Intellectual Disabilities, Post Secondary Education, and the Law: A Meta-Synthesis

Abstract

Regular students contemplating a collegiate education are not hindered by the myriad of obstacles that a student with a cognitive disability experiences. This meta-synthesis explores the availability of collegiate programs for the intellectually disabled, the barriers that they encounter, and the supports available to aid the disabled in their chosen journey. Forty relevant articles were examined to ascertain the colleges with programs, the impediments to admission, and the needed remedies to the barriers. Most collegiate programs developed for the disabled are expensive and in short supply. They are not actively participated in due to the expense, the regulations, and the barriers that the disabled experience. Although there are many agencies and governmental regulations in place which at first seem to support and encourage the disabled to attend college, this is in error and numerous changes need to be instituted to the programs and to their availability in order for the cognitive disabled to fully experience the college life.