“It’s All About Learning as a Community”: Facilitating the Learning of Students With Disabilities in Higher Education Classrooms

Despite federal mandates to ensure accommodations for college students with disabilities, barriers to access and inclusion remain. This narrative study was focused on the classroom experiences of 13 college students with disabilities to explore their perspectives on what most facilitated and created barriers to their learning. Instructor messaging, classroom dynamics, and identity­related experiences, including encounters with oppression and ableism, were primary influences on students’ learning. Findings reveal the relevance of identity, importance of instructors’ support and development, building classroom community, and expanding practices of universal and inclusive design.