Date of Award

4-29-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education Sciences

College

College of Education and Social Sciences

First Advisor

Debbie Conner

Second Advisor

Olivia Enders

Third Advisor

Kristina Randall

Abstract

Inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs have expanded access to higher education for students with intellectual disabilities (ID), yet access alone does not ensure meaningful inclusion or a sense of belonging. This study examined how students with ID experience and make meaning of social belonging within inclusive college environments. Grounded in disability studies and belongingness theory, the study focused on how students perceive belonging, navigate social relationships, and experience campus spaces in relation to inclusion and exclusion.

An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) design was employed to explore the lived experiences of four young adults enrolled in a university-based IPSE program. Participants were purposefully selected, and data were collected through semi-structured, accessible interviews designed to support authentic expression. IPA was selected for its alignment with the study’s emphasis on meaning-making and its capacity to center participant voice through an idiographic and phenomenological approach.

Findings indicated that belonging was constructed through structured contexts, legitimacy and recognition, familiarity within campus spaces, and students’ active agency in navigating social environments. Analysis revealed that predictable routines, shared activities, and supportive peer interactions facilitated belonging, while tensions emerged around expectations of sameness and the navigation of difference within campus culture.

This study contributes to inclusive higher education scholarship by centering the voices of students with ID and offering a multidimensional understanding of belonging. Implications include the need for institutions to design socially accessible environments, intentionally structure opportunities for connection, and promote authentic participation. Future research should further examine belonging across diverse institutional contexts.

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