Analysis of the situation and needs of students with different abilities at the National University of Cajamarca

Abstract

The General Law for Persons with Disabilities 29973 outlined the fundamental principles for the care of individuals with different abilities. The university, as a state entity, was obligated to comply with guidelines related to accessibility, equitable treatment, academic aspects, and all the needs that students with disabilities might have to effectively integrate into university life. This study aimed to investigate the situation of the 52 students with different abilities at the National University of Cajamarca, as there was no information available regarding their socioeconomic and academic status. The research included quantitative and qualitative data collected in 2018 and 2022. The 2018 data were considered part of an exploratory investigation that served as a basis for the implementation of a virtual survey, answered by half of the students. The results of the fieldwork indicated that the respondents, for the most part, were between 18 and 24 years old, came from low-income families (42%), studied in the Faculties of Law and Political Science, and Economic, Accounting, and Administrative Sciences. They considered that both the teaching factor and the infrastructure needed significant improvement. Qualitative data reflected that these individuals came from families that constituted a fundamental support and defined themselves as good, cheerful, empathetic, persevering individuals with a strong motivation for personal and professional growth.