How Students with Disabilities Cope with Bullying, Stereotypes, Low Expectations and Discouragement

Using data from a multi-institutional grounded theory study, this paper details the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that 59 U.S. college students with disabilities used to cope with ableist stressors in postsecondary learning environments. Specifically, this manuscript highlights the varied coping strategies students adopted as they responded to the following stressors: (a) bullying; (b) labels, assumptions, and stereotypes; and (c) low expectations and discouragement. The paper concludes with recommendations for practice.