Disaggregating the Engagement of Students of Color with Disabilities

Quantitative researchers often account for aspects of identity such as race, ethnicity, and disability separately in their analyses. However, scholars have called for a critical approach to these data by disaggregating underserved student groups to better understand the experience of these students. In the current study, we analyzed data from the National Survey of Student Engagement of 16,327 first-year students with disabilities through effect coding, multilevel modeling, and multiple regression analysis to measure engagement patterns related to race and ethnicity. Significant patterns related to the engagement of students of color with disabilities emerged among the dependent variables of higher-order learning, student-faculty interaction, and supportive environment.