National Disability Center
@natldisability.bsky.social
Over 4 million college students have a disability. But the actionable #edresearch foundation to support their success doesn’t exist — until now. | #IESfunded
How do developmental courses help students using disability services?
- Higher engagement scores
- Increased confidence in academic skills
- Stronger preparation for career planning
What other reasons can you think of to support students enrolled in developmental courses?
- Higher engagement scores
- Increased confidence in academic skills
- Stronger preparation for career planning
What other reasons can you think of to support students enrolled in developmental courses?
December 1, 2025 at 3:31 PM
How do developmental courses help students using disability services?
- Higher engagement scores
- Increased confidence in academic skills
- Stronger preparation for career planning
What other reasons can you think of to support students enrolled in developmental courses?
- Higher engagement scores
- Increased confidence in academic skills
- Stronger preparation for career planning
What other reasons can you think of to support students enrolled in developmental courses?
What does it mean to design for all?
Accessible design ensures everyone, including people with disabilities, can use, navigate, and understand digital content. Accessibility isn’t a feature. It’s a shared responsibility.
Check out this best practice on our website!
Accessible design ensures everyone, including people with disabilities, can use, navigate, and understand digital content. Accessibility isn’t a feature. It’s a shared responsibility.
Check out this best practice on our website!
November 24, 2025 at 4:10 PM
What does it mean to design for all?
Accessible design ensures everyone, including people with disabilities, can use, navigate, and understand digital content. Accessibility isn’t a feature. It’s a shared responsibility.
Check out this best practice on our website!
Accessible design ensures everyone, including people with disabilities, can use, navigate, and understand digital content. Accessibility isn’t a feature. It’s a shared responsibility.
Check out this best practice on our website!
What can institutions do to make disclosure easier?
- Build trust through transparency
- De-silo disability services
- Train faculty to respond with empathy
- Track progress beyond compliance
Accessibility grows when every level of campus works together.
Comment your tips below!
- Build trust through transparency
- De-silo disability services
- Train faculty to respond with empathy
- Track progress beyond compliance
Accessibility grows when every level of campus works together.
Comment your tips below!
November 20, 2025 at 3:53 PM
What can institutions do to make disclosure easier?
- Build trust through transparency
- De-silo disability services
- Train faculty to respond with empathy
- Track progress beyond compliance
Accessibility grows when every level of campus works together.
Comment your tips below!
- Build trust through transparency
- De-silo disability services
- Train faculty to respond with empathy
- Track progress beyond compliance
Accessibility grows when every level of campus works together.
Comment your tips below!
What makes formal systems hard to access?
- Long approval times
- Documentation hurdles
- Limited staff or resources
- Complex registration processes
Accessibility should not depend on endurance.
What steps is your university taking to make this process easier for students?
- Long approval times
- Documentation hurdles
- Limited staff or resources
- Complex registration processes
Accessibility should not depend on endurance.
What steps is your university taking to make this process easier for students?
November 3, 2025 at 4:21 PM
What makes formal systems hard to access?
- Long approval times
- Documentation hurdles
- Limited staff or resources
- Complex registration processes
Accessibility should not depend on endurance.
What steps is your university taking to make this process easier for students?
- Long approval times
- Documentation hurdles
- Limited staff or resources
- Complex registration processes
Accessibility should not depend on endurance.
What steps is your university taking to make this process easier for students?
How can faculty make disclosure feel safe?
- Offering multiple ways for students to connect
- Anonymous check-ins
- Flexible communication or open dialogue
These support strategies can make a meaningful difference! What other strategies can you think of? Comment below!
- Offering multiple ways for students to connect
- Anonymous check-ins
- Flexible communication or open dialogue
These support strategies can make a meaningful difference! What other strategies can you think of? Comment below!
October 27, 2025 at 8:01 PM
How can faculty make disclosure feel safe?
- Offering multiple ways for students to connect
- Anonymous check-ins
- Flexible communication or open dialogue
These support strategies can make a meaningful difference! What other strategies can you think of? Comment below!
- Offering multiple ways for students to connect
- Anonymous check-ins
- Flexible communication or open dialogue
These support strategies can make a meaningful difference! What other strategies can you think of? Comment below!
Why do some students hesitate to disclose a disability?
Past experiences and stigma often create emotional barriers. Building trust starts with listening and reducing judgment. Checking in and adjusting support over time, also ensures that students continue to have what they need to succeed.
