University Students' Attitudes Towards Individuals with Disabilities and Their Education in Türkiye: The Case of a Private Non-Profit University

The readiness levels of the university environment play a crucial role in enabling individuals with disabilities to benefit more from higher education. This study examines the readiness level of the university setting by investigating the attitudes of typically developing university students towards individuals with disabilities and their education. We use the Attitude Toward Persons with Disabilities Scale and the Attitudes Toward the Training of Individuals with Disabilities Scale. Data were collected through both face-to-face and online surveys. A total of 972 students participated in this cross-sectional study, including 686 females and 275 males, with an average age of 21.06±2.7. The participants were students enrolled in associate and bachelor's degree programs. The study's findings indicate that university students hold positive attitudes (X=44.6±5.5) toward individual with disabilities and support their education (X=71.17±9.8). Additionally, first and second year students had fewer positive attitudes about individuals with disabilities than did fourth grade students, and male students showed less favorable attitudes toward individual with disabilities than female students. However, no statistically significant differences were found based on the education area, family members affected by disability, or previously taken classes with an individual with disabilities. The study suggests that university students are ready for policies that promote social inclusion and enable individuals affected by disabilities to participate more in higher education. Nevertheless, there is a need for greater awareness and behavior change interventions, particularly regarding gender and grade level.