 Postsecondary Education Supports & Accommodations
This topic explores how the kinds of supports that are currently being offered in postsecondary education, and the manner in which they are offered, are different from supports in secondary education, and may affect outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
Introduction
Postsecondary education can lead to higher employment rates and higher income in the general population. At the same time, individuals with disabilities are less than half as likely to obtain a postsecondary degree as are individuals without disabilities, and thus are less likely to be employed or to have a similar income. It is important to explain why these discrepancies exist, in order to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
Several reasons for the low attendance and retention rate of persons with disabilities in higher education have been proposed. Some explanations lie in the students' primary and secondary education environments. One possible reason is that many youth with disabilities are not adequately prepared to meet the entrance requirements and academic rigor of postsecondary institutions. It is also possible that youth with disabilities are not encouraged to extend their education beyond secondary school.
Other explanations lie within postsecondary institutions themselves. For example, the kinds of supports they provide to students with disabilities may be different than those offered by secondary education institutions. Students with disabilities may experience difficulty when transitioning between different systems of supports. Furthermore, it is possible that many postsecondary schools focus on equal access, ensuring compliance with disability discrimination legislation, rather than focusing on providing a quality experience for their students with disabilities.
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