A Study of Selected Post-School Employment Patterns of Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Graduates and Dropouts
Lichtenstein, Stephen J.
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/69124
Description
Title
A Study of Selected Post-School Employment Patterns of Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Graduates and Dropouts
Author(s)
Lichtenstein, Stephen J.
Issue Date
1987
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Vocational
Abstract
This study investigated the post-school employment patterns of handicapped and nonhandicapped graduates and dropouts in the 1980 sophomore cohort of the second follow-up files of High School and Beyond (HSB). Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used to examine the factors associated with employment status, type of first job held after high school, hours worked per week, income earned, and duration of employment.
The conceptual model used to investigate the labor market outcomes portrays the interaction of selected individual (or background), contextual, and school achievement variables. Selected predictor variables in this study have figured prominently in past research related to both educational and employment performance. A unique feature of this study is its examination of the population of high school dropouts with specific handicapping conditions.
The findings of this study serve to both confirm and extend previous evidence in the literature on the educational and occupational performance of selected groups of young adults with mild or borderline handicaps. Based on the results, individuals with mild handicaps, who were most likely mainstreamed, appear not to share the dramatically low employment rates and specific outcomes reported for those with moderate or severe handicapping conditions. However, it is apparent that certain patterns exist in selected educational and employment measures that suggest lower levels of achievement and performance among those who identified themselves as handicapped in comparison to their nonhandicapped peers. In addition, conservative estimates of the dropout rate of students with specific handicapping conditions indicate significantly higher attrition rates when compared to the nonhandicapped sample.
The implications for transition policy and practice are to modify the traditional career attainment options and pathways thought to encompass most individuals with disabilities. The unique nature of this national sample of youth appears to be excluded from most initiatives regarding the transition of youth from school-to-work or postsecondary education.
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