ERIC Number: EJ1221698
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Jul
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1471-3802
EISSN: N/A
UK Higher Education Lecturers' Perspectives of Dyslexia, Dyslexic Students and Related Disability Provision
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, v19 n3 p161-172 Jul 2019
Dyslexia is a controversial concept. In UK universities, the number of students possessing a dyslexia diagnosis continues to increase. Legislation requires that teaching staff adapt their pedagogic practices to effectively include students so diagnosed. These actions depend on lecturers having up-to-date knowledge of what the dyslexia label currently means. This study explored the nature and extent of UK lecturers' awareness of, and attitudes towards, dyslexia and dyslexic students. One hundred and sixty-four lecturers working within a range of disciplines in 12 UK universities were surveyed via an online questionnaire. The findings revealed a high degree of positivity towards dyslexic students and academic accommodations like reasonable adjustments. The positivity, though, was typically underpinned by inadequate awareness of current dyslexia research knowledge. Notable consequences included confusion and feelings of inadequacy around how best to meet the needs of dyslexic students, a resultant reliance on generic reasonable adjustments, and disinclination to fully engage with related equity issues. The study's quantitative estimate of the extent of these findings, together with its analysis of cross and inter-institutional differences, adds a new dimension to existing knowledge in the field. It has serious implications for the overall quality and equality of teaching and learning in higher education.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, College Faculty, Teacher Attitudes, Dyslexia, Students with Disabilities, College Students, Positive Attitudes, Academic Accommodations (Disabilities), Knowledge Level, Student Needs, Equal Education, Inclusion
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A