An examination of the provision of career guidance to students with disabilities in third level institutes in Ireland

The aim of this research is to explore the provision of career guidance supports to disabled students in Higher Education (HE) in Ireland as more students with disabilities are progressing to HE (HEA, 2015). An interpretive paradigm was employed using semi-structured interviews to gather the perceptions of guidance and disability practitioners at four higher education institutions (Thomas, 2013; Biggam, 2008). This helped to explicate the types of career guidance supports available to disabled students as well as the degree to which guidance and disability departments work collaboratively in delivering supports to students. A thematic approach to data analysis allows for a critical appraisal of guidance provision in HE and an elucidation of the challenges and opportunities that exist. The findings confirm a positive shift towards a more inclusive HE environment, where equality and diversity are promoted and supported. Increasing diversity and the prevalence of hidden disabilities in the student population pose a challenge for service providers in encouraging disclosure and broadening eligibility for supports. Timely guidance intervention was found to both support and empower disabled students in realising educational inclusion, retention and ultimately employment. Policy and practice must encourage further collaboration between disability and guidance services in order to build innovative and flexible programmes that strive toward a human rights model and universal learning approach. A number of recommendations were put forward for policy, practice and research.