Online support information for students with disabilities in colleges and universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Issue 1 (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meleo-Erwin, Zoë; Kollia, Betty; Fera, Joe; Jahren, Alyssa; Basch, Corey
• Is Part Of: Disability and health journal. Volume 14:Issue 1(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- Students with disabilities -- Accessibility -- Online resources -- Equity; People with disabilities -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; Disabled Persons -- Periodicals; Health Education -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 362.4
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2020.101013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1936-6574

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid shift to remote instruction. This may have caused particular challenges for students with disabilities. Objective: We aimed to describe the availability of remote instruction and counseling resources on the disability/accessibility websites of colleges and universities in the greater New York City area. At the time this study was conducted, this region was the global COVID-19 epicenter. Methods: All colleges/universities in the New York City metropolitan area were identified using Petersen's online search guide. Descriptive information (institution's name, size, and location) was recorded. The disability/accessibility pages of websites were located and examined for remote instructional resources for both educators and for students, a way to make an appointment with the counseling center (phone number and/or email address), and a link to the counseling center. Descriptive statistics were recorded (percentages of small, medium, large size institutions, mean, median, range and standard deviations of enrollments, and number and percentage of institutions that provided online accessibility resources) and one-sided Chi square tests were conducted to test the relationship between school size and the availability of resources. Results: 17% of the colleges/universities had no link to disability/accessibility services on their websites. Of the remaining 127 institutions, few made the aforementioned resources available on the disability/accessibility page. The most prevalent resource observed was providing students with remote instruction assistance. The association between school size and the aforementioned resources was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Making information available to students with disabilities is a fundamental part of accessibility in higher education. Doing so is all the more necessary given the challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges which are likely to continue for years to come. Highlights: Students with disabilities face continued barriers in higher education. COVID-19 necessitated a swift shift to remote instruction. The accessibility pages of colleges/universities in the NY/NJ/CT area were examined for remote instruction and counseling resources. Most institutions lacked ways to make a counseling appointment or remote instruction resources on accessibility pages. Providing accessible counseling and instruction information is fundamental part of equity and vital during a pandemic.