DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/8SAC-4139
Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0003-4066-9027
Defense Date
2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Education
First Advisor
LaRon A. Scott, Ed.D.
Second Advisor
Yaoying Xu, Ph.D.
Third Advisor
Colleen Thoma, Ph.D.
Fourth Advisor
Debra Holzberg, Ph.D.
Abstract
Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are pursuing college at higher rates than ever before. However, many of these students experience barriers to success in college and need to self-advocate for their needs, such as requesting academic accommodations. This study examined the effects of a virtually delivered self-advocacy intervention package on the abilities of college students with IDD to request their academic accommodations. This is the first study to virtually implement a modified version of the Self-Advocacy and Conflict Resolution strategy with college students with IDD. Using a single-subject multiple-probe across participants design, this study was implemented with three student participants attending an inclusive higher education program. Findings reveal moderate to strong evidence of a functional relation between the intervention and the students’ abilities to request academic accommodations. Future research can replicate this study to enhance its external validity and help more college students with IDD gain further self-advocacy skills, particularly to enhance their knowledge of self, knowledge of rights, communication, and leadership; components of self-advocacy addressed in the current research. Inclusive higher education staff members can also adopt this study’s procedures to help ease their students’ with IDD transitions from high school to college and enhance their abilities to independently ask for what they need in inclusive environments. Finally, this study has implications for policy, including the need for continued federal support encouraging youth with IDD to be included in college, which has been shown to positively influence their skills for self-advocacy and overall quality of life.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
9-23-2020