A study to identify operational computer lab models and to develop an instrument to assist in evaluating programs that provide computer technology to accommodate needs of students with disabilities in higher education.

The problem of this research is to identify operational computer lab models and to develop an instrument to assist in evaluating programs that provide computer technology to accommodate needs of students with disabilities in higher education. The following research questions were answered: (1) What operational models for adaptive computer labs are currently being used within college and university environments? (2) What criteria are used to evaluate these operational models? (3) Can a self-evaluation instrument be designed to assist institutions of higher education determine the quality of their adaptive computer labs? A modified Delphi technique was used to arrive at consensus regarding essential elements to be used in the development of a self-evaluation instrument. Two panels were used for this study. The first panel formulated the components to develop the self-evaluation instrument and the second panel tested the self-evaluation instrument. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) There existed five operational models for adaptive computer labs being used within college and university environments which were the Holistic, Focused, Decentralized, Personalized, and Consulting Services models. (2) There existed ten criteria for computer lab models to accommodate all students (including students with disabilities that have not requested accommodation(s)) and eleven criteria for computer lab models to accommodate the students with disabilities who have requested to be accommodated. (3) To evaluation each of the criteria the ninety statements needed to be included in the instrument. (4) Yes, a self-evaluation instrument can be designed to assist institutions of higher education determine the quality of their adaptive computer labs. The overall process to develop the self-evaluation instrument and to test its usefulness not only provided important data to answer the research questions and design the instrument, but provided informative data regarding common practices and policies that existed at institutions of higher education to accommodate the computer needs of students with disabilities. This composite information allowed for the development of a self-evaluation instrument that was rated “very useful†and to gain insight into issues pertaining to future implementation