A Forgotten Underrepresented Group: Students with Disabilities’ Entrance into STEM Fields

ABSTRACT

This study examined factors associated with students with disabilities (SWDs)’ STEM major choice in postsecondary institutions. The major findings included: 1) SWDs with difficulty conversing had a greater likelihood of choosing STEM majors compared with their counterparts without such a difficulty in both two- and four-year institutions; 2) SWDs with strengths in STEM-related domains were more likely to choose STEM majors than their counterparts in four-year institutions; and 3) SWDs from lower income backgrounds were more likely to choose STEM majors compared with their higher-income counterparts regardless of the institution type. The study recommends a comprehensive approach to providing academic resources and career counselling to meet the needs of different individuals among this underrepresented population.

KEYWORDS:

• Career
• disability
• postsecondary education
• stem

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.