Lynda A. Price

The Americans with Disabilities Act and Adults with Learning Disabilities as Employees The Realities of the Workplace

Adults with learning disabilities, ages 19 to 32, were queried to examine their employment experiences at job entry and in job advancement vis-à-vis the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). They were questioned regarding job acquisition; experiences on the job; job advancement; self-disclosure; and employer experiences, attitudes, and beliefs. The interviews indicate that provisions of Title I of the ADA currently are being under-utilized by individuals with learning disabilities in the workplace. Self-disclosure about disability was rare, and, surprisingly, reasonable accommodations were used infrequently. These findings raise a number of important questions for consideration by the field of learning disabilities.

Beyond Transition A Comparison of the Employment Experiences of American and Canadian Adults with LD

With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the United States and the Canadian Chartre of Rights and Freedoms, there is a new work environment for individuals with learning disabilities (LD) in North America. This qualitative study sought to compare the employment experiences of 25 U.S. adults with LD and 24 Canadian adults with LD. Areas of comparison were job getting, experiences on the job, and job advancement. Remarkably, the U.S. and Canadian adults with LD had nearly the same employment experiences. In essence, each set of data mirrored the other despite marked differences in U.S. and Canadian federal disability legislation.

At Second Glance Employers and Employees with Learning Disabilities in the Americans with Disabilities Act Era

The impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 on the American workplace is examined. The findings of a previous study (Gerber, 1992) on employer knowledge about learning disabilities are compared to current findings. Important themes and employer beliefs and practices that were consistent in employer responses are described. Although employers are continuing to make efforts to comply with the regulations of the ADA, they still have relatively little knowledge or experience with it in terms of learning disabilities.

A New World Order Connecting Adult Developmental Theory to Learning Disabilities

This article explores new connections between the current literature base on adult developmental theory and the field of learning disabilities. The authors use these new relationships to gain insights into outcomes for people with learning disabilities when they are no longer children and the causes of these outcomes. An emphasis is placed on the relationships between current theory and practice in self-determination and adult development. Future directions for research are suggested, as well as ideas for innovative paradigms to be considered by professionals in the fields of special education, vocational education, general education, and adult learning.

Adults With Learning Disabilities and the Underutilization of the Americans with Disabilities Act

A B S T R A C T This article explored the use of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by individuals with learning disabilities (LD) in the workplace. A review of the extant literature revealed that people with LD were not likely to use the ADA as employees. Moreover, an analysis of selected, commonly used materials regarding transition indicated a lack of substantive information about the ADA for students with LD and professionals. In essence, the ADA is being underused during the beyond-school years by individuals with LD. Thus, the ADA has not realized its anticipated impact because people with LD largely have not benefited from the ADA legislation.