Predicting assistive technology service utilization and grade point average for postsecondary students with disabilities

2020 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.Postsecondary students with disabilities (SWD) face many barriers in their educational endeavors. Assistive technology (AT) is a necessary accommodation for postsecondary SWD intended to increase equitable access to physical and virtual educational environments. Despite the availability of AT for postsecondary SWD, barriers to equal educational opportunities persist. There is limited evidence demonstrating who is using AT or its impact on objective measures of academic performance, such as GPA. This study seeks to fill these evidence gaps. In addition to AT use, there are multiple potential predictors of GPA. The Human Activity Assistive Technology (HAAT) model specifies a transactional relationship between the person, their activity, context, and AT. Each of these pieces interact to influence the outcome. This model was used to consider multiple factors which may influence the outcome of GPA. The purposes of this study were to 1) explore predictors of AT service utilization, 2) determine if AT service utilization or other personal or contextual factors predict GPA, and 3) identify a relationship between objective academic performance (GPA) and subjective academic performance (modified Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (mCOPM)). Binomial logistic regression was used to explore whether AT service utilization is related to first-generation status, disability diagnostic category, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and/or major. Multiple linear regression was used to determine if final cumulative GPA could be predicted by AT service utilization, first-generation status, disability diagnostic category, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and/or major. Finally, Pearson correlation was used to identify a relationship between GPA and mCOPM. While the full model used to explore predictors of AT service utilization was not statistically significant (χ 2 = 15.62, df = 10, p = 0.11, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.026), we found first-generation students were significantly more likely to seek AT services, while students with psychological and cognitive disabilities were significantly less likely. The full model used to determine predictors of GPA significantly explained approximately 4% of variation in GPA (R2 = 0.043, F = 2.81, df = 694, p = 0.001). AT service utilization, first-generation status, and multiple disabilities were significant predictors of students' cumulative GPA. In particular, SWD who utilized AT services earned a 0.14 higher GPA than their peers who did not use AT. Additionally, we found a small but statistically significant correlation between GPA and self-perceived academic performance (r = 0.21, p < 0.01) and satisfaction (r = 0.21, p < 0.01) as measured by the mCOPM. Our research indicates personal characteristics, such as being a first-generation college student and type of disability can predict AT service utilization, and AT service utilization is among factors associated with earning a higher GPA. These findings have implications for universities, AT service providers, and SWD. Universities and service providers should be intentional and strategic about promoting AT services to students who are less likely to pursue them, while understanding and emphasizing the relationship between using AT services and increased GPA