Patterns of Major Switching and Persistence in Computing among Students with Disabilities

Despite the proliferation of studies on broadening participation in computing, individuals with disabilities remain relatively less examined. In this study, we use large-scale data to examine the patterns of persistence and major-switching among students with disabilities in undergraduate computing education. Our findings suggest that disabilities discourage students to enter or remain in computing at the intersection of their race and gender. Our study provides insights on the challenges and opportunities students with disabilities face in undergraduate computing education, with implications for increasing their participation and retention.