environment, and psychological distress. According to research, disabled students, both with visible and invisible disabilities, are often ridiculed by others, regarded as difficult to understand, and treated with pity and avoidance. Long-term stigma may result in low self-esteem, depression, and suicidal ideation.
Postgraduate outcomes for disabled students are also different. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 28.5 percent of college graduates with a disability were employed in 2018, compared to 75.5 percent of nondisabled graduates. This shouldn’t surprise anyone, considering a 2015 study found only 26% of two- and four-year campuses offered disability-specific career services. In a 2019 study, students reported a lack of disability-related expertise among career counselors and disability services staff.
Disabled people deserve a college degree. Disabled people need to have institutional barriers to higher education removed. We can accomplish so much if we are given the support we need.
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Levin, Stephanie A.N. “Many Students Don’t Inform Their Colleges about Their Disability. That Needs to Change. .” EdSurge, International Society for Technology in Education, 1 Mar. 2024, http://www.edsurge.com/news/2024-03-01-many-students-don-t-inform-their-colleges-about-their-disability-that-needs-to-change.
Oswald, Gina R., Mary J. Huber, and Angela Bonza. “Practice Brief: Effective Job-Seeking Preparation and Employment Services for College Students with Disabilities.” Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability 28.3 (2015): 375-382.