ERIC EJ1123792: Disability Services Partnerships with Faculty Members

2016·0.35 MB·English

by  ERIC

Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 29(3), 215-220 215
Disability Services Partnerships with Faculty Members
Sally Scott1
Larry Markle2
Roger D. Wessel2
Jennifer Desmond2
Abstract
Creating impactful partnerships across university divisions can enhance the effectiveness and impact of the Disability
Services Office. Research has shown the benefits of practitioners and faculty members collaborating; however,
careful consideration and communication is needed in order for these collaborations to be successful and beneficial.
In this practice brief, successful collaborations are examined and suggestions are made for Disability Services to
foster partnerships with faculty members.
Keywords: Disability services, collaboration, partnerships
Higher education encourages and supports collabo- Academic Affairs or Equity and Inclusion. Duffy and
ration and partnerships across institutional divisions Gugerty (2005), in their examination of the roles that
(AAHE, ACPA, & NASPA, 1998). Collaboration Disability Services fulfills and how the structure of
can influence student learning and outcomes while the office interacts with the rest of campus, found that
promoting needed change and advancement for the Disability Services can operate from centralized or de-
effectiveness of an office (Kezar, 2009; Schroeder, centralized orientations. Centralized offices offer wide-
2003). For professionals to begin partnerships outside ranging services that provide multiple resources for
of their areas, there are many strategies to successfully disability-based needs. Decentralized offices provide
balance daily duties and form meaningful collabora- disability-based services not available elsewhere on
tions. Through strategic relationship building and campus. Both of these models, depending on the size,
understanding individual strengths, professionals can mission, and organizational structure of the campus,
form meaningful partnerships across divisions. have proven to be successful. However, both program
Disability Services is an important resource for models can be enhanced by collaborating and forming
students on campuses. Section 504 of the Rehabilita- partnerships across divisions as Disability Services
tion Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities should not work in a vacuum on campus (Association
Act (ADA) ratified in 1990, have played critical roles on Higher Education and Disability, n.d.).
in ensuring access to higher education for students with Along with verifying disabilities, ensuring rea-
disabilities (Madaus, 2011). By promoting inclusive sonable accommodations, and assisting students with
campus practices and facilitating reasonable accommo- disabilities, a priority for Disability Services should be
dations, Disability Services ensures that students with collaborating with faculty and staff (Cory, 2011). Col-
disabilities receive equal opportunity for education laboration across the university can ensure commitment
and the ability to succeed in college while preparing to the success of students with disabilities and can assist
for future careers. Disability Services professionals and faculty members
Disability Services function in varying administra- to better meet the needs of students with disabilities,
tive units; some offices work within the Division of and help foster an environment conducive to academic
Student Affairs while others function in divisions of success. Additionally, Disability Services assists the
1 The Association on Higher Education And Disability; 2 Ball State University
216 Scott, et al.; Disability Services Partnerships
university in complying with ADA regulations and golda (2005) encouraged those interested in building
civil rights while maintaining institutional academic partnerships across divisions to carefully examine
standards (Wessel, 2016). When faculty members themselves and the situation before proceeding. Creat-
have an understanding of the needs of students, they ing an effective partnership takes careful consideration
are able to create accommodations that allow students of not only the desired outcomes of the relationship but
to succeed academically while maintaining the rigor also an understanding of the cultural differences that
of the curriculum. Forming relationships with faculty can exist across divisions. Such cultural differences
and staff can foster partnerships to successfully meet could be the priorities of being student centered, re-
the needs of students across campus. search focused, or goal driven (Kezar, 2003). Effective
Collaboration across divisions or units has often collaborations should have “a meaningful, reciprocal,
been used as a catalyst for reform and ensuring best and responsive relationship” (Magolda, 2005, p. 18).
practice. Collaboration was positively implemented By embracing and understanding the different strengths
to enhance the training of future teachers (Sharpe, and weaknesses within the partnership, effective col-
Lounsbery, & Templin, 1997). The authors examined laboration can be accomplished.
a partnership between university faculty members and Katherine Stolz (2010) interviewed housing
K-12 public school teachers. They viewed this effort professionals working with students with disabilities
as a scholar-practitioner model of combining research about the successes or difficulties they faced in forming
and theory with the practical execution of working in partnerships across divisions. Participants identified
the field. The collaboration of these two perspectives size and decentralization of a university, organiza-
and insights allowed individuals to ensure college stu- tional hierarchy on campus, involvement in multiple
dents were receiving effective training for their future initiatives, understanding the needs of students with
careers. Through the data collected in this study, it disabilities, and the demand of keeping up with daily
was found that successful collaborations begin with tasks as barriers to forming meaningful partnerships.
