Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Non-disclosing students with disabilities or learning challenges: characteristics and size of a hidden population

  • Published:
The Australian Educational Researcher Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Internationally, university students with disabilities (SWD) are recognised as being under-represented in higher education. They face significant problems accessing appropriate accommodations for their disability. Academic outcomes for this group are lower in terms of achievement and graduation rates. The true size of the SWD group at university is suggested to be different to that reported due to students not disclosing their disability for a variety of reasons including stigma, fear of discrimination, past negative experiences, and gaps in knowledge about available institutional support and accommodations. Research suggests that students do not consider their issues to fall under the term disability, resulting in a hidden population of students who could be better supported by their university. Using an Australian regional university as a case study, this paper examines the SWD population by identifying both disclosed and non-disclosed SWD populations within the domestic undergraduate population as well as information on the nature of students’ diagnoses or assessment, not previously captured. Using an anonymous online survey which reframed disability using the non-deficit language of learning challenge, the population of those dealing with learning challenges, disclosed and non-disclosed, was identified and a population estimate calculated. Student characteristics that predicted non-disclosure and specific information on the nature of students’ diagnoses were made and have the potential to develop targeted institutional support for a population that is currently difficult to access.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altbach, P. G., Reisberg, L., & Rumbley, L. E. (2009). Trends in global higher education: Tracking an academic revolution. Paris: UNESCO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aronin, S., & Smith, M. (2016). One in four students suffer from mental health problems. Retrieved from https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/08/09/quarter-britains-students-are-afflicted-mental-hea/.

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2010). ABS sources of disability information: Australia 2003-2008 Information Paper. Cat. No. 4431.0.55.002 Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics.

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2013). Estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, June 2011. Cat. No. 3238.0 Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics.

  • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2004). Children with disabilities in Australia. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

    Google Scholar 

  • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2014). Towards a performance measurement framework for equity in higher education. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J., Cohen, P., West, S. G., & Aiken, L. S. (2003). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences (3rd ed.). London: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole, E. V., & Cawthon, S. W. (2015). Self-disclosure decisions of university students with learning disabilities. Journal of Postsecondary Education & Disability, 28(2), 163–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cortiella, C., & Horowitz, S. H. (2014). The state of learning disabilities: Facts, trends and emerging issues. New York: National Centre for Learning Disabilities.

    Google Scholar 

  • Couzens, D., Poed, S., Kataoka, M., Brandon, A., Hartley, J., & Keen, D. (2015). Support for students with hidden disabilities in universities: A case study. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 62(1), 24–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denhart, H. (2008). Deconstructing barriers: Perceptions of students labelled with learning disabilities in higher education. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41(6), 483–497.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dryer, R., Henning, M. A., Tyson, G. A., & Shaw, R. (2016). Academic achievement performance of university students with disability: exploring the influence of non-academic factors. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education.. doi:10.1080/1034912X.2015.1130217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fossey, E., Chaffey, L., Venville, A., Ennals, P., Douglas, J., & Bigby, C. (2015). Supporting tertiary students with disabilities: individualised and institution-level approaches in practice. Adelaide: NCVER.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gabel, S. L., & Miskovic, M. (2009). Discourse and the containment of disability in higher education: An institutional analysis. Disability & Society, 29(7), 1145–1158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, S. (2015). When rights are not enough: What is? Moving towards new pedagogy for inclusive education within UK universities. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 19(8), 875–886.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guri-Rosenblit, S. (2011). Opening up access to higher education: Implications and challenges. Raanana: The Open University of Israel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higher Education Statistics Agency. (2015a). First year UK domicilied HE students by level of study, sex, mode of study and disability 2013/14. Retrieved September 1, 2015 from www.hesa.ac.uk.

  • Higher Education Statistics Agency. (2015b). HESA UK new classifications for student disability by code. Retrieved August 19, 2015 from https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c14051/a/disable/.

  • Hunter, B. H., & Dungey, M. H. (2006). Creating a sense of “CLOSURE”: providing confidence intervals on some recent estimates of Indigenous populations. Canadian Studies in Population, 33(1), 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kilpatrick, S., Johns, S., Barnes, R., McLennan, D., Fischer, S., & Magnussen, K. (2016). Exploring the retention and success of students with disability. Hobart: University of Tasmania.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koshy, P., & Seymour, R. (2015). Student equity performance in Australian Higher Education: 2007–2014. Perth: Curtin University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laerd Statistics. (2015). Binomial logistic regression using SPSS Statistics: Statistical tutorials and software guides. Statistical tutorials and software guides. Retrieved from https://statistics.laerd.com.

