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An Investigation of Attitude Change in Inclusive College Classes Including Young Adults With an Intellectual Disability
Author(s) -
May Cynthia
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of policy and practice in intellectual disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1741-1130
pISSN - 1741-1122
DOI - 10.1111/jppi.12013
Subject(s) - openness to experience , diversity (politics) , intellectual disability , psychology , inclusion (mineral) , postsecondary education , higher education , gerontology , medical education , social psychology , sociology , medicine , political science , psychiatry , anthropology , law
Abstract Postsecondary education programs for students with an intellectual disability are expanding, and an emerging question concerns the impact of these programs on campus communities. The author examined changes in attitudes toward diversity among peers without disabilities who participated in an inclusive college course that had students with an intellectual disability. The M iville‐ G uzman U niversality‐ D iversity S cale ( M ‐ GUDS ) was administered to college students enrolled in either inclusive or noninclusive college classes. M ‐ GUDS scores did not differ between groups at the start of the semester, but students enrolled in inclusive courses showed significantly greater openness to diversity at the end of the semester. Findings suggest that inclusive college programs that enroll both students with and without an intellectual disability in regular college courses may foster positive attitudes about acceptance and diversity among students without such a disability.