a shared vision of the purpose of the partnership and These hindrances encompassed time constraints and
that the participants agree to defined roles. the perceived authority of individuals wanting to form
In the field of Disability Services, collaboration partnerships. However, aspects that helped them part-
can be an important practice for professionals in higher ner included being able to share a vision, joining com-
education. Practitioners seek to promote the devel- mittees, having a point person for the collaboration,
opment of their students throughout their university and understanding an institution’s history. Individuals
experiences. In particular, Disability Services aims to who were more involved on campus and were able to
help students transition from high school to college, relate to different departmental needs were able to form
develop while in college, and effectively find employ- successful partnerships. The participants of the study
ment after graduation (Scott, 1996). The additional witnessed the benefit of their partnerships through the
support that collaboration fosters for students with success of their students due to the added support that
disabilities can enhance their experiences and success was fostered across campus.
on campus, while spreading understanding of students Collaboration has the potential to benefit indi-
with disabilities to all sectors of the university commu- viduals working in higher education, and the impact
nity. In particular, the partnership between Disability can be seen through student experiences. Pursuing a
Services educators and faculty members can foster partnership takes careful consideration and strategy.
a relationship that enhances the effectiveness of the Best practices can inform successful collaborations,
office and impact with students. With the emergence and many practitioners can follow the steps to build
of universal design and it’s applications to college beneficial relationships across campus.
instruction, successful faculty and disability resource
partnerships in recent years have focused on ways to Disability Services Practitioner/Faculty Model
promote inclusive teaching (Roberts, Park, Brown, &
Cook, 2011). New types of partnerships describe the Disability Services professionals can form mean-
changing role of disability resource professionals to ingful partnerships to support the success of students
include that of assisting and supporting faculty with with disabilities. Forming partnerships with faculty
instructional design that anticipates diverse learners members can not only enhance support for students
(Scott & McGuire, in press). with disabilities on campus, but significant research
Despite mostly widespread success of partnerships can be conducted to inform best practices and revitalize
across divisions, there is some caution that collabora- policy and procedures for student success. A partner-
tion should not receive blind acceptance. Peter Ma- ship fostered between a disability services educator and
Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 29(3) 217
a faculty member at Ball State University, in Muncie, Disability Services educators work with faculty daily
Indiana, serves as a case study for creating impactful addressing student needs, and this creates a necessity
collaborations across campus. to foster relationships with faculty members and build
Educators at Ball State University have experi- credibility with them. Understanding faculty needs
enced a successful collaboration between Disability and actively working with them is critical to the work
Services, housed in Student Affairs, and academic in Disability Services and ensuring academic success
faculty who are members of Academic Affairs (Scott, for students with disabilities.
2015). The Director of Disability Services and a facul- Additionally, it is important to understand the
ty member from the Department of Educational Studies balance of roles between Disability Services and
began collaborating in 2004 to compare persistence to Academic Affairs educators. Disability Services prac-
graduation data for students with disabilities and other titioners do not always have the flexibility to partner
students on campus (Wessel, Jones, Westfall, & Mar- with faculty members on their desired research topics
kle, 2009). Although this collaboration started with a (Scott, 2015). Practitioners must be accountable to
specific task in mind, this partnership has continued to their supervisors; the Office of Disability Services
focus on Disability Services and related research. For often determines the primary focus or projects and the
faculty members, especially those on the tenure track, ability to collaborate. If a project does not contribute
these partnerships provide excellent opportunities for to work of Disability Services, or the experience of
scholarship and service. For Disability Services pro- students with disabilities, it is likely not a beneficial
fessionals, who are working directly with students with collaboration to pursue.
disabilities, these partnerships provide best practices These are a few of the key characteristics in
based on research and experience. building the relationship for a successful partnership.
Identifying defined roles within the collaboration and
Roles having a shared vision within separate departments are
Successful partnerships exist when interest in critical factors for success.
contemporary issues are combined with an under-
standing of the research to complement best practices Benefits and Challenges
for working with students with disabilities. Creating This partnership at Ball State between offices
distinct roles is an imperative first step. At Ball State embedded in separate divisions of the university
partnering a faculty member with a Disability Ser- has developed scholarship related to postsecondary
vices professional allowed a topic to be approached disability. For example, partnerships have included
from two unique and specific vantage points. The research studies on implications for performance based
Disability Services professional effectively identified outcomes related to graduation rates for students with
a topic to be studied, assisted with access to data or disabilities (Knight, Wessel, & Markle, in press); at-
study participants, and discussed implications. The tendant care for students with disabilities (Burwell,
faculty member was more equipped to formulate the Wessel, & Mulvihill, 2015); pre-enrollment consid-
purpose and research question(s), conduct the literature erations of undergraduate wheelchair users and their
review, and design the method and statistical analyses post-enrollment transitions (Wessel, Jones, Blanch,
of the project. Through their varying perspectives & Markle, 2015); faculty mentorship and transition
and administrative homes, these partners were able to experiences for students with disabilities (Patrick &
approach a research project from multiple dimensions Wessel, 2013); and the experiences of students using
that foster enrichment in both of their lives and data power wheelchairs in a collegiate athletic club (Wessel,
that can enrich policy and practice. Wentz, & Markle, 2011). Additionally, the partnership
However, it is necessary to recognize the different has benefitted Ball State University by sharing results
focus and needs of practitioners and faculty members. of research projects at multiple professional confer-
Disability Services educators often spend their days ences. Also, this partnership was the impetus behind
working directly with students to identify barriers to the receipt of a United States Department of Education
their success and negotiating reasonable accommoda- demonstration grant that focused on a student-faculty
tions. Often, conducting research is not a part of the mentorship program ensuring a smooth transition to
regular routine for practitioners who are consumed with college for students with disabilities. The Director of
other daily duties. The benefits for faculty members, Disability Services served as co-principal investigators
who are expected to be scholarly, are an enhanced of this grant with faculty members.
