Date of Award

12-2018

Degree Type

Creative Project

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

Department

Special Education and Rehabilitation

Committee Chair(s)

Robert Morgan

Committee

Robert Morgan

Committee

Marilyn Likins

Committee

Jared Schultz

Abstract

Postsecondary education (PSE) participation is a predictor for positive employment outcomes for students with or without disabilities (Newman et al., 2011; Test et al., 2009). In recent years, there has been an increase of students with disabilities participating in PSE. Students with intellectual disabilities (ID) have had the lowest enrollment rate of all the disability categories in PSE programs (Newman et al. (2010). This project examined the perceptions of parents and their young adults with ID regarding PSE. Participants included parents of young adults with ID and their young adults who were attending a PSE program on a college campus in the western region of the U.S. Parent and young adults participants were interviewed separately. Interview questions related to demographic characteristics, family values, perceptions regarding college, and reactions to PSE experience. Parents and their young adults reported a variety of perceptions regarding PSE. The researcher analyzed the data and identified two main themes that emerged which were high expectations and independence. These results add to the research literature on parent perceptions about PSE for their young adults with ID.

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