Supporting the development of students with disabilities in higher education: access, stigma, identity, and power
Abstract
Over the years, the evolution of student development theories has paved the way to include diverse students, including students with disabilities (SWD). Still, student development theories are yet to employ a view of disability as a social category and an identity. To fill this gap, the current study applies the three waves of student development theories and critical disability theory to analyze and understand how SWD perceive and experience disability support centers (DSCs), and the contribution they attribute to DSCs for their development and success in higher education and afterward. Twenty-one SWD were interviewed. The findings demonstrate the tension between policies of embracing and denying disability as a ‘difference’ and an identity in higher education. The findings also link SWD's challenges in the campus to lack of access, stigma, and the impact of power dynamics. Furthermore, the findings highlight the role of DSCs in supporting the processes of disability identification among SWD as individuals and as a group. The study emphasizes the need to strive for holistic and inclusive change in higher education policy and practice. The study may contribute to deepening understanding of the significant role of academic DSCs for the entire stakeholders in higher education and policymakers worldwide.
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Disability support centers can provide much-needed emotional support, advise on students' rights, or lower administrative burdens.
“In particular, disability support centers can provide much-needed emotional support, advise on students' rights, or lower administrative burdens (Shpigelman et al., 2022).”
From Exploring the role of generative AI in higher education: Semi-structured interviews with students with disabilities (2025) · cites this paper as Shpigelman et al., 2022
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Pierrès, O., Darvishy, A., & Christen, M. (2025) · Education and Information Technologies · doi:10.1007/s10639-024-13134-8 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
“In particular, disability support centers can provide much-needed emotional support, advise on students’ rights, or lower administrative burdens (Shpigelman et al., 2022).”
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- Authors
- Shpigelman, C.-N., Mor, S., Sachs, D., & Schreuer, N.
- Affiliations
- University of Haifa (IL)
- Corresponding author
- Shpigelman, Carmit-Noa
- Venue
- Studies in Higher Education
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2021-07-28
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1776-1791
- ISSN
- 0307-5079 (ISSN-L)
- 1470-174X
- OpenAlex
- W3184410764
- Cited by
- 103
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 26 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 6
- FWCI
- 12.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Studies in Higher Education (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Insurance Institute of Israel
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Education and Employment
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Rights and Representation
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport
- Keywords
- students with disabilities, disability support centers, student development theory, critical disability theory, disability stigma, campus accessibility, power relations, disability identification, inclusive higher education, disability policy
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