ADA accommodation training model: A tool for teaching students with disabilities to self-advocate and increase the inclusion in campus

The ADA accommodation training Model: A tool for teaching students with disabilities to self-advocate and increase the inclusion in campus Students with disabilities in postsecondary education have lower rates of retention and graduation compared with students without disabilities. One factor contributing to this problem is that students with disabilities lack self-advocacy knowledge and skills to request needed accommodations. We developed a behaviorally oriented accommodation training model to train students with disabilities to negotiate for reasonable accommodations in their classes or other campus activities. The accommodation training model includes a knowledge-based online tutorial providing basic information about students' legal rights, and a skill-based face-to-face workshop providing a seven-step framework (17 sub-behaviors) for requesting accommodations. Pretest and posttest questionnaires to measure knowledge acquisition were completed by 74 students. To measure skill acquisition, 52 participants participated in video recorded hypothetical role plays to request an accommodation both pre- and post- participation in the face-to-face workshop. Two independent observers scored demonstrations of the 17 sub- behaviors in the video role plays. Paired-samples t-tests were conducted to compare knowledge and skill gains. There was a significant difference in the knowledge scores for pretest (M=0.69, SD=0.16) and posttest knowledge scores (M=0.85, SD=0.16) conditions; t = -7.72, p < 0.001. There was also a significant difference in the behavior scores for pretest (M=0.42, SD=0.16) and posttest (M=0.65, SD=0.17) role play conditions; t =-9.14, p = 0.000. Implications for practice, dissemination, and future research will be discussed.