Disability and higher education - what are the barrieres to participation?
Eva Magnus, Department of Social Work and Health Science, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
Abstract
Higher education is generally regarded as of importance for young people, and it can be argued that this applies in particular people with impairments. Norwegian research, for example, suggests that labour market participation is strongly associated with education. However, participation in higher education appears to be low. This can be due to barriers within the higher educations system itself, or in the everyday life as a student. The purpose of this study is to explore the everyday life of students with impairments, and describe the barriers disabled students are facing, and how disability and gender interact in Norwegian university/college education. A time geographic method, in-dept interviews and focus groups is employed. The approach is inspired by the grounded theory. The paper discusses experiences of students with impairments in higher education with main focus on participation. What obstacles are found, and what are the consequences for studies, for making own choices and for participation in the student life? What strategies do disabled students use to minimize the impact of existing barriers? The presentation relates to current policy on higher education and disability in Norway, and discusses in that context, the understanding of the concept of participation.