"Family and peers" are highlighted as "the most effective" source of informal support.

State University of New York at Binghamton

- Informal Support Networks
- Supportive Faculty
- Disability Offices
- Inclusive Teaching Practices

External/Contextual Factors for Academic Success of Students with Invisible Disabilities

Moriña, A. (2024). When what is unseen does not exist: disclosure, barriers and supports for students with invisible disabilities in higher education. Disability & Society, 39(4), 914-932. DOI: 10.1080/09687599.2022.2113038

Reference: When what is unseen does not exist: disclosure, barriers and supports for students with invisible disabilities in higher education

While often a barrier, when faculty members "take an interest in them, helped them and made the necessary accommodations," they act as facilitators. Training faculty in accommodations and disability is identified as a key external factor.

Contextual Factors for Academic Success in Disabled Students: Supportive Faculty

These offices play a vital role in "mediat[ing] to facilitate the accommodations required by students and provide them with access to the support they needed." However, students often only become aware of them when "already experiencing academic difficulties."

External Factors of Academic Success in Disabled Students: Disability Offices

Inclusive teaching practices are critical external factors supporting students with invisible disabilities by creating environments where disclosure isn't mandatory. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides multiple forms of representation, expression, and engagement with flexible resources, methodologies, and assessments. UDL reduces disclosure pressure and minimizes stigma exposure, crucial since many students prefer not to disclose conditions. Diverse, flexible teaching methodologies are essential, while rigid approaches create barriers. Faculty training and commitment are prerequisites, requiring universities to equip staff with resources for any learner. These practices align with the social model of disability, transforming institutional structures rather than burdening individual students to adapt.

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