Date of Award
2025
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Jeremy Benson
Abstract
Educational research has examined the impact of expanded access to higher education for historically marginalized groups. However, research on the experiences of students who are both racially minoritized and dis/abled is limited. Findings suggest that, due to their intersectional identities, multiply marginalized dis/abled students (MMDS) navigate policies and practices related to racist ableism, which further marginalize them and create additional barriers in their higher education experiences. Expanding this research requires theoretical frameworks that account for students' identities, experiences, and barriers in higher educational spaces and contexts. This qualitative study, grounded in Dis/ability Studies and Critical Race Theory in Education (DisCrit), explores the higher education experiences of six MMDS at a community college. Using the method of Education Journey Mapping, participants were positioned as co-creators of knowledge in the study related to their experiences as well as the navigation and resistance strategies they used in college. Findings reveal that MMDS face both external and internal challenges during their transition to college, including navigating institutional processes, seeking support, and managing difficult emotions tied to marginalization. Students employed fugitive strategies to escape oppressive learning spaces and strategized to find affirming spaces. While some utilized institutional dis/ability support, others developed independent learning strategies and built faculty relationships for support. Participants used counternarratives to resist racist ableism, advocate for their needs, and create spaces of belonging. These findings emphasize the need for structured, transparent transition support and highlight the importance of dismantling Whiteness and ableism in higher education.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Knibb, Jana N., "INTERSECTIONS OF INATTENTION: A QUALITATIVE INQUIRY INTO THE EXPERIENCES OF MULTIPLY MARGINALIZED STUDENTS IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE SETTINGS" (2025). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 4492.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss/4492