Past experiences and stigma often create emotional barriers. Building trust starts with listening and reducing judgment. Checking in and adjusting support over time, also ensures that students continue to have what they need to succeed.
October 20, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Why do some students hesitate to disclose a disability?
Past experiences and stigma often create emotional barriers. Building trust starts with listening and reducing judgment. Checking in and adjusting support over time, also ensures that students continue to have what they need to succeed.
Past experiences and stigma often create emotional barriers. Building trust starts with listening and reducing judgment. Checking in and adjusting support over time, also ensures that students continue to have what they need to succeed.
Disability disclosure is complex, shaped by overlapping identities and stigma.
In higher ed:
- 20% disclose to instructor without a letter
- 23% disclose with letter
- 29% to institution
- 56% to peers
Many choose not to disclose at all.
In higher ed:
- 20% disclose to instructor without a letter
- 23% disclose with letter
- 29% to institution
- 56% to peers
Many choose not to disclose at all.
October 6, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Disability disclosure is complex, shaped by overlapping identities and stigma.
In higher ed:
- 20% disclose to instructor without a letter
- 23% disclose with letter
- 29% to institution
- 56% to peers
Many choose not to disclose at all.
In higher ed:
- 20% disclose to instructor without a letter
- 23% disclose with letter
- 29% to institution
- 56% to peers
Many choose not to disclose at all.
De-siloing mental health matters. Too often supports are fragmented and students fall through the cracks.
Key pain points include:
- Rising needs post-COVID
- Outreach often missed
- Low disclosure
- Off-campus gaps
- Faculty stretched thin
Ever wondered how your institution can support?
Key pain points include:
- Rising needs post-COVID
- Outreach often missed
- Low disclosure
- Off-campus gaps
- Faculty stretched thin
Ever wondered how your institution can support?
September 29, 2025 at 3:06 PM
De-siloing mental health matters. Too often supports are fragmented and students fall through the cracks.
Key pain points include:
- Rising needs post-COVID
- Outreach often missed
- Low disclosure
- Off-campus gaps
- Faculty stretched thin
Ever wondered how your institution can support?
Key pain points include:
- Rising needs post-COVID
- Outreach often missed
- Low disclosure
- Off-campus gaps
- Faculty stretched thin
Ever wondered how your institution can support?
Disability Cultural Centers are cultural anchors that make disability part of campus life—not just accommodations.
Why establish a DCC?
- Identity development
- Visibility for disability
- Community + connection
- Celebrating strengths
- Space for tough conversations
What reasons can you think of?
Why establish a DCC?
- Identity development
- Visibility for disability
- Community + connection
- Celebrating strengths
- Space for tough conversations
What reasons can you think of?
September 22, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Disability Cultural Centers are cultural anchors that make disability part of campus life—not just accommodations.
Why establish a DCC?
- Identity development
- Visibility for disability
- Community + connection
- Celebrating strengths
- Space for tough conversations
What reasons can you think of?
Why establish a DCC?
- Identity development
- Visibility for disability
- Community + connection
- Celebrating strengths
- Space for tough conversations
What reasons can you think of?
Relational mentorship tips:
- Listen first
- Do your homework
- Share your story
- Advocate for access
- Know campus resources
- Build social capital
Access grows when mentors and students learn together.
What tips can you think of? Comment below!
- Listen first
- Do your homework
- Share your story
- Advocate for access
- Know campus resources
- Build social capital
Access grows when mentors and students learn together.
What tips can you think of? Comment below!
September 15, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Relational mentorship tips:
- Listen first
- Do your homework
- Share your story
- Advocate for access
- Know campus resources
- Build social capital
Access grows when mentors and students learn together.
What tips can you think of? Comment below!
- Listen first
- Do your homework
- Share your story
- Advocate for access
- Know campus resources
- Build social capital
Access grows when mentors and students learn together.
What tips can you think of? Comment below!
Mentorship helps disabled students navigate college, access, and careers. Relational mentoring builds trust, grows both mentor and mentee, and supports success through shared learning and advocacy.
Share your experience in the comments!
Share your experience in the comments!
September 8, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Mentorship helps disabled students navigate college, access, and careers. Relational mentoring builds trust, grows both mentor and mentee, and supports success through shared learning and advocacy.
Share your experience in the comments!
