Dependency and Reduced Life Chances: Examining the Challenges faced by Students with disabilities in Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

This paper examines the challenge of enhanced dependence on peers among students with disabilities who utilize mobility-assistive devices at higher education institutions in Pakistan. This dependency arises due to the insufficient or inadequately supportive infrastructure available to them. The design of cities and institutions should adhere to principles of inclusion. However, often public spaces, roads, marketplaces, and particularly university campuses do not meet this objective, hence impeding the complete autonomy of students with disabilities. This study employed a qualitative research design, wherein data was gathered from a sample of 10 students who were residing as well as studying at a large public sector university in Lahore. The data was collected by the in-depth interviews and analyzed using the thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the basic objective of an educational institution, which is to provide education, is impeded as a result of inadequately inclusive infrastructure. This inappropriateness of infrastructure has a negative effect on the opportunities available to students with disabilities. Conclusively, this research suggests that eliminating infrastructure barriers from university campuses should be a top priority to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to mobility rights and can lead completely independent lives.