Historic Silences, Future Voices: Reconstructing Disability and Accommodation in Graduate Education

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Saturday 3:45 pm
  In Invited Poster Session: Division D Graduate Student In-Progress Research Poster Session

Abstract

Entering higher education often reflects a deeper calling and requires continual reflection and growth. This narrative inquiry examines graduate students with disabilities’ experiences with accommodations and day-to-day academic navigation across programs and institutional contexts. Using semi-structured interviews, it traces how institutional practices enable or constrain access and belonging. Aligned with Unforgetting Histories and Imagining Futures, the study amplifies marginalized voices to counter deficit narratives and envision more inclusive futures. Findings point to universal design and self-regulated learning as practical levers for change, collectively reimagining campuses where disabled students are recognized for agency and resilience, and positioned to lead equitable, systemic transformation.

Authors

• Juliana Hirn, University of Central Florida

• Amanda Elizabeth Evans, University of Central Florida

• Audra Skukauskaite, University of Central Florida