A review of the approaches investigating the post-16 transition of young adults with learning difficulties

Abstract

Investigations into the lives and transition from compulsory schooling of young adults with a disability, including a learning difficulty (LD), are increasing. The emerging consensus is one which points to this group of young people experiencing greater difficulties and poorer outcomes compared to the general population. How these investigations have been conducted, including the research designs adopted, has received less attention. This is important as research designs influence what is known and understood. The aim of the present study was to review how empirical studies published in Europe over a 10-year period have conceptualised and researched transition for young adults with LDs. The findings show that the post-16 transition for this group of young adults remains under researched and that a variety of research approaches and data collection methods are used. Despite some overlap in how transition has been conceptualised, diversity exists with respect to the elements of transition examined. This article concludes with recommendations for how future studies might build on the strengths of current research approaches in order to provide a more holistic and nuanced account of the lives of this group of young adults.

Too early or too late? Transition to parenthood among former students with special educational needs

“…Moreover, the longitudinal studies included in a recent systematic review of social relationships, mental health and well‐being of those with a physical disability have a median sample size of 93 persons (see Tough et al, , Table ). Furthermore, the median sample size of the longitudinal studies in Carroll's review of young adults with learning difficulties is 108 (Carroll, , Table ). However, small samples are not only found in studies of young persons with disabilities.…”

“…However, the transition to adult life among adolescents with disabilities has been neglected – with only a few exceptions (Wells et al, ). Carroll (), in her review of European studies on the transition of young adults with learning difficulties, confirms that this is an under‐researched theme. The transition to parenthood, especially, seems to have been ignored in disability research.…”

Purposes of education for young people with severe learning difficulties: exploring a vocational teaching resource – ‘A stepping stone to…’ what?

“…Further, research around transition from school, Carroll (2015) argues, has itself been over-concerned with these two aspects and can thus be seen as perpetuating a deficit model -not in employment, not independent. A clear tension is apparent here: employment and independence are considered key elements for adult life, and crucial aspects of the later life/vocation purpose of education, but, as typically conceived, are seemingly exclusionary for many people with SLD.…”

Beyond tick-box transitions? Experiences of autistic students moving from special to further education

“…Previous research suggests that educational transitions are challenging and potentially destabilising for all children (Evangelou et al 2008;Humphrey and Ainscow 2006;Zeedyk et al 2003) with the transition experiences of autistic students being even more so. The 'Finished at School' Report, which explored post-16 options for autistic young people, claimed that 'less than 1 in 4 young people with autism continue their education beyond school' (Ambitious About Autism 2011, 8) furthermore, the post-16 transition of young adults with intellectual disabilities remains under researched (Carroll 2014). Much of the existing research focuses on the transition from primary to secondary phases of education (Makin et al 2017;Nuske et al 2018;) with only a few small-scale studies attending to the specific issues for autistic children (Fortuna 2014;Neal and Frederickson 2016).…”