An Awakening Consciousness: Underrepresented and Racially Minoritized (URM) Disabled College Student Perceptions

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 12:40 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Graduate Student Experience and Institutional Structures (Table 9)

Abstract

There has been considerable research related to racialized or disabled experiences in higher education but limited research examining racialized, disabled experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore how six Underrepresented and Racially Minoritized (URM) disabled students across 3 higher education institutions experienced higher education. Using a DisCrit framework ,semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups were conducted. This study found that racialized experiences were more tangible for students to perceive than disabled experiences, representation on campuses lacked representation needed to meet URM disabled student’s needs and being in a URM disabled student community initiated a perception of asset-based perceptions of racialized, disabled experiences. Findings can provide knowledge to create structures that prioritizes URM disabled students’ equitable higher education experiences.

Author

• Warren Edward Whitaker, Molloy University