Students with disabilities perceptions on the library and college: Systematic review and case study

Abstract

This research provides a case study of students registered with disabilities at one academic institution in Mississippi with three different libraries across all campuses and evaluates the existing literature in library and information science journals on academic libraries and students with disabilities between 2009 and the present. The case study provides findings on not just students with disabilities who are succeeding in a college setting, but students with disabilities who are failing. In the review of the literature, it includes an analysis of the methodologies used to collect data, and the analysis of the types of disabilities being studied along with the spaces or platforms being assessed. Special attention is given to studies using qualitative methods that allow student participants to provide feedback in their own words to provide context to the case study findings provided. Based on the findings, most of the studies utilized accessibility reviews to determine compliance with accepted standards. Studies also tended to prioritize an emphasis on students with visual disabilities, and most studies evaluated virtual spaces and studies. Less than a third of the studies included student viewpoints, which included requests for additional training for librarians, more accessible physical spaces, and more accessible electronic resources.