Preliminary key statements from the qualitative student survey (Module 2)

The "best3" study shows that students with health impairments are more frequently affected by interruptions to their studies than students without impairments that make studying difficult. They are also more dissatisfied with the conditions at their university and think about dropping out more often. In order to better understand the motivations of students with health impairments, 35 narrative interviews were conducted with students at the University of Kassel as part of "ErfolgInklusiv" and analyzed using grounded theory.

The reasons identified in the interviews for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses having doubts about their studies and dropping out were

• on the one hand, a lack of self-awareness,
• problems in obtaining diagnoses.
• Barriers to accessing and structuring institutional support were identified as factors that favor dropout.

Diversity-sensitive fellow students and teachers as well as more flexible structures that are adapted to the needs of students are considered to be preventive factors in preventing students from dropping out.

The complete publication by Angerhausen, P. & Langfeldt, B. (2024): "Studienzweifel und Studienabbruch bei Studierenden mit Behinderungen" can be found under the heading "Vorträge und Publikationen".

• The international comparison of the experiences of students with disabilities makes it clear that the increasing number of students with disabilities does not automatically mean more participation and inclusion.
• Access must continue to be promoted so that students can continue or complete their studies successfully.
• It is recommended to question traditional assumptions about disability and to shift the focus from the students' impairments to the stigmatizing and discriminatory circumstances of the higher education environment.
• Positive support from teaching staff, the institution itself and peer relationships are all conducive to retention.
• A common understanding of disability will not be enough for students to see themselves as "normal" or to create a culture of disability.
• Rather, the university environment should give all students the opportunity to develop and embrace their identity.
• To create a positive and non-discriminatory university environment, it is recommended to design curricula based on the Universal Design of Learning, to test new assessment and testing methods and to train professors, lecturers and staff on inclusion.

The full publication by Mishra, S. & Langguth, D. (2024): "Students with disabilities in international comparison" can be found in the "Lectures and publications" section.