Date
5-22-2024
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Chair
Katelynn Wheeler
Keywords
Postsecondary education, academic support services, self-determination, academic support services, learning disabilities, higher education
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Giordano, Daniella F., "Students with Learning Disabilities in a PostSecondary Education Setting: Identifying the Most Significant Supports" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5618.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5618
Abstract
The purpose of this phenomenology was to understand the perceptions that postsecondary students with learning disabilities have in receiving academic supports and accommodations from their institutions in alignment with their educational goals. A significant disparity has occurred between the number of students with disabilities in higher education and the support services available to them. The central question of this study is: What are the experiences of students with learning disabilities in receiving academic support services from their institution? The theory that supports this central question and guided this study is Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. The design of this study is a hermeneutical phenomenological design with various units of analysis. The data was collected through interviews, a focus group interview, and a series of journal prompts. The participants consisted of 10 postsecondary students with learning disabilities who all attended private universities in the northeastern United States. The research revealed the importance of postsecondary students with learning disabilities utilizing academic support centers to achieve academic success. A recommendation for future research is to explore the perceptions that professors have toward their students utilizing the academic support centers by employing a similar qualitative method.
