An Analysis of Passing in Postsecondary Students' Disclosure of Eligibility for Accommodations

• In Event: Enacting Disability Justice in Higher Education

Abstract

Disability Studies scholars have described the phenomenon of passing as (dis)abled as significant in the experience of disability. This research examines the role of passing in disability disclosure for postsecondary students who have accommodations. Twenty-eight students participated in a simulated meeting in which they disclosed their eligibility for accommodations with an actor-portrayed professor. This paper reports on students’ statements in the meeting, paired alongside their reflections from follow-up interviews. The data demonstrates how students attempt to pass by distancing themselves from accommodations, or conversely, by drawing attention to disability to legitimize their needs. Our analysis suggests that when engaging with a professor, efforts to pass demonstrates students' awareness of prejudice, while also potentially compromising their use of accommodations.

Authors

• Justin Freedman, Rowan University

• Casey Woodfield, Rowan University

• Alicia Marie Drelick, Rowan University