College-University Transfer Experiences of Students With Disabilities: A Survey Study

The benefits of postsecondary education (PSE) are well documented and yet historic challenges have contributed to significant underrepresentation of students with disabilities. This paper presents the results of a survey study that explored students with disabilities’ experiences of transfer between PSE institutions in Canada. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire developed by the research team. Rating questions were analyzed using descriptive data. Students also answered open-ended questions that were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach. Sixty-nine of the 248 survey responses received indicated involvement in transfer between PSE institutions, mostly college to university. Four out of 5 of the transfer students self-identified as having psychiatric and mental health disabilities (e.g., anxiety, depression). Perceptions and experiences among successful and non-successful transfer students were mixed. Fully one-third of transfer students indicated that they felt that college-university transfer may be a better route for PSE for students with disabilities than going straight to university. Barriers to college-university transfer, among others, included a lack of information about who can assist with the process (62.5%) and inadequate information about disabilities and accommodation (56.3%). The results of this snapshot of PSE students with disabilities’ perceptions of college-university transfer may inform the design of evidence-based PSE transition interventions for this population. Additionally, given the under-representation of Indigenous and other racialized students in PSE, there is merit in further investigation focusing on their transfer experiences.