All-inclusiveness and disability end-user satisfaction in student housing nexus: cognitive dissonance perspective

Abstract

PurposeDrawing on the social support role’s research gap of the cognitive dissonance theory, this study aims to assess the satisfaction of all-inclusiveness among student with disability (SWD) living in off-campus student housing in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachSWD satisfaction data were collected through survey among off-campus student housing in six public and private universities in Ghana. Using the universal building design requirements (UDRs), a confirmatory factor analysis and multivariate regression were used to determine UDRs satisfaction among SWD.FindingsThe results showed that there exist 11 inbuilt and 9 externals UDRs among off-campus student housing in Ghana. The satisfaction level revealed that SWDs were satisfied with 5 out of the 11 inbuilt UDRs. Similarly, SWDs were satisfied with five out of nine external UDRs. Among them, only 50.5% off-campus student housing has slip-floor resistance in the buildings, which forms the highest availability among the inbuilt UDRs. Total, 33% of student housing has a clear signage, which was the highest among the external UDRs. These provided some psychological effects on SWD across the study locations.Practical implicationsThis study seeks to encourage the adherence to the implementation of universal building design regulations and the review of structural design and permitting process in ensuring all-inclusiveness and compliance among student housing investors in Ghana.Originality/valueThis study uniquely contributes to the body of knowledge on all-inclusiveness among students with disability in off-campus student housing studies through the expansion of the frontiers of the social support discourse of cognitive dissonance theory in the housing subsector. Again, this study deviates from health and legal studies associated to disabilities in Ghana.