Policies in academic spaces often make it more difficult for students with disabilities. These policies include the length of a semester or class sessions and objective testing techniques to evaluate student progress. These arbitrary policies and practices impact students with disabilities and create barriers to recieving higher education.

Policies and Practices Related to Social Stigma Within Academia

People with invisible disabilities face a decision of whether or not they should disclose their disabilities in higher education. Students with invisible disabilities often withold information about the impact and extent of their disabilities to avoid social stigma and exclusion. 

Gettysburg College

Students with visible or invisible disabilities experience different biases and stigmas from educators. Students often face less social inclusion and  increased stigmatization by peers and teachers throughout their academic career.

Education and Stigma around Visible and Invisible Disabilities

 Adi Sapir & Adi Banai (2024) Balancing attendance and disclosure:
identity work of students with invisible disabilities, Disability & Society, 39:8, 2032-2052, DOI:
10.1080/09687599.2023.2181765

Reference: Balancing Attendance and Disclosure: identity work of students with invisible disabilities

Visability of a disability effects 
- stereotyping
- stigmatization-
- perception of accomidations
- self concept
- group identification 
within educational settings. 

Influence of the visibility of a disability on psychological processes in education

Higher education instutions have an obligation to provide accomidations upon the request and proof of a disability to students. Legislation in British Columbia requires that accomidations allow for students to have access to higher educational spaces. However, the discourse related to this legislation is that while they have this access, they do not often feel welcome in said space due to stigmas and other barriers.

Role of Accomidations in Higher Education in Canada

Through the disclosure of a disability, students disclose a part of their identity. Therefore the students descision to disclose their disability is influenced by the extent of that they percieve their disability to be a part of their identity. 

Role of Identity Work in Disability Disclosure

Academic ableism relies on the biomedical model of disability. This model focuses on diagnostic lables and the creation of an individualized approach to accomidations. The students hold responsibility to report and maintain accomodations throughout their academic career.

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