Page 407 - RUICHSS 2023 Proceeding

University of Ruhuna ISSN: 2706-0063
Matara, Sri Lanka

with disabilities in higher education since they are individuals who deliver academic

instruction and contribute to establishing the university atmosphere.

The post-secondary success of SWDs may be impacted by a variety of university peers'

priorities and behaviours, including their understanding of pertinent law, their willingness to
make accommodations, their use of effective instructional strategies, their familiarity with

disability characteristics, and their observance of proper disability etiquette. There may be
significant discrepancies between instructors' views, attitudes, and their actual actions.

Considering this, it is crucial to look at how seriously undergraduates take the challenges in

connection to educating peers with disabilities.

It is expected that this study's findings will address a research vacuum in the Sri Lankan
higher education context while also offering insightful information on how inclusive

education for SWDs is progressing in Sri Lankan universities.

However, the population of the study has been limited to one faculty of a university and the

sample respondents were only 168 undergraduates. Therefore, the study has its own
limitations when generalizing its findings and making conclusions.

6. Review of Literature

Jessica L. Sniatecki, Holly B. Perry, and Linda H. Snell conducted a study about faculty
attitudes and understanding towards college students with various forms of impairments.

Three primary research topics investigated here were: What current views do faculty
members have regarding SWDs? What degree of expertise does the faculty have in SWDs

and service delivery? Are academics interested in SWD-related professional development

opportunities? These questions have been graded on a Likert scale of 1 to 5, with the response
alternatives "strongly agree" and "strongly disagree." The results were analysed using the

Cronbach alpha reliability test, and one-way ANOVA was utilised to examine faculty replies
to survey questions on their views regarding SWDs. Based on the type of handicap, post-hoc

348