Impact of Disability Services on Academic Achievement Among College Students with Disabilities

Disability service offices within postsecondary educational institutions exist to provide students with disabilities (SWD) reasonable accommodations needed to facilitate educational equity and promote inclusion and access to postsecondary education. Little is known, however, regarding how services provided by these offices contribute to academic success that predicts college persistence and graduation. Using the International Classification of Function, Disability, and Health (ICF) as a framework to examine the impact of student disability services and other contextual factors on academic achievement, results from this study found that sex, race/ethnicity, college major, type of disability, and time when students register for disability services predict semester grade point average (GPA). Recommendations for practitioners and researchers are discussed.