research agenda. The primary benefits for the Dis- However, as with any collaboration, there are
ability Services professional are equally rewarding. challenges to overcome. In order to address research
218 Scott, et al.; Disability Services Partnerships
questions, there needs to be pertinent data to analyze. Conclusion
The partners must work together to develop a research
agenda and obtain archival data. In cases where data Collaborating with other educators outside of their
does not exist, collaborators must gather data. Fur- own administrative area can be a meaningful practice
thermore, sometimes Disability Services professionals for Disability Services professionals. The ability to
must convince supervisors that conducting research is partner with faculty members not only contributes to
an important part of the job in a field when research is the Disability Services literature, but it also improves
not part of everyday practice. When partners are able practice on their campus, and creates a broader support
to overcome challenges like these, rewarding partner- for students with disabilities on campus and enhances
ships can be formed to enhance the effectiveness of a their experiences. Disability Services educators may
Disability Services office. personally and professionally benefit from partnering
with faculty members, and students with disabilities
Lessons Learned and Suggestions on college campuses may benefit as well.
By combining interests and specialties, Disability
Services educators and faculty members are able to
produce scholarship that may have not been able to be
completed without the partnership. Disability Services
has access to a population of students and data that
may be difficult for a researcher to obtain. Through
a practitioner/faculty model, combining interests and
resources has the ability to produce rich insights in the
postsecondary disability field.
Research has the potential to play a significant
role in the work of Disability Services practitioners.
By engaging in research, policy and practice can be
revised to enhance the quality of Disability Services
everywhere. Through networks and professional con-
nections, Disability Services professionals can easily
share their findings and encourage other professionals
to seek out opportunities to contribute to the field and
student experience.
Similarly, faculty members can benefit from
partnering with practitioners. Faculty can sometimes
become isolated on college campuses through their
individual research endeavors, and with the addition
of readily available technology, some faculty do not
even need to come to campus. This can be a lonely
profession. However, when faculty members partner
with practitioners not only do they gain the benefits of
collaborating and learning from others, their own re-
search and teaching can be informed by best practices.
Relationship building is a key component to foster-
ing successful partnerships across university divisions.
Disability Services needs to get to know the faculty
and learn of their research interests. There are often
many ways Disability Services and faculty members
can collaborate if they are willing to reach out and
form relationships.
Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 29(3) 219
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About the Authors
Sally S. Scott received her Ph.D. from the University of
Virginia. Her experience includes working as director
of disability resources and faculty member on multiple
campuses including the University of Mary Washing-
ton, the University of Connecticut, and the University of
Georgia. She is currently Senior Research Associate for
the Association on Higher Education and Disability and
the National Center on College Students with Disabili-
ties. Her research interests include postsecondary dis-
ability program development and evaluation, universal
design for instruction (UDI), and use of evidence-based
practices in the field of postsecondary disability. She
can be reached by email at [email protected].
Larry Markle is the director of Disability Services at
Ball State University. He is a past president of the In-
diana Association on Higher Education and Disability
and serves on the review board for the Journal of Post-
secondary Education and Disability. He can be reached
by email at [email protected].
Roger Wessel received his bachelor’s degree in Biblical
Studies from Lee University, and master’s and doctor of
philosophy degrees in higher education from Southern
Illinois University at Carbondale. He is a professor of
higher education in the Department of Educational
Studies at Ball State University, and has worked in
multiple academic and student support offices. He can
be reached by email at [email protected].
Jennifer Desmond received her B.A. degree in Political
Science from The University of Maine and is currently
pursuing her M.A. degree in Student Affairs Adminis-
tration in Higher Education from Ball State University.
Her professional experience includes Honors College
program development and student advising, student
leadership development programs, and study abroad.
She is currently a Graduate Assistant in the Office of
Student Life and Practicum Student in the Office of
Disability Services. Her current research is focused
on factors enhancing student leadership development
including optimized study abroad experiences. She can
be reached by email at [email protected].