Influence of Social Factors on Student Satisfaction Among College Students With Disabilities

A significant body of research on student retention reflects that social and environmental factors influence continued enrollment in post-secondary education and academic success. Yet, for students with disabilities, more emphasis is placed on accommodations, access, and support services without sufficient attention to the social aspect of the student experience. In this study, we investigated belonging as a primary contributor to student satisfaction and examined the degree to which other social factors modified this relationship among a sample of students with disabilities attending public, 4-year universities. A higher sense of belonging was associated with greater student satisfaction in our sample. Through multiple mediation modeling, we found that self-advocacy and perception of the campus climate toward students with disabilities independently modified the relationship between belonging and student satisfaction. These results have important implications for understanding the influence of belonging and student satisfaction, and supporting and retaining students with disabilities

Research and Practical Considerations for Rehabilitation Transition Collaboration

Transition collaboration has been discussed as a potential coupler, joining secondary and postsecondary professionals\u27 efforts to improve transition outcomes. Although transition collaboration remains understudied and under discussed, there is growing attention to rehabilitation professionals\u27 participation. Among rehabilitation professionals involved in transition are state vocational rehabilitation counselors, community rehabilitation providers, and centers for independent living personnel, all of which have related but distinctive roles. The purpose of this article is to stimulate discussion and generate knowledge regarding transition collaboration by updating and extending the Oertle and Trach (2007) transition literature review that emphasized rehabilitation professionals\u27 involvement in transition collaboration. Operationally defined practices and a structural and measurement model are proposed. The implications for rehabilitation are discussed and recommendations for improvement are offered