AN INVESTIGATION OF THE PERSPECTIVES OF RESIDENT DIRECTORS ON DISABILITY FROM A GROUNDED THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE: THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN HIGHER EDUCATION HOUSING PROFESSIONALS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
Keywords:
Resident directors, disability perspectives, higher education housing, inclusive practices, institutional support, professional developmentAbstract
Examining the opinions of resident directors on disability helps this study to better understand how housing professionals respond to college students with disabilities. This research employs a grounded theoretical approach to identify the institutional elements, attitudes, and beliefs influencing inclusive events on university. Through an analysis of resident directors’ ideas and behaviour, this study fills in a major knowledge vacuum on higher education. Building inclusive and welcoming communities falls to the resident directors. Using semi-structured interviews, this study investigated the different points of view on disability held by resident directors from different institutions. From these vantage points, we will examine support systems and communication strategies as well as policies impacting students with disabilities. The research also revealed other institutional mediators influencing the actual application of ideas. The predominance of administrative help and training initiatives offers one likely reason. Research shows that staff members in the housing sector who have a positive and well-informed perspective of persons with disabilities are more likely to be accommodating, proactive, and understanding. Still, accommodations aren’t always sufficient or consistent depending on institutional knowledge and support. Finally, the writers advocate that resident life leadership should mostly focus on disability awareness. They support their claims with recommendations for legal changes and professional skill development. This study helps us to better grasp the interactions among organisational norms, theories of leadership, and the lived experiences of disabled college students. Establishing the framework for next studies and practical solutions helps to support diversity and inclusion in higher education.