  • Lightner, K. L., Kipps-Vaughan, D., Schulte, T., & Trice, A. D. (2012). Reasons university students with a learning disability wait to seek disability services. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 25(2), 145–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovett, B. J., Nelson, J. M., & Lindstrom, W. (2015). Documenting hidden disabilities in higher education: Analysis of recent guidance from the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 26(1), 44–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luzeckyj, A., King, S., Scutter, S., & Brinkworth, R. (2011). The significance of being first: A consideration of cultural capital in relation to “first in family” student’s choices of university and program. A Practice Report. The International Journal of the First Year Higher Education, 2(2), 91–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McAllister, M., Wynaden, D., Happell, B., Flynn, T., Walters, V., Duggan, R., et al. (2014). Staff experiences of providing support to students who are managing mental health challenges: A qualitative study from two Australian universities. Advances in Mental Health, 12(3), 192–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miskovic, M., & Gabel, S. L. (2012). When numbers don’t add up and words can’t explain: Challenges in defining disability in higher education. International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 6(3), 233–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulder, A. M., & Cashin, A. (2015). Health and wellbeing in students with very high psychological distress from a regional Australian university. Advances in Mental Health, 13(1), 72–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mullins, L., & Preyde, M. (2013). The lived experience of students with an invisible disability at a Canadian university. Disability & Society, 28(2), 147–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naylor, R., Baik, C., & James, R. (2013). Developing a critical intervention framework for advancing equity in Australian higher education. Melbourne: Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newman, L., & Madaus, J. (2015). Reported accommodations and supports provided to secondary and postsecondary students with disabilities: National perspective. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 38(3), 173–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newman, L., Wagner, M., Knokey, A.-M., Marder, C., Nagle, K., Shaver, D., et al. (2011). The post-secondary school outcomes of young adults with disabilities up to 8 years after high school: A report from the national longitudinal transition study-2 (NLTS2). (NCSER 2011–3005). Menlo Park, CA: National Center for Special Education Research.

  • Olney, M. F., & Brockelman, K. F. (2003). Out of the disability closet: strategic use of perception management by select university students with disabilities. Disability & Society, 18(1), 35–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Payne, T., & Irons, E. (2003). Learning disabilities resource package: Tools for assessing learning disability and supporting students with learning disability in Australian universities. Canberra: Department of Education, Science and Training.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, D. P. (2014). Stuck between a rock and a hard place: Exploring the lived experiences of college students who did not request accommodations. (Doctorate), Chapman University, College of Educational Studies Dissertations. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/ces_dissertations/1.

  • Ryan, J. (2005). ‘Uni is a serious thing, why are you here if you’ve got learning difficulties?’ Access and exclusion in higher education. Melbourne Studies in Education, 46(1), 73–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, J. (2007). Learning disabilities in Australian universities: Hidden, ignored and unwelcome. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40(5), 436–442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, J. (2011). Access and participation in higher education of students with disabilities: Access to what? Australian Education Researcher, 38(1), 73–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sakar, C., & Deming, E. W. (1949). On the method of estimating birth and death rates and extent of registration. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 44(1), 101–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • US Department of Education. (2011). Transition of students with disabilities to postsecondary education: A guide for high school students. Retrieved 21 October 16 from www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transitionguide.html.

  • Vickerman, P., & Blundell, M. (2010). Hearing the voices of disabled students in higher education. Disability & Society, 25(1), 21–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wynaden, D., McAllister, M., Tohotoa, J., AlOmari, O., Heslop, K., Duggan, R., et al. (2014). A silence of mental issues within university environments: A quantitative study. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 28(5), 339–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wynaden, D., Wichman, H., & Murray, S. (2013). A synopsis of the mental health concerns of university students: Results of a text-based online survey from one Australian univeristy. Higher Education Research and Development, 32(5), 846–860.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the support and research grant from the equity unit of the university. The university executive unit provided support and access to the students of the institution, and granted permission to publish the results of the survey. Professor Mardi Dungey, University of Tasmania, was generous with expertise regarding the use of the DSE methodology.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia

    Susan Grimes, Jill Scevak, Erica Southgate & Rachel Buchanan

Authors
  1. Susan Grimes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jill Scevak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Erica Southgate
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Rachel Buchanan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susan Grimes.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Grimes, S., Scevak, J., Southgate, E. et al. Non-disclosing students with disabilities or learning challenges: characteristics and size of a hidden population. Aust. Educ. Res. 44, 425–441 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-017-0242-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-017-0242-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation