Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

7-1-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Curriculum & Instruction

First Advisor

Laura Jewett

Second Advisor

Steve Chamberlain

Third Advisor

Karin Lewis

Abstract

Hispanic students with disabilities continue to encounter barriers within higher education despite increased institutional attention toward diversity, inclusion, and accessibility services. Limited research has specifically examined how Hispanic students with disabilities describe their experiences within Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), particularly through the intersecting influences of disability, culture, identity, and institutional systems. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to explore how Hispanic students with disabilities narrated their experiences within a Hispanic Serving Institution and how they described navigating the barriers encountered throughout higher education. The study was guided by the Social Model of Disability and Latina/o Critical Race Theory (LatCrit) to examine how institutional structures, cultural experiences, and systemic inequities influenced participant experiences.

Participants included eight Hispanic students with disabilities enrolled at a Hispanic Serving Institution located near the United States Mexico border. Data collection consisted of two semi-structured interviews and one focus group conducted through Zoom. Data were analyzed using Johnny Saldaña’s coding methods, including descriptive, NVivo, focused, and axial coding procedures. Four major themes emerged from the findings: cultural silence, identity disability Navigation, Student Academic Support Inequities, Student Accessibility Services as a Barrier and Navigating Obstacles with Self-Efficacy.

The findings revealed that participants frequently encountered barriers associated with inconsistent accommodation implementation, communication difficulties, inaccessible systems, disability stigma, and limited responsiveness to individualized support needs. Participants also described how cultural expectations, family responsibilities, perceptions of disability, and experiences with invisible disabilities influenced accommodation seeking, disclosure, and self-advocacy. Although participants experienced significant institutional obstacles, they also demonstrated resilience, persistence, and growth in self-advocacy as they learned to navigate higher education systems and advocate for their educational needs.

The findings contribute to the limited scholarship examining Hispanic students with disabilities attending Hispanic Serving Institutions and highlight the importance of culturally responsive disability support practices, collaborative institutional approaches, and equitable accessibility systems within higher education.

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Copyright 2026 Jesús Rodolfo Flores. All Rights Reserved. https://proquest.com/docview/3409150955

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