This study reports on the educational attainment of 62 college students with learning disabilities as compared to a sample of 58 peers matched on gender and ACT composite score (+/- 1 point or exact match). All students were native English speakers and were enrolled as degree candidates in a small, competitive, private, midwestern college. Groups were compared on age, high school preparation and performance, college grades, GPA at the end of each year of study, graduation and academic failure rate, and time taken to complete degree. Factors that may have influenced outcomes are discussed as are implications for college admissions officers, college students with learning disabilities, service providers, and academic advisors.

Educational attainment and employment patterns are reported for LD four-year college graduates who participated in a highly coordinated, comprehensive support program for college students with learning disabilities. The majority of graduates had majored either in education or business and management and held business-related jobs. Most graduates responded that their learning disabilities affected their work. Processing difficulties, including retention, amount of time required to complete work, and perception (particularly number and letter reversals), were the most common difficulties. The major compensatory strategies consisted of spending extra time to finish work, asking for assistance, and carefully monitoring work for errors. Even though the graduates indicated that their learning disabilities affected their work, an important finding is that they had developed compensatory strategies. Implications for service at the college level to enhance successful employment of individuals with learning disabilities are discussed.

A group of 110 LD college students were compared to a random stratified sample (RSS) of 153 peers attending the same moderately selective college between 1980 and 1988. The LD students received comprehensive, highly coordinated support services for at least one semester. The groups were matched on gender, college experience, semester, and year of entry to the college. The LD and RSS groups were compared on high school preparation and performance, ACT and college performance, and graduation and academic failure rate. Although the LD students' high school records, ACT scores, and college performance were inferior to that of the RSS group, they graduated at the same rate and within the same time frame. Neither was there any significant difference in the academic failure rate. Closer examination of the LD graduates and academic failures' performance showed that in spite of the similarities in intellectual abilities, academic achievement, and aptitude-achievement discrepancy, two factors differentiated between the LD graduates and non-graduates: oral language abilities and motivation and attitude toward the teaching-learning process. These two factors accounted for 60 percent of the variance in graduation status.

This article reviews the literature on 10 areas related to employment of adults with learning disabilities: (a) transitions to work, (b) obtaining employment, (c) type of employment, (d) rate of employment, (e) wages, (f) job satisfaction, (g) job success, (h) effect of learning disabilities on work, (i) compensatory strategies, and (j) employer perceptions. Emergent themes and trends are presented as well as implications and recommendations for how to meet the employment needs of adults with learning disabilities. Methodological issues and concerns are also discussed along with implications and recommendations.

No abstract