Exploring Barriers to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Communication Sciences and Disorders Students

Authors

Elizabeth Cleveland, University of Central ArkansasFollow
Maysoon Biller, University of Central ArkansasFollow
Natalie Benafield, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesFollow
Abigail MossFollow
Mackenzie JordanFollow
Mary YangFollow

Abstract

Introduction: This study investigated university students’ views of barriers and aids toward success in a communication sciences and disorders (CSD) program. The goal of this 11-question survey was to determine if there was a difference in types of barriers or aids between Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students and White students.

Method: The Communication Sciences and Disorders - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Survey participants were 62 speech-language pathology and audiology undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of backgrounds. Analyses identified students’ views toward barriers and aids to success in the university program as well as their feelings regarding the importance of support from fellow students and faculty toward issues related to DEI.

Results: In this group of students, BIPOC students were more likely to regard faculty and peer support toward DEI as “very important” than their White counterparts. White students were more likely to report that they had no barriers to success in their program than BIPOC students. Students from both White and BIPOC groups reported that scholarships would be an aid to success in the program, while roughly half of all students reported that having to work while in school was a barrier to success.

Conclusions: Both BIPOC and White students identified barriers and aids to success in their programs of study, although differences between the types of aids and successes between racial groups were noted. This information may assist university programs in recruiting and supporting BIPOC students, although additional research on a larger scale of students from a variety of different programs may determine specific ways to support these groups.

Plain Language Summary

This study was conducted through a survey. The survey asked university students what helped them in a communication sciences and disorders (CSD) program (“aids”) and things that made success in the program harder (“barriers”). With this survey, we wanted to see if there was a difference in types of barriers or aids between Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students and White students.

The Communication Sciences and Disorders - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Survey participants were 62 speech-language pathology and audiology college and graduate students. In this group of students, BIPOC students were more likely to think of faculty and classmate support toward DEI as “very important” when compared to White students. White students were more likely than BIPOC students to report that they had nothing making their program hard for them. Students from both White and BIPOC groups said that money for school (“scholarships”) would be helpful, while about half of all students said that having to work while in school made school harder for them.

This information may help university programs in understand BIPOC students, although more research on a larger scale of students from a variety of different programs may show more specific ways to help these groups.

Creative Commons License

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Recommended Citation

Cleveland, Elizabeth; Biller, Maysoon; Benafield, Natalie; Moss, Abigail; Jordan, Mackenzie; and Yang, Mary (2023) "Exploring Barriers to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Communication Sciences and Disorders Students," Developmental Disabilities Network Journal: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 9.
DOI: 10.59620/2694-1104.1070
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ddnj/vol3/iss1/9