University student perspectives on institutional non-disclosure of disability and learning challenges: reasons for staying invisible

Lecturers’ Teaching Experiences with Invisibly Disabled Students in Higher Education: Connecting and Aiming at Inclusion

“…challenges. This group is particularly exposed to cultural stigma (Cunnah 2015) and may wait years before they finally decide to confide in academic staff they have come to trust (Grimes et al 2019;Martin 2010;Olney & Brockelman 2003). Instead of full disclosure, some choose other strategies, such as seeking the support of close friends (Castrodale & Zinargo 2015), avoiding institutional formal channels in favor of accessing accommodations through negotiation in particular situations, and alternating between choosing to pass as non-disabled or disclosing their identity as disabled according to the circumstances (Castrodale 2015).…”

Student and Faculty Perspectives of Inclusive Teaching Practices in Teacher Training Degree Programs

“…A basic and useful definition of inclusion in Higher Education has been developed by Hockings (2010): "The instruction that engages students in learning is one that is meaningful, relevant, and accessible to all embracing a vision for each individual and the individual's difference as a source of diversity that enriches the life and learning of everyone" (p. 5). From this perspective, paying attention to student diversity equates to broadening engagement (Jones, 2008;Hockings, 2010), to engage students in self-advocation by providing easily accessible information about services (Grimes, Southgate, Scevak, & Buchanan, 2019), and to improving teaching strategies that support the inclusion of all students, without exception (Gale, Mills, & Cross, 2017;Gibson, 2015;O'Shea, Lysaght, Roberts, & Harwood, 2016).…”

Exclusionary Inclusion?: The Realities of Academic Accommodation at University for Students with Invisible Physical Chronic Conditions

“…And from that point on, the student will have academic accommodation support for that semester. The process for students to receive academic accommodation is deeply rooted in biomedicalization by students having to provide the medical documentation from their doctor (Mullins and Preyde 2013;Riddell and Weedon 2014;Grimes et al 2018).…”

“…Sometimes a person does not have a choice but to come out as disabled. As mentioned earlier, people who need academic accommodation must provide biomedical proof of their disability (Grimes et al 2018). In certain situations, such as in a university setting, receiving academic accommodation can mean that the student has come forward with biomedical proof and identify as disabled.…”

“…This quote from Lucy illustrates that professors do not always believe students if they do not "look disabled" and are requesting some accommodations. Students who are not registered with the academic accommodation centre where the students are required to have biomedical proof of their IPCC are not always trusted by their professors that they are telling the truth (Mullins and Preyde 2013, Katarri et al 2018, Grimes et al 2018.…”