The Experiences of Teacher Candidates With Disabilities: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Despite the availability of disability resource centers and reasonable accommodations to facilitate access among teacher candidates with disabilities, research has shown that access alone may not be conducive to equitable educational experiences that promote program retention and completion. The purpose of this systematic review of the literature was to synthesize existing research on the experiences of teacher candidates with disabilities in teacher preparation programs and present implications and future directions for research, policy, and practice in higher education disability resources and special education teacher preparation to advance both access and equity in these settings. Results from five total articles showed that teacher candidates with disabilities experienced several barriers to access in their teacher preparation programs that negatively impacted their personal and professional outcomes. The authors conclude with a discussion of future directions for research, policy, and practice in both special education teacher preparation and higher education disability resources.