Faculty and Instructor Perception of Disability Support Services and Student Communication

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe perceptions of the importance of disability support services and expectations of disability verification and student communication. Participants were 240 faculty and 119 instructional academic staff at a large midwestern research university. Specific disability support services were found to be at least somewhat important with most being at least moderately important. Formal verification of disability was found to be more important for students with learning and psychiatric disabilities than for students with physical and sensory disabilities (p < .001). Although direct communication was considered important for all students, it was more important for students with psychiatric disabilities than for those with learning (p < .001) or sensory disabilities (p =.001).

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