This study examined the employment status of 1,393 former special education students who had exited from 37 of Alabama's 128 school systems between 1996-2000. These 37 school systems served as demonstration sites through the state's transition systems change grant. Follow-up telephone interviews revealed that 73% (N=1,013) of these former students were employed one year after exit. Using a hierarchical logistic regression analysis, there was an 87% probability that these students would be employed one year after high school if they held a job at the time they exited school. Other significant findings include the relationship between employment status and gender, disability, and urban or rural setting. The probability of the student having a job one year after high school, for example, was greater if the student was male, had a learning disability, was from an urban school, and had a job at the time of school exit. In contrast, the probability of employment was less likely for females with a disability other than a learning disability, from rural schools, and without a job at the end of high school. These findings suggest that students with disabilities can benefit from participating in paid work experiences during high school and that females in rural settings need better transition planning and programs.
This study examined factors predictive of dropping out of high school for students with learning disabilities (LD) and mental retardation (MR). The sample was composed of 228 students with LD or MR who dropped out of school and 228 students with LD or MR who had not dropped out. Two sets of predictor variables (student demographics and interview responses) were analyzed using hierarchical logistic regression analysis in terms of their relationship to the outcome variable of dropout. The variables retained in the final model were learning disability, helpful person, helpful class, and general preparation. Specifically, the probability of dropping out for a student with LD who did not feel he or she was being prepared for life after high school and did not identify a helpful class and a helpful person was .86, compared to .16 for a student with MR who did find a particular class and person helpful and felt that school was preparing him or her for desired outcomes. Implications of the results are discussed.
Persons with disabilities have been underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for many years. Reasons for this include low expectations for students with disabilities, limited exposure to prerequisite courses, lack of role models, and lack of access to individualized supports. This article identifies the issues related to the participation of students with learning disabilities and emotional and behavioral disorders in STEM college programs and provides transition planning strategies for assisting and encouraging students as they prepare for and succeed in STEM programs. A case study of a student with a disability who had a goal of pursuing a STEM career illustrates the issues commonly faced by students with disabilities. Research-based planning strategies addressing these issues that help ensure student success are provided.
Co-teaching has been developed as an instructional approach to support students with disabilities in general education classrooms. The purpose of this study was to identify teachers’ and students’ perspectives of co-teaching and the efficacy of this teaching approach. Forty-five co-teachers and 58 students with disabilities ( N = 103), all of whom were new to co-taught classrooms during the 2004 through 2005 school year, participated in this study. Data were collected from surveys, observations, and records review. Significant differences in student academic and behavioral performances were found in comparisons between the year before co-teaching and the year of co-teaching. Students with disabilities and their teachers also reported positive perspectives about co-teaching. Based on these preliminary results, co-teaching appears to be an effective instructional delivery option for meeting the needs of students with disabilities in general education classrooms.
This study examined responses from the Alabama Post-School Transition Survey to determine how students with and without disabilities compare in postschool outcomes. Responses provided information about the students' employment, residence, postsecondary education and training, barriers, perceptions of high school preparation, and interests and activities. Students with and without disabilities provided significantly different responses related to their personal interests and activities, postsecondary education and training, and residence. Students with and without disabilities provided similar responses to the questions related to high school preparation, employment, and barriers encountered since leaving high school. Implications of similarities and differences are discussed.
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