The Role of Postsecondary Education in the Path From High School to Work for Youth With Disabilities

Abstract

Youth with disabilities lag behind their peers in participating in postsecondary education, which adversely affects employment options and career earnings. Yet little is known about factors affecting participation. Particularly problematic is the relative importance of disability-related factors—the primary focus of special education and services—and traditional predictors of college going, such as parental education, economic resources, and academic achievement in high school. This study found that for youth with disabilities, the traditional predictors of college going are more important than disability-related factors for enrolling in universities; disability-related factors are slightly more important for enrolling in postsecondary vocational education. A discussion of implications for service planning and implementation is presented.