Share your experience in the comments!
Ever wondered what the most-used accommodations in college looks like?
- 48% extra time on tests
- 32% quiet test settings
- 16% alternative formats
- 14% assistive tech
- 9% note-taking support
- 4% speech-to-text or captions
- 2% large print/Braille, interpreters, or organizers
- 48% extra time on tests
- 32% quiet test settings
- 16% alternative formats
- 14% assistive tech
- 9% note-taking support
- 4% speech-to-text or captions
- 2% large print/Braille, interpreters, or organizers
September 2, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Ever wondered what the most-used accommodations in college looks like?
- 48% extra time on tests
- 32% quiet test settings
- 16% alternative formats
- 14% assistive tech
- 9% note-taking support
- 4% speech-to-text or captions
- 2% large print/Braille, interpreters, or organizers
- 48% extra time on tests
- 32% quiet test settings
- 16% alternative formats
- 14% assistive tech
- 9% note-taking support
- 4% speech-to-text or captions
- 2% large print/Braille, interpreters, or organizers
Tips for faculty to support disabled students:
- Welcoming tone
- Learn from students
- Use visual cues
- Add access tech
- Flexible deadlines
- Varied office hours
- Multiple response options
- Guide group work
- Review workload
- Welcoming tone
- Learn from students
- Use visual cues
- Add access tech
- Flexible deadlines
- Varied office hours
- Multiple response options
- Guide group work
- Review workload
August 25, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Tips for faculty to support disabled students:
- Welcoming tone
- Learn from students
- Use visual cues
- Add access tech
- Flexible deadlines
- Varied office hours
- Multiple response options
- Guide group work
- Review workload
- Welcoming tone
- Learn from students
- Use visual cues
- Add access tech
- Flexible deadlines
- Varied office hours
- Multiple response options
- Guide group work
- Review workload
Tips to help students with disabilities (or not) start their semester strong:
- Request slides in advance
- Try access tech
- Share what works
- Plan ahead
- Build peer networks
- Meet professors early
- Use reflective work
- Advocate for peers
- Use campus services
- Request slides in advance
- Try access tech
- Share what works
- Plan ahead
- Build peer networks
- Meet professors early
- Use reflective work
- Advocate for peers
- Use campus services
August 18, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Tips to help students with disabilities (or not) start their semester strong:
- Request slides in advance
- Try access tech
- Share what works
- Plan ahead
- Build peer networks
- Meet professors early
- Use reflective work
- Advocate for peers
- Use campus services
- Request slides in advance
- Try access tech
- Share what works
- Plan ahead
- Build peer networks
- Meet professors early
- Use reflective work
- Advocate for peers
- Use campus services
Language and identity can be complex.
Some prefer identity-first language (e.g., disabled person) while others use person-first (e.g., person with a disability).
Which should you use? Start by asking—don’t assume. Respecting individual preference matters.
Some prefer identity-first language (e.g., disabled person) while others use person-first (e.g., person with a disability).
Which should you use? Start by asking—don’t assume. Respecting individual preference matters.
August 11, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Language and identity can be complex.
Some prefer identity-first language (e.g., disabled person) while others use person-first (e.g., person with a disability).
Which should you use? Start by asking—don’t assume. Respecting individual preference matters.
Some prefer identity-first language (e.g., disabled person) while others use person-first (e.g., person with a disability).
Which should you use? Start by asking—don’t assume. Respecting individual preference matters.
What does real support look like on campus?
- Universal resources
- Proactive access
- Asset-based mindsets
- Legal compliance and culture change
Access starts with action, not just policy.
What’s one strategy you’ve seen work?
- Universal resources
- Proactive access
- Asset-based mindsets
- Legal compliance and culture change
Access starts with action, not just policy.
What’s one strategy you’ve seen work?
August 4, 2025 at 3:39 PM
What does real support look like on campus?
- Universal resources
- Proactive access
- Asset-based mindsets
- Legal compliance and culture change
Access starts with action, not just policy.
What’s one strategy you’ve seen work?
- Universal resources
- Proactive access
- Asset-based mindsets
- Legal compliance and culture change
Access starts with action, not just policy.
What’s one strategy you’ve seen work?
Support helps students stay in college but many resources are reactive, siloed, or hard to access. Access isn’t just about accommodations. It’s about systems that work for everyone—no disclosure needed.
