Staff Knowledge and Views of Dignity of Risk in Inclusive Postsecondary Education

Abstract

The opportunities students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) experience in inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) depend not only on program structures but also on staff decisions in daily practice. Staff influence access to services, supports, relationships, and experiences, while also shaping how families and campus stakeholders perceive students with I/DD. Staff perspectives of the concept dignity of risk may affect the decisions they make and the opportunities students with I/DD have to engage in a full college experience comparable to their peers without disabilities. This study reports findings from a survey of 221 IPSE staff members in the United States across 110 IPSE programs in 42 states. The survey examined staff familiarity with the concept of dignity of risk, how they define it, and their preferences for future learning and professional development related to this concept. The findings highlight implications for IPSE programs seeking to strengthen staff capacity and more fully integrate dignity of risk into daily practices.