Support Services for Positive College Experiences of Students With Disabilities in Higher Education: A Structured Topic Modeling Approach

The purpose of the study was to understand the support needed for facilitating positive college experiences, and how the identified supports may be related to personal factors (e.g., academic rank and employment status). Using Structured Topic Modeling (STM), this study explored helpful support services that students used or perceived as missing among a sample of 210 students with disabilities enrolled in U.S. California universities. Findings indicated eight most helpful support services (supportive climate, mental health counseling, mobility support, note-taking service, advocacy and communication, extended time for test and assignment, private room for test, and awareness of student needs) and six support services that students with disabilities found important but missing or insufficient (professor–s understanding, mental health counseling, learning support, career counseling, support system, and online support). The most prevalent needs for students with disabilities included a supportive campus climate, mental health counseling, and professor–s understanding. Unique needs for support services were revealed in relation to students– academic rank and employment status. This study provides practical implications for rehabilitation counselors, disability support programs in higher education, and student affairs practitioners to promote a positive college experience for students with disabilities.