A co-designed tool to gather data from students with disability about their experiences in tertiary education: Insights from Australia
| Published date | 01 June 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/13582291231162217 |
| Author | Alicia Steele,Robin Banks,Winnifred R Louis |
| Date | 01 June 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
International Journal of
Discrimination and the Law
2023, Vol. 23(1-2) 80–102
© The Author(s) 2023
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DOI: 10.1177/13582291231162217
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A co-designed tool to gather
data from students with
disability about their
experiences in tertiary
education: Insights from
Australia
Alicia Steele
1
, Robin Banks
2
and Winnifred R Louis
3
Abstract
A small internal investigation by the University of Queensland (UQ) Union Disability
Collective resulted in a student-led project supported by academics across three
Australian universities. The project seeks to gain new insights into the experience of
students with disabilities studying at Australian universities. Universities conduct disability
surveys from time to time, but these tend to be forgotten as time passes and priorities
change. This project involved the co-design and development of a survey, using qualitative
and quantitative questions, to investigate students’experiences, including of barriers to
education and participation in the Australian tertiary (or post-secondary) sector. This is
planned to be the first of several research projects to transparently and accountably track
issues faced by disabled tertiary students, and what is working to improve education
outcomes and reduce discrimination. The survey has been piloted with UQ students with
a view to roll it out to other universities. This paper focuses on the survey instrument and
describes the project’s formation and development. It also identifies challenges that have
arisen in the process and future directions.
Keywords
inclusive, discrimination, post-secondary, university, higher education
1
Disability Representative, University of Queensland Union, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland,
Australia
2
Faculty of Law, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia
3
School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
Corresponding author:
Alicia Steele, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
Email: alicia.steele@uq.net.au
Background
Introduction: the need for this research
The University of Queensland (UQ) aims to provide an inclusive and supportive en-
vironment for all members of the university community, including students with
disability.
1
UQ has a formal policy of providing ‘reasonable adjustments’for students
with disability,
2
which include the university working with the student to develop a
Student Access Plan (SAP) to be communicated to relevant staff to implement the
adjustments.
As an undergraduate student at UQ active in the Disability Collective of the student
union at the university (UQU), the lead author has personally experienced and heard of
many difficulties facing students with disabilities across the spectrum. This included a
sense that course co-ordinators have not necessarily fully understood what they need to do
to implement SAPs. Australia has had legally enforceable disability discrimination
protections in education at both the state/territory and federal levels for more than
30 years. It has also accepted relevant human rights obligations under the UN Convention
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) through Australia’s ratification on the
CRPD in 2008. Despite this, real-world equity in education has not yet been achieved for
people with disability in Australia.
Having discussed these concerns and having a growing sense that the student ex-
perience was not being understood or even captured, the lead author spoke with others
within the UQU and was encouraged to apply for funds for a research project to gather
data on those experiences and to begin to answer the question, ‘How effectively is the
University of Queensland meeting its obligations to provide non-discriminatory and
equitable education for students with disability?’
She also raised the project idea with the UQ Disability Inclusion Group (DIG) and
found that the Chair, Dr Paul Harpur, was enthusiastic. Dr Harpur identified a general lack
of research into the experience of students with disability at universities in Australia. This
is despite the obligation on Australia as a State Party to the CRPD to collect data to enable
it to ‘identify and address the barriers faced by persons with disability’.
3
It was this shared concern and experience that led to the building of this research
project, bringing together Professor Winnifred Louis from the School of Psychology at
UQ who has expertise in allyship research, intergroup relations, and survey methodology
including quantitative research methods, and Robin Banks from the Faculty of Law at the
University of Tasmania who has expertise in disability discrimination law and disability
rights in education.
The UQU provided funding for the development of a mechanism to report on the
experience of students with disability at UQ. This funding has been used primarily to
cover the costs of a research assistant to undertake analysis of the survey data.
The research team sought to develop a research project that would make a valuable
contribution to improving outcomes for students with disability in tertiary education. Key
to this aim was understanding how to ensure effective methods of gathering relevant data,
particularly about the current diverse experiences of students with disability.
Steele et al. 81
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