Advantages of developing survey constructs when comparing educational supports offered to students with disabilities in postsecondary education

Abstract

Legislation [1,8] and a competitive labor market have resulted in a significant increase in the number of students with disabilities enrolled in postsecondary education [17]. Nevertheless, the provision of supports and accommodations is primarily limited by financial constraints. With financial supports in decline at postsecondary institutions, it is critical to determine the factors that contribute to services that are effective, appropriate, and proven to foster success. Unfortunately, few studies have done this. Further, it is unknown if supports commonly utilized in postsecondary programs are effective. This study utilized exploratory factor analysis of repeatedly administered surveys (1999–2001) to determine: (a) if the survey items grouped into meaningful constructs that represent services provided to students with disabilities, (b) if the constructs exhibited a significant difference between two and four-year institutions, and (c) if the constructs changed over time. The analysis revealed that the 34 survey items grouped well into four constructs titled Strategies, Assistive Technology, Accommodations, and Vocation/Work Support. Some of the constructs exhibited significant differences between two-year and four-year institutions and over time. Further, this analysis indicates that constructs of appropriately grouped survey items are a more reliable and efficient measure of support services than individual item analysis commonly used in survey research.