Making Disability Visible in Higher Education Research: Addressing Quantitative, Qualitative, and Theoretical Limitations

Despite the rapid increase in the number of college students with disabilities, higher education research has not systematically addressed the unique experiences of this rapidly growing population. As such, the literature about college students with disabilities is disproportionately small and substantively inadequate to serve as a foundation for effective higher education policy or practice. Between May 30 and June 1, 2018, seventeen disability scholars will convene for a conference titled Making Disability Visible in Higher Education Research Addressing Quantitative, Qualitative, and Theoretical Limitations. At this conference, interdisciplinary scholars from across the United States will 1) document the issues (and potential solutions for) the measurement challenges (qualitative, quantitative, theoretical) related to the study of college students with disabilities; 2) articulate a collaborative research agenda for disability in higher education that addresses quantitative, qualitative, and theoretical methodological challenges; and 3) develop and publish guidelines for the incorporation of Universal Design (UD) into research on college students. The conference will take place at the Whispering Pines Conference Center in Rhode Island.,