Students’ Perceptions of Accommodations in High School and College

Abstract

A total of 55 college students with reading- and writing-related disabilities were asked to report on their high school and college experiences with 14 accommodations. Receiving assistance with having materials read aloud, extended time, and individual setting were the accommodations reported as being used by most students. Students tended to report that accommodations were helpful. Some students reported using particular accommodations more frequently than others. More than one third of the students who participated reported not receiving special education or 504 plan services during high school, and thus numbers of students reporting use of accommodations in college tended to be higher than for high school, although use did vary by specific accommodation. A variety of perceived barriers and facilitators to their use of accommodations was reported, including system-level variables, instructor knowledge and attitudes, and students’ own self-advocacy efforts. Implications for practice and research are discussed.