Employment Self-Disclosure Rates and Rationales of University Graduates With Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Five hundred graduates with learning disabilities (LD) from three universities in the United States completed a survey related to their postschool employment outcomes and experiences. The present study presents data related to their decisions regarding LD disclosure in employment settings. Although 73% of the respondents reported that the LD affected their job in some way, only 55% reported self-disclosing, and only 12% reported requesting accommodations. Specific reasons for each of these decisions are presented, as are areas in which LD affect work, strategies for dealing with LD in the workplace, and perceptions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Implications for secondary and postsecondary programs are discussed.