IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/edt/jsserr/v12y2025i1p160-170.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Navigating the Campus: Accessibility Challenges for Students with Disabilities

Author

Listed:
  • Easaw Alemayehu ASSEFA

    (Displaced International, USA)

  • Chehos Kebede ZENEBE

    (Cruise School, Ethiopia)

Abstract

The research in this paper reviews the literature on students with disabilities (SWDs) in higher education to assess their access to education. show the need for every instructor and educational institution to ensure that students' needs are meet appropriately for every student. The research identifies three primary areas of accessibility challenges: originates physical, digital and social rules. Examples of physical barriers are barriers in the structures that include ramp, transport issues and reduced access to classes and other facilities. They pose challenges on student's mobility and engagement in the academic community. Digital accessibility problems stem from inadequate web-based learning interface design and absence of equally effective educational media in the form of text, which limits students' interaction with curricular content. Students with disability also suffer from social and emotional problems that include stigma, discrimination, and inadequate mental support and health care. The research also discusses the institutional responses to these challenges based on disability service and accommodation. It covers the kind of facilities provided and assesses the present service delivery system. Also, it provides information regarding the matters related to the access such as training programs for campus access audits. It is hereby important to note that the study reviews case studies of higher education institutions which are keen on promoting access for students with disabilities and demonstrates good practices as well as provides recommendations for other institutions. Though progress has been made, studies still lack focus that arises when disability intersects with other forms of diversity and the need for the study is still inadequately addressed. This paper ends by retracing the key lessons for policy and practice while calling on institutions not to overlook the importance of accessibility as a core responsibility. When higher education institutions encourage a culture of diversity and equality then the opportunities available within college can improve learning outcomes and remove barriers to success for the students.

Suggested Citation

  • Easaw Alemayehu ASSEFA & Chehos Kebede ZENEBE, 2025. "Navigating the Campus: Accessibility Challenges for Students with Disabilities," Social Sciences and Education Research Review, Department of Communication, Journalism and Education Sciences, University of Craiova, vol. 12(1), pages 160-170, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:edt:jsserr:v:12:y:2025:i:1:p:160-170
    DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15804534
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://sserr.ro/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/sserr-12-1-160-170.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.5281/zenodo.15804534?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Li, Huan & Lin, Jiaying & Wu, Hongyu & Li, Zhaojun & Han, Mengxue, 2021. "“How do I survive exclusion?” Voices of students with disabilities at China’s top universities," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    2. Bengt-Åke Lundvall, 2007. "National Innovation Systems—Analytical Concept and Development Tool," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(1), pages 95-119.
    3. Anabel Moriña & Víctor H. Perera & Rafael Carballo, 2020. "Training Needs of Academics on Inclusive Education and Disability," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(3), pages 21582440209, September.
    4. Warren E. Walker & Marjolijn Haasnoot & Jan H. Kwakkel, 2013. "Adapt or Perish: A Review of Planning Approaches for Adaptation under Deep Uncertainty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-25, March.
    5. Mohamed A. Zayed & Mohamed A. Moustafa & Musaddag Elrayah & Ibrahim A. Elshaer, 2024. "Optimizing Quality of Life of Vulnerable Students: The Impact of Physical Fitness, Self-Esteem, and Academic Performance: A Case Study of Saudi Arabia Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-21, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jiabin han & Ziyi Chen & Muhammad Zeeshan & Alam Rehman & Irfan Ullah & Suleman Sarwar, 2024. "The influence of civilized city honorary title on the urban innovation capacity," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(8), pages 20841-20867, August.
    2. Corradi, A.A., 2013. "Critical learning episodes in the evolution of Brazilian business start-ups: a theoretical and analytical tool," ISS Working Papers - General Series 559, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    3. Gabriel Porcile & Gilberto Tadeu Lima, 2023. "Rentiers, Strategic Public Goods and Financialization in the Periphery," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2023_03, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).
    4. Moon Gyu Kim & Ji-Hwan Lee & Taewoo Roh & Hosung Son, 2020. "Social Entrepreneurship Education as an Innovation Hub for Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: The Case of the KAIST Social Entrepreneurship MBA Program," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-23, November.
    5. Paredes-Frigolett, Harold & Pyka, Andreas & Leoneti, Alexandre Bevilacqua, 2021. "On the performance and strategy of innovation systems: A multicriteria group decision analysis approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    6. Ruiz, Walter & Spinola, Danilo & Villalba, Maria Luisa, 2025. "Simulating Innovation Systems and STI Policy: An Agent-Based Perspective," CAFE Working Papers 32, Centre for Accountancy, Finance and Economics (CAFE), Birmingham City Business School, Birmingham City University.
    7. Lucio, D. & Lara, J.L. & Tomás, A. & Losada, I.J., 2024. "Probabilistic assessment of climate-related impacts and risks in ports," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    8. Castellacci, Fulvio & Natera, Jose Miguel, 2013. "The dynamics of national innovation systems: A panel cointegration analysis of the coevolution between innovative capability and absorptive capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 579-594.
    9. Chulok Alexander, 2021. "Applying blended foresight methods for revealing incentives and future strategies of key national innovation system players," Engineering Management in Production and Services, Sciendo, vol. 13(4), pages 160-173, December.
    10. Yujin Jeong & Hyejin Jang & Byungun Yoon, 2021. "Developing a risk-adaptive technology roadmap using a Bayesian network and topic modeling under deep uncertainty," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(5), pages 3697-3722, May.
    11. Maxim Kotsemir & Alexander Abroskin & Dirk Meissner, 2013. "Innovation concepts and typology – an evolutionary discussion," HSE Working papers WP BRP 05/STI/2013, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    12. Terje Grønning & Siw Fosstenløkken, 2015. "The Learning Concept Within Innovation Systems Theorizing: A Narrative Review of Selected Publications on National and Regional Innovation Systems," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 6(2), pages 420-436, June.
    13. Colin David Reddy, 2024. "Nations’ share of innovative entrepreneurs: financial systems to the rescue in difficult institutional settings," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, December.
    14. Paola Rizzi & Anna Porębska, 2020. "Towards a Revised Framework for Participatory Planning in the Context of Risk," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-23, July.
    15. Kanchan Lala & Kunal Sinha, 2019. "Role of Technology Incubation in India’s Innovation System: A Case of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Incubation Centre," Millennial Asia, , vol. 10(1), pages 91-110, April.
    16. Chuks Otioma, 2023. "IT Capability, Organisational Learning and Innovation Performance of Firms in Kenya," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 14(3), pages 3489-3517, September.
    17. Ben R. Martin, 2016. "Twenty challenges for innovation studies," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 43(3), pages 432-450.
    18. Gabriel Porcile & Danilo Sartorello Spinola, 2018. "Natural, Effective and BOP-Constrained Rates of Growth: Adjustment Mechanisms and Closure Equations," PSL Quarterly Review, Economia civile, vol. 71(285), pages 139-160.
    19. Svetlana V. Ratner & Svetlana A. Balashova & Andrey V. Lychev, 2022. "The Efficiency of National Innovation Systems in Post-Soviet Countries: DEA-Based Approach," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(19), pages 1-23, October.
    20. Tatyana Kuznetsova & Stanislav Zaichenko, 2022. "R&D Funding Tools: Context And Application Within Global And Russian Practices," HSE Working papers WP BRP 124/STI/2022, National Research University Higher School of Economics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:edt:jsserr:v:12:y:2025:i:1:p:160-170. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dan Valeriu Voinea (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://cis01.central.ucv.ro/litere/cadr_juridic/departament_comunicare_jurnalism_stiinte_ale_educatiei/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.