The purpose of this study was to compare postsecondary institutions in North Carolina including state universities, private colleges and universities, and community colleges in regard to the number of students with disabilities, assistive technology availability, funding ratios for assistive technology, frequency of professional development training, legislative understanding, and other support factors for students with disabilities. This comparison was accomplished through quantitative and case summarization and analysis research methodologies.
Data were collected through case summarizations and the administration of surveys sent to 110 coordinators of students with disabilities services at the 15 state universities, 37 private colleges and universities, and 58 community colleges within North Carolina. The response rate was 65.5% (N =72).
Findings suggest there were no significant differences among coordinators' perceptions of legislative issues, student responsibility, institutional responsibility, consideration of context in which accommodations are used, and the impact of accommodations on other faculty and students and the institution. However, there were significant differences between the three types of institutions regarding assistive technology, funding for assistive technology, and services available to students who have disabilities. The findings also included that students who self-report disabilities attend private colleges and universities at a greater percentage than attend state universities or community colleges in North Carolina.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this study was to compare postsecondary institutions in North Carolina including state universities, private colleges and universities, and community colleges in regard to the number of students with disabilities, assistive technology availability, funding ratios for assistive technology, frequency of professional development training, legislative understanding, and other support factors for students with disabilities. This comparison was accomplished through quantitative and case summarization and analysis research methodologies.</p><p>Data were collected through case summarizations and the administration of surveys sent to 110 coordinators of students with disabilities services at the 15 state universities, 37 private colleges and universities, and 58 community colleges within North Carolina. The response rate was 65.5% (<sup>N</sup> =72).</p><p>Findings suggest there were no significant differences among coordinators' perceptions of legislative issues, student responsibility, institutional responsibility, consideration of context in which accommodations are used, and the impact of accommodations on other faculty and students and the institution. However, there were significant differences between the three types of institutions regarding assistive technology, funding for assistive technology, and services available to students who have disabilities. The findings also included that students who self-report disabilities attend private colleges and universities at a greater percentage than attend state universities or community colleges in North Carolina.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Cain, Chris"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"EdD (Doctor of Education)","degree_level":"Dissertation - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2007,"date_issued":"2007-05-05T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2007-05-05T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:21:19Z","subjects":["Services for Students With Disabilities","Postsecondary","Assistive Technology","Disability and Equity in Education","Education"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2086","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Cain, Chris"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2007-05-05T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["EdD (Doctor of Education)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Services for Students With Disabilities","Postsecondary","Assistive Technology","Disability and Equity in Education","Education"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/3447/viewcontent/CainC040407f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2086"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study was to compare postsecondary institutions in North Carolina including state universities, private colleges and universities, and community colleges in regard to the number of students with disabilities, assistive technology availability, funding ratios for assistive technology, frequency of professional development training, legislative understanding, and other support factors for students with disabilities. This comparison was accomplished through quantitative and case summarization and analysis research methodologies.
Data were collected through case summarizations and the administration of surveys sent to 110 coordinators of students with disabilities services at the 15 state universities, 37 private colleges and universities, and 58 community colleges within North Carolina. The response rate was 65.5% (N =72).
Findings suggest there were no significant differences among coordinators' perceptions of legislative issues, student responsibility, institutional responsibility, consideration of context in which accommodations are used, and the impact of accommodations on other faculty and students and the institution. However, there were significant differences between the three types of institutions regarding assistive technology, funding for assistive technology, and services available to students who have disabilities. The findings also included that students who self-report disabilities attend private colleges and universities at a greater percentage than attend state universities or community colleges in North Carolina.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A Comparison of North Carolina's State, Private, and Community Colleges/Universities Regarding Assistive Technology and Services for Students with Disabilities."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Cain, Chris"],"dc:date.issued":["2007-05-05T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study was to compare postsecondary institutions in North Carolina including state universities, private colleges and universities, and community colleges in regard to the number of students with disabilities, assistive technology availability, funding ratios for assistive technology, frequency of professional development training, legislative understanding, and other support factors for students with disabilities. This comparison was accomplished through quantitative and case summarization and analysis research methodologies.
Data were collected through case summarizations and the administration of surveys sent to 110 coordinators of students with disabilities services at the 15 state universities, 37 private colleges and universities, and 58 community colleges within North Carolina. The response rate was 65.5% (N =72).
Findings suggest there were no significant differences among coordinators' perceptions of legislative issues, student responsibility, institutional responsibility, consideration of context in which accommodations are used, and the impact of accommodations on other faculty and students and the institution. However, there were significant differences between the three types of institutions regarding assistive technology, funding for assistive technology, and services available to students who have disabilities. The findings also included that students who self-report disabilities attend private colleges and universities at a greater percentage than attend state universities or community colleges in North Carolina.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/3447/viewcontent/CainC040407f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2086"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["Services for Students With Disabilities","Postsecondary","Assistive Technology","Disability and Equity in Education","Education"],"dc:title":["A Comparison of North Carolina's State, Private, and Community Colleges/Universities Regarding Assistive Technology and Services for Students with Disabilities."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Leadership"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - unrestricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["EdD (Doctor of Education)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:21:19Z"}