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The purpose of this paper is to examine mechanisms for managing the transition from school/college/work to university for disabled students

A research project using a case study methodology in a UK university department was conducted over a four year period

The paper finds that it is important that students with a disability who enter university identify themselves as early as possible so that appropriate adjustments can be made where required to teaching, assessment and pastoral care. It is also important that the transition to university is appropriately co‐ordinated both centrally by university wide disability support services and within the relevant university department. Ideally there should be anticipation of adjustments that may be required by the students with a disability.

Although the case study reported in this paper focusses on just one university department, the number of students with a disability entering UK higher education is likely to increase and higher education institutions need to be aware of the adjustments that may potentially be required, as well as the timeliness of such adjustments.

In previous decades few students with a disability have attended university in the UK. However, growing numbers of such students are now attending university, but thus far little, if any research has been conducted regarding the adjustments that may need to be made for such students.

The purpose of this study is to identify how at‐risk high school students in an alternative school describe how they best learn and to extrapolate their preferred learning practices to improve teacher pedagogical practices.

The authors used a qualitative case study design to facilitate the first two stages of an appreciative inquiry (AI) 4‐D cycle – discovery and dream. Eight alternative high school students, four males and four females, were purposively selected as participants. Data collection methods included: group discussions, semi‐structured paired interviews, and participant generated documents and visual presentation for district administrators and teachers. Data were analyzed using content analysis, open coding, axial coding, text analysis software, and pattern matching.

The study produced four salient findings: relevant experiences were important for learning; a cooperative and respectful learning environment is a core value; learning should be enjoyable; and, the concept of family became an important metaphor for the learning environment.

The findings from this study suggest that further research with AI in educational settings may have important implications to inspire educators to think in new ways about learning.