Connecting Sense of Belonging with Accessibility

• In Event: Conceptualizing the New Accessibility in Higher Education: Leveraging Disruption for Transformative Opportunity

Abstract

Belonging is a basic human need (Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Baumeister, 2012; Maslow, 1962; Strayhorn, 2012, 2019). Yet, ableism (Dolmage, 2017) and inaccessible environments make it challenging for disabled persons to feel a sense of belonging within physical, social, and virtual spaces that do not fully meet their accessibility needs (Johnson & Strayhorn, 2022; Mahar et al., 2013; Raver et al., 2018; Robinson et al., 2020; Vaccaro et al., 2015). As such, our work is contextualized by numerous macro-level barriers to access related to recent national and international phenomena (i.e., the COVID-19 pandemic, expansion of artificial intelligence in education, Trump-era rhetoric). Although these three phenomena are not the focus of our panel discussion, we contend that they serve as important backdrops to the ways disabled people experience belonging, or lack thereof, in US society.
Feeling a sense of belonging can be especially important for the success of disabled college students. However, as we will discuss in this panel (and is evidenced throughout this symposium), disabled college students must navigate campus environments (and a country) replete with ableism. They also bring their experiences with belonging (or lack thereof) from K-12 and familial settings (in the form of expectations, fears, hopes, etc.) to institutions of higher education.
Historical and contemporary literature emphasizes the impact of students developing a sense of belonging within collegiate environments. However, social institutions (including postsecondary education) have long been documented as unwelcoming, inaccessible, and ableist environments that inhibit the sense of belonging for disabled people. Centering disabled college student voices gleaned from two qualitative studies, this panel discussion frames two theoretical models about the development of a sense of belonging for disabled students (Vaccaro et al., 2015; Vaccaro & Newman, 2016).
In this discussion, we weave together empirical literature, belonging models, student voices, and recommendations to provide educators with an array of tools to create conditions for belonging in their spheres of influence. First, we provide a short summary of a very long history of belonging scholarship. We contend that educators must first understand what belonging is and how it is fostered before they can create educational environments that are not only accessible but that also foster a sense of belonging in students. Pervasive ableism impacts the lives of disabled people in profound ways–and one of those ways is to inhibit belonging. We will then present our ongoing work with disabled students and belonging. As qualitative scholars, we believe there is much to learn from students. We hope audience members will agree as they are introduced to two specific theoretical models about belonging development (Vaccaro et al., 2015; Vaccaro & Newman, 2016) and explore direct quotes from disabled students about how their sense of belonging was fostered or inhibited by specific aspects of their collegiate environments. This panel discussion will conclude with a few recommendations for practice based on suggestions from our disabled students, our collective experiences as educators, and the literature.

Authors

• Annemarie Vaccaro, University of Rhode Island

• Adam Moore, University of Rhode Island

• Barbara M. Newman, University of Rhode Island

• Ezekiel Kimball, University of Maine