Learning disabled students and access to accommodations: socioeconomic status, capital, and stigma

Implicit Theories, Social Support, and Hope as Serial Mediators for Predicting Academic Self-Efficacy Among Higher Education Students

“…While there is a wide consensus regarding the right of students with disabilities to receive the same testing opportunities as their peers (Fuchs et al, 2005), the impact of testing accommodations on students' self-beliefs and achievements and on classroom climate requires further examination (Lovett, 2014;Lovett & Leja, 2013). Indeed, it is generally accepted that testing accommodations have a positive effect on performance as they improve motivation especially for students with disabilities (E. Feldman et al, 2011), yet research on their impact for students with ADHD and with learning disability was not consistent (Jansen et al, 2019;Waterfield & Whelan, 2017). These results focus attention on the implicit theories that the students hold on the effectiveness, fairness, and appropriateness of such accommodations, which may play an important role in predicting their outcomes (Einav et al, 2018).…”

“…Indeed, it is generally accepted that testing accommodations have a positive effect on performance as they improve motivation especially for students with disabilities (E. Feldman et al, 2011), yet research on their impact for students with ADHD and with learning disability was not consistent (Jansen et al, 2019; Waterfield & Whelan, 2017). These results focus attention on the implicit theories that the students hold on the effectiveness, fairness, and appropriateness of such accommodations, which may play an important role in predicting their outcomes (Einav et al, 2018).…”

“…In other cases, students themselves refrain from requesting support or accommodations, due to their anxieties about being labeled or misunderstood by their lecturer and peers (Lightner et al, 2012). Some struggling students choose to bypass academic support centers and refuse to participate in a formal diagnostic process due to the financial costs, fear of stigmatization, and/or the complicated bureaucratic processes required for obtaining accommodations (Moriña, 2017;Waterfield & Whelan, 2017). Many previous studies ignored the situation of students with undiagnosed academic difficulties, usually relying instead on a dichotomous comparison between students with and without diagnosed SLD and/or ADHD.…”

“…Yet not all students with academic difficulties are recognized as having a specific disability. Several explanations can be proposed for the tendency of many students to avoid receiving a formal diagnosis of their difficulties, something that results in their having to struggle with learning challenges without the benefit of various resources they might be entitled to (Waterfield & Whelan, 2017). Many students express concern and disappointment regarding the quality and quantity of support they are offered when facing academic difficulties (Marshak et al, 2010; Scott, 2019).…”

Dyslexia in higher education

“…While physical disabilities are reported regularly, students with LDs (most of whom are dyslexic) often go unidentified. This is because in post-secondary education, students are required to self-disclose, and many have never been formally diagnosed, do not think they need to receive support, or fear being stigmatized (Griful-Freixenet et al, 2020;LDA, 2012;Lindsay et al, 2018;MacCullagh et al, 2016;NJCLD, 2011;Proctor et al, 2017;Sniatecki et al, 2018;Waterfield and Whelan, 2017). One large-scale analysis of 63,802 undergraduates at 11 four-year research universities showed that 5.96% self-reported an LD, and only about one-third of those reported receiving accommodations (McGregor et al, 2016).…”