January Journal Club
The Teaching Commons hosted the January 2019 meeting of the Journal Club this past Wednesday, January 9. Our discussion of Self-Disclosure Decisions of University Students with Learning Disabilities was an interesting exploration of how, why, and if students may choose to disclose whether they have a disability for the purpose of receiving academic accommodations. The decision to and depth of disclosure was quickly identified as a complex issue, impacting not only the students’ academic performance but the wider culture and context of our university classrooms.
The authors of the article were interested in exploring the intersections of psychological factors (e.g. self-determination) and attitudes that may influence students’ decisions to disclose. One possible motivation for this work, as suggested during our discussion, could be a need to further advocate for accessible and meaningful student supports at the authors’ institution. It is also helpful to consider how these factors may work together to influence disclosure decisions from the point of view of a student attempting to navigate the services already in place at a university, particularly as we are working and learning in an age where discussions of disability are more frequent and more on the forefront of the post-secondary student experience.
A discussion of interest in the article, and at our meeting, centered around what the authors identify as research findings suggesting four factors that account for or influence students’ decisions to disclose:
- Academic Integrity (“I don’t need accommodations”; “Accommodations are for academically weaker students”)
- Disability Disclosure (“The cost of disclosing outweighs any potential benefits from the accommodations I would receive”)
- Disability Acceptance (“I don’t see myself as disabled”; “I don’t think I’m disabled enough to need accommodations”)
- Accommodations Process (“I don’t know where to start in requesting accommodations or navigating the accommodations process”)
Our discussion was inspired by an exploration of these factors and how they have appeared in some of our previous interactions with students in our classrooms. The process of navigating student services and the challenges this presents are not new to us or to many students (whether they identify as having a disability or not), yet our discussion also brought to light that these factors, and our experiences with students, suggest a more complex process of navigating one’s unique disability journey. Our students arrive on campus having already, for example, received formal accommodations in their high school classroom, or they may have developed, as the article suggests, compensatory strategies of their own that may influence their desire to seek out other accommodations that may not be useful or that may lead them to be ‘found out’ by their peers as being ‘different’. Students’ agency and autonomy certainly doesn’t disappear with disability, and the need for both may in fact be even more crucial to support as they enter our university classrooms.
It is telling, and heartening, that our discussion quickly centered on the student experience. It is perhaps common knowledge, or at least a common concern, that access to and awareness of services for students who identify as having a disability are vital to supporting student success. This article and our subsequent discussion, however, advocated for a renewed appreciation of recognizing the true breadth of diversity we encounter each day on our campuses. As the authors suggested “… informal attempts by faculty to teach to different learning styles would make their experience at the University easier while also benefitting students without disabilities” (p. 176). While accommodations and supports are still vitally important, it is noteworthy that both the authors and our Journal Club discussion group highlight that mutual engagement in the learning process for and with all students is a crucial part of promoting student success and a positive student experience.
How have or how are you going to apply ideas from this article and/or our discussion to your practice?
How might your students benefit from this research?
What opportunities can you see for further research or exploration on this topic?
Please join the conversation using the comments box below.
The Journal Club is an opportunity for colleagues interested in exploring innovation in teaching and learning to collaboratively read and discuss literature in the field. Participants are provided with a journal article identified as a topic of potential interest to be discussed in an informal gathering at the Teaching Commons.
Do you have an article to share or a topic you would like to discuss? Are you interested in leading a conversation of the Journal Club? Contact Lisa Endersby, Educational Developer (lendersb@yorku.ca).
