Invisible Barriers In Higher Education: A Study Of Lived Experiences Of Students With Disabilities At A Public University In Pakistan

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18418199

Abstract

Inclusion education has been officially accepted in most parts of the world as one of the primary human rights but its practical implementation in the developing countries higher education institutions is minimal. It is a qualitative study based on the infrastructural accessibility and lived experiences of students with disabilities in Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM), a Pakistani University in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is a state-owned institution. The paper follows the Standpoint Theory developed by Dorothy Smith to utilize semi-structured interviews and non-participant observations to find out what a group of twelve students with varying physical, sensory, and mobility disabilities think of the situation. Thematic analysis shows the existing structural obstacles such as the unavailability of buildings, the lack of assistive technologies, poor transportation, and poor institutional responsiveness. Such obstacles have a strong influence on the academic involvement, mental health, and social acculturation of students. The findings outline a disparity between the policies of inclusive education and their institutionalization. The research is concluded with a conclusion that unless there is inclusive infrastructural planning based on the principles of universal design; institutions of higher learning run the risk of creating further exclusion and inequality. The policy implications highlight the pressing need of accessibility audits, disability support centers, and all-inclusive digital transformation to achieve educational justice in Pakistan.