Adults with Learning Disabilities in Postsecondary Education and the Workforce

Abstract

The term “learning disabilities†refers to a number of disorders that may affect the acquisition, organization, retention, understanding or use of verbal or nonverbal information. Before the implementation of special education services in public schools, students with learning disabilities were too often regarded as slow learners, mentally disabled, or lazy. Few of these students graduated from high school or continued to postsecondary education. As a result, many adults with learning disabilities were never diagnosed and did not receive instruction that was appropriate for their disabilities. The result is a lack of training, self-confidence, and the ability to leverage strengths to increase the chances of success in the workplace. The purpose of this literature review is to discuss recent information regarding the challenges adults with learning disabilities face when entering into the workforce.

Keywords: Learning disabilities, transition, post-secondary education, employment, vocational counseling