College and University Students with Disabilities: "Modifiable" Personal and School Related Factors Pertinent to Grades and Graduation.

Abstract

We examined aspects of the experiences of postsecondary students with various disabilities that facilitate higher grades and stronger intention to graduate. Specifically, we focused on experiences that could be modified by the student, the community, or the school. Self-reports of 611 junior/community college and university students with various disabilities show that the best predictors of intention to graduate were the absence of social alienation on campus, strong course self-efficacy, and school environment related facilitators (e.g., good schedule, positive attitudes of professors) as well as personal situation facilitators, such as having friends and high levels of personal motivation. In addition, students registered for campus disabilityrelated services were more likely to intend to graduate as were full-time students. Intention to graduate and grades were only weakly related. Grades were best predicted by course self-efficacy. Stronger social self-efficacy and more personal situation and school environmentrelated facilitators were also related to better grades. Results also show that junior/community colleges are more “friendly” to students with disabilities than are universities (i.e., students feel less alienated and experience more school environment related facilitators). Recommendations are made based on the findings on aspects that can be modified to facilitate academic success.

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