Having a Learning Disability: Its Effect on the Academic Decisions of College Students

The purpose of this research was to explore how college students with learning disabilities perceived that their family environments and early educational experiences influenced their decisions in college. An additional goal of this study was to explore how these students understood their learning disability diagnosis and how that understanding affected their academic choices. Participants had documented learning disabilities and used support services during the time of their enrollment at the university. All were students in good standing and had attended the university for at least three years. A qualitative method using unstructured, personal interviews was used. Interviews were analyzed according to broad themes reflecting the research issues. The study is organized according to the chronology of events in the students' lives and reflects their experiences before they attended the university and during the time they were enrolled.The results of this study generally support research of college graduates with learning disabilities which indicates that early and continued personal support, accepting and understanding a learning disability, adequate academic preparation and personal characteristics of persistence, goal setting and extra effort are important components to academic success. This study's results also underscore the importance of transition planning that incorporates students' interests and skills when determining the best match for higher education settings. Implications for further research are included.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction

Department dc:contributor.department

Teaching and Learning

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2000

Author dc:creator

• Steenken, Elisabeth MacClarence

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Asselin, Susan B.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Magliaro, Susan G.
• Crockett, Jean B.
• Nespor, Jan K.
• Reilly, Virginia J.

• College Students
• Transition Planning
• Families
• Special Education
• Learning Disabilities

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-12052000-164006

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/29930