Comment and let us know what helped you feel supported on campus!
Comment and let us know what helped you feel supported on campus!
July 28, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Support helps students stay in college but many resources are reactive, siloed, or hard to access. Access isn’t just about accommodations. It’s about systems that work for everyone—no disclosure needed.
Comment and let us know what helped you feel supported on campus!
Comment and let us know what helped you feel supported on campus!
Ever wondered how you can lead digital accessibility on your campus?
- Start with awareness
- Break silos
- Invest in accessibility roles
- Include disabled voices
- Think beyond compliance
Digital learning should work for every learner.
- Start with awareness
- Break silos
- Invest in accessibility roles
- Include disabled voices
- Think beyond compliance
Digital learning should work for every learner.
July 21, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Ever wondered how you can lead digital accessibility on your campus?
- Start with awareness
- Break silos
- Invest in accessibility roles
- Include disabled voices
- Think beyond compliance
Digital learning should work for every learner.
- Start with awareness
- Break silos
- Invest in accessibility roles
- Include disabled voices
- Think beyond compliance
Digital learning should work for every learner.
Digital access matters—especially in learning. UT Austin uses Ally, a tool in Canvas that helps faculty create more accessible course materials from the start. No extra steps. No waiting. Just better design for everyone.
July 14, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Digital access matters—especially in learning. UT Austin uses Ally, a tool in Canvas that helps faculty create more accessible course materials from the start. No extra steps. No waiting. Just better design for everyone.
What does access really look like in practice?
- Flexible deadlines
- Materials in advance
- Plan with access in mind
- Learn how disability impacts participation
Access grows when we lead with intention—not just policy.
- Flexible deadlines
- Materials in advance
- Plan with access in mind
- Learn how disability impacts participation
Access grows when we lead with intention—not just policy.
July 7, 2025 at 3:11 PM
What does access really look like in practice?
- Flexible deadlines
- Materials in advance
- Plan with access in mind
- Learn how disability impacts participation
Access grows when we lead with intention—not just policy.
- Flexible deadlines
- Materials in advance
- Plan with access in mind
- Learn how disability impacts participation
Access grows when we lead with intention—not just policy.
Ever wondered what access really means in college?
It’s more than just accommodations. It’s about how classrooms are built, materials are shared, and how students are expected to engage.
True access starts when systems are designed with disabled students in mind—not after!
It’s more than just accommodations. It’s about how classrooms are built, materials are shared, and how students are expected to engage.
True access starts when systems are designed with disabled students in mind—not after!
June 30, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Ever wondered what access really means in college?
It’s more than just accommodations. It’s about how classrooms are built, materials are shared, and how students are expected to engage.
True access starts when systems are designed with disabled students in mind—not after!
It’s more than just accommodations. It’s about how classrooms are built, materials are shared, and how students are expected to engage.
True access starts when systems are designed with disabled students in mind—not after!
Disability isn’t one size fits all. It can be physical, sensory, cognitive, or mental.
Some disabilities are visible, others are not. Some are lifelong, others temporary.
In higher education, understanding this range is essential to designing access that reflects real student experiences.
Some disabilities are visible, others are not. Some are lifelong, others temporary.
In higher education, understanding this range is essential to designing access that reflects real student experiences.
June 23, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Disability isn’t one size fits all. It can be physical, sensory, cognitive, or mental.
Some disabilities are visible, others are not. Some are lifelong, others temporary.
In higher education, understanding this range is essential to designing access that reflects real student experiences.
Some disabilities are visible, others are not. Some are lifelong, others temporary.
In higher education, understanding this range is essential to designing access that reflects real student experiences.
Access isn’t a checklist—it’s a commitment.
At the National Disability Center for Student Success, our research draws from lived experience to understand what helps disabled students thrive—improving inclusion, boosting graduation, and preparing for life after college.
At the National Disability Center for Student Success, our research draws from lived experience to understand what helps disabled students thrive—improving inclusion, boosting graduation, and preparing for life after college.
June 16, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Access isn’t a checklist—it’s a commitment.
At the National Disability Center for Student Success, our research draws from lived experience to understand what helps disabled students thrive—improving inclusion, boosting graduation, and preparing for life after college.
At the National Disability Center for Student Success, our research draws from lived experience to understand what helps disabled students thrive—improving inclusion, boosting graduation, and preparing for life after college.