Date
4-7-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Susan K. Stanley
Keywords
higher education, students with disabilities in college, racial and ethnic minority students, disabilities services office, retention of students with disabilities in college, inclusive education
Disciplines
Education | Special Education and Teaching
Recommended Citation
Regala, Aimee Grace, "A Phenomenological Study of the Experiences of Higher Education Faculty Towards Inclusion of Racial and Ethnic Minority Students with Disabilities" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8105.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8105
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of higher education faculty toward the inclusion of racial and ethnic minority students with disabilities at a historically Black college and university in the mid-Atlantic region in the United States. The theory guiding this study was Alexander Astin's input-environment-outcome (I-E-O) model. Transcendental study captured the essence of higher education faculty's experiences in implementing inclusive practices for racial and ethnic minority students with disabilities. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and focus group interviews. Data were analyzed through epoché, phenomenological reduction, and imaginative variation to answer the central question, “What are the lived experiences of higher education faculty in differentiating learning to support students with disabilities?” The study was conducted at a historically Black college and university founded in 1900 and strategically located in the mid-Atlantic region. The ten participants in the study were part-time or full-time higher education faculty with more than three years of experience. The research results suggested that several inclusive practices were deemed beneficial in supporting racial and ethnic minority students with disabilities. Higher education faculty also identified challenges that were considered a hindrance to timely support. The research findings revealed implications for policy and practice that should be implemented in higher education, such as implementing mandatory professional development in higher education and building self-advocacy skills in secondary schools.
