Perceptions of Students with Learning Disabilities on a University Campus

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed in 1990, prohibits discrimination against individuals with any physical and/or mental impairment(s) � ensuring equal access to education, employment, and other public accommodations nationwide. Perhaps an implication of the ADA, college campuses are experiencing increased enrollment rates among individuals with disabilities. The present study is designed to measure undergraduate students’ perceptions of individuals with learning disabilities, as well as their knowledge of the resources available at Central Washington University to support said individuals. Participants are asked to respond to forty-five questions using a Likert scale of 1 to 6 (1 = strongly disagree; 6 = strongly agree). Questions measure respondents’ own attitudes toward individuals with learning disabilities, in addition to their perceptions of other students’ attitudes. Although data collection is ongoing, preliminary data analysis has been conducted on responses from two male and three female undergraduate students, recruited from undergraduate psychology courses, and that have attended Central for one to three years. Data indicate that the majority of respondents view Central as welcoming towards individuals with disabilities (Mean = 5.56), in addition to providing more services for said individuals than do other universities (Mean = 4.44). While respondents agree with the statement that other students may ostracize those with disabilities (Mean = 4.11), they disagree that they, themselves, would feel nervous around someone with a disability (Mean = 1.89). These preliminary findings suggest that Central students, in general, support services for those with learning disabilities