A National Investigation of Sense of Belonging among Black Adult Learners Living with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

In this quantitative study, the authors employed an ex-post factor design to analyze National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data from 874 African American adult students with and without learning disabilities, paying attention to the influence of diverse factors on their sense of belonging. Results reveal differences between sample participants-for instance, whereas 67% of Black adult students living with learning disabilities are women, 64% enroll full-time, and 63% reside off-campus. Multivariate results suggest a statistically significant relationship between students' perceived sense of belonging and their on- and off-campus experiences. Fraternity or sorority membership, faculty-student research, and service-learning engagement were significant predictors, reflecting that higher belonging scores were associated with engagement in such documented educationally effective practices for Black adult students with learning disabilities.