The ISMs Project

How Ableism affects College Students in the COVID-19 Era

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Abstract

College students are judged by their ability, or lack thereof, to complete tasks. An often-overlooked influence in this process is the presence of ableism which has become increasingly detrimental to college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon realizing the severity of the lack of accommodations for students with disabilities and the increasing difficulty to perform well academically during the COVID-19 pandemic, choosing our topic was a simple reflection on our personal experiences at Iowa State University. Ableism exists in various forms and includes prejudice and discrimination against people with physical, mental, and learning disabilities. The stigma against having a disability and the transition to online learning contribute to the stress college students are under. The solutions we propose to solve this problem include, but are not limited to, raising awareness, providing adequate accommodations for students, and promoting diversity and inclusion in course material and design.