Inequality Issues

The number of students who wish to continue pursuing higher education is increasing, especially students with disabilities. An opportunity to completing higher education have great benefits, it can lead students to job opportunities, networking opportunities, a sense of belonging and accomplishment, gain personal development including critical thinking skills, healthier lifestyles, and much more (University of the People 2021).

However, this is not the case for students with disabilities, there are barriers and obstacles that are keeping them from getting the higher education they aim to earn.

WHY?

Lack Accessibility/Support Services

Without accessibility, inclusive education is not inclusive as it should be. Accessibility plays a critical role in inclusive education to ensure that all people have access to quality and equity education. Accessibility comes in various forms - it depends on the students' needs in order to to be able to learn in the classroom. As for deaf people, accessibility means sign language interpreters are being provided in the classrooms, notetakers, Communication Acess Realtime Translation (CART), access to use sign language, and more. Those are the support services that deaf students have access to in order to succeed in higher education.

Some teachers have the ability to select the curriculum material and teaching style they use in the classroom, and they are aware of the support services they can offer, however they chose not to or are not qualified to do so.

No interpreters, notetakers, and/or CART in the classroom can hurt deaf students' ability of learning. Without those kinds of support services, how can deaf students get their support system in higher education if they are excluded? Lack of accessibility can make an impact on students' success in higher education and beyond.

Misguided Beliefs

There are a lot of misguided beliefs that most people have about deaf people. Those beliefs are often associated with religion, personal experience, and/or society's expectations. Often, it is assumed that deaf people cannot contribute to society, unable to have a job, unable to read and write, drive, enroll in colleges and universities. It is that kind of attitude toward deaf people in society that hinders them from getting the right to access higher education.

Lack of Awareness

Many people are not aware that students with disabilities do have the right to access equity and quality education, including higher education. Along with misguided beliefs, people are not aware that deaf people can do many things. That includes higher education.

Also, there are some schools that are not aware of the kind of support services they should have in order to ensure an inclusive learning environment for students, especially students with disabilities. There is not enough training for teachers to learn about support services, or there are not enough qualified teachers, as well.

ASL Translation

Video Thumbnail Image Description: This video thumbnail shows Jamison, a Latino male with short blonde hair, wearing a black polo shirt with a white t-shirt under the polo shirt, wearing black glasses, standing in front of a brown background, he is signing "increase".