Factors Related to Accessing Postsecondary School Supports by English Learners With Disabilities

This study examined the relationship between demographic, disability-related, and transition planning experiences and accessing disability-specific and universally available supports at 2- and 4-year colleges by postsecondary students identified in secondary school as English learners with disabilities. Findings were based on secondary analysis of a nationally representative sample of approximately 160 English learners with disabilities included in the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). Logistic regression results identified two potentially malleable factors linked to increased likelihood of English learners with disabilities accessing postsecondary supports. If these students had a high school transition plan that indicated postsecondary supports as a needed post-high school service, when they attended college they were more likely to access both postsecondary disability-specific supports (p < .01), and supports universally available to the full postsecondary student body (p < .001). Aspects of self-determination also were related to an increased likelihood of seeking postsecondary supports. Higher levels of personal autonomy were positively related to accessing disability-specific (p < .001) and universally available help (p < .05), and higher levels of psychological empowerment were related to receipt of universally available supports (p < .01). These findings demonstrate that high school professionals can support the postschool success of English learners with disabilities by influencing their likelihood of accessing beneficial supports in postsecondary school.