Academic Integrity: Considerations for Accessibility, Equity, and Inclusion


This report summarizes existing research related to academic integrity, accessibility, equity, and inclusion, with a particular focus on individuals with learning disabilities and neurodevelopmental disabilities. It provides an overview of the literature up to and including August 2021, highlighting key issues and existing gaps. The literature review is supplemented with a discussion of key issues and recommendations for practice.

Methods: Our research question (RQ) was: What does the research literature show about academic integrity and related terms (i.e., academic misconduct, academic dishonesty, and plagiarism) in students with disabilities (i.e., learning and neurodevelopmental disabilities) in post-secondary settings? To answer this question, a methodical search of databases was undertaken, relevant research was compiled, and articles were summarized and categorized.

Results: We ran two searches each using different sets of key words. Although our searches proved unsuccessful, we provide a brief annotated bibliography of sources we knew to exist prior to our search. In addition, we offer a comprehensive discussion exploring why the searches failed, along with a discussion of some broader issues related to academic integrity and student accessibility.

Implications: Scholarly and practitioner inquiry into the connections between academic integrity, accessibility, equity, and inclusion have been slow to develop. This presents opportunities for further inquiry, though we offer the caveat that such studies should be undertaken in the spirit of student success and supports. Most often discussion of the academic integrity and students with disability focus on the legitimacy of the academic accommodations. As more stakeholders become aware of the need to understand the connections between academic integrity, accessibility, equity, and inclusion, there is room for further recommendations for policy, policy implementation, and support through technology, education, and intervention programs.

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