Introduction
The concept of learning disability (LD) covers a comparatively expansive collection of learning difficulties, which takes account of a disorder in one or more of the fundamental psychological courses supposed to be connected to a central nervous system dysfunction. This disorder generates troubles in speaking, listening, writing, understanding, and/or mathematics, and reveals a stern divergence involving perceptible possibility for learning and actual level of attainment (Lerner, 1997).
Moreover, LD is not limited to only the young. Adults are also susceptible to these kinds of disabilities. The area of LD is growing up. As the majority of its account expose, the LD notion was formerly theorized as an elementary school occurrence (Kavale & Forness, 1995). Along with the LD area enduring to progress, better awareness is now being aimed at adults with LD. For instance, Patton and Polloway (1992) confirmed how the journal literature tackling adults with LD has improved considerably over a 13-year period.
One subject rising in the literature is the increasing understanding that adults with LD comprise a comparatively distinctive population; they are not supposed to be seen merely as children with LD who has grown up (Zigmond, 1990). The features of adults with LD were assembled principally from follow-up research and frequently brought about an assessment of the adult with their own childhood to resolve whether childhood issues persevered into maturity. Polloway, Smith, and Patton (1984) appraised the literature from the standpoint of adult paradigms of development and recommended that the character of the issues transform with age; a concentration on childhood disability paradigms is too constricted and may possibly take no notice of issues particular to adult stages (Gerber, 1994).
This paper will look into a couple of works regarding the learning disabilities of adults, particularly with regards to their transition from acquiring youngster services into adult services. As these people with disabilities grow up, it is important to look into the dynamics of their world.
Learning Disabilities in the Work Setting
This part of the paper is going to discuss the work of Mpofu, Watson, and Chan (1999). Their work related to the effects of rehabilitation intervention in the workplace for adults who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities. Moreover, their work offered a concise historical account of LDs as a diagnostic class in adults, along with its etiology, evaluation, attributes, and effects for rehabilitation intervention in areas where people work. It particularly concentrates on individual and job elements connected to the work adjustment of individuals with LDs and how these are the foundation for rehabilitation interventions with this individuals.
Essentially, the study is of a qualitative framework. It analyzed the situation of considerably older people with learning disabilities through the use of past and existing literature. This study intended to find and build theories that would explain the relationship of one variable with another variable through qualitative elements in research. These qualitative elements does not have standard measures, rather they are behavior, attitudes, opinions, and beliefs. In looking into the discussions, the study provided an interpretative, naturalistic approach to its subject matter. This means that the authors carried out their work in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them. Accordingly, qualitative researchers deploy a wide range of interconnected methods, hoping always to get a better fix on the subject matter at hand.
All in all, the study has provided the literature a collection and presentation on the challenges in which adults with disabilities partake in with regards to their professional duties. Moreover, the study has also presented the reality of learning disabilities among adults. Thus, affirming the supposition that having a learning disability is indeed a lasting disorder for individuals. It therefore requires those in positions of influence to take in hand the issues that these individuals have to deal with regards to carrying out their jobs. In presenting the origins and possible causes of such disorders, the work of Mpofu, Watson, and Chan (1999) provided insightful discussions on the case of learning disabilities among adults.
College Bound Students with Learning Disabilities
Individuals with learning disabilities are increasingly taking up college courses in the recent years. The work of Satcher and Dooley-Dickey (1991) takes account of this issue. Their work intended to help those students with learning disabilities on their way to acquire a college education. Satcher and Dooley-Dickey intended to present a considerable amount of data to lend a hand to vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselors in resolving the eligibility of individuals with learning disabilities for college training aid and in creating an individualized written rehabilitation plans (IWRP’s) that replicate the requirements of these individuals in college.
Essentially, this study also emulates a qualitative form, wherein the discussions are based on past and existing literature regarding learning disabilities. However, particular attention is given on the steps that should be taken by VR counselors. Specifically, certain steps are actually stated and discussed by the authors to provide the particular requirements that VR counselors should take into consideration. Moreover, the discussions are more descriptive in the sense that it made use of observation as well as secondary data in order to discuss their point. In this method, it is possible that the study would be cheap and quick. It could also suggest unanticipated hypotheses. Nonetheless, it would be very hard to rule out alternative explanations and especially infer causations. The purpose of employing this method is to describe the nature of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study and to explore the cause/s of particular phenomena. The researchers might have opted to use this kind of research considering the desire of the researcher to obtain first hand data from the respondents so as to formulate rational and sound conclusions and recommendations for the study.
The effectiveness of their program has been highlighted in the presentation of the case study of Frank. This further reinforced their claim regarding adult learning disabilities. They noted that Frank needed to balance a difficult schedule and counseling in order for copes with his disabilities. Eventually, Frank graduated while maintaining a C average.
Generally, the work of Satcher and Dooley-Dickey (1991) emphasized the role of the counselor in the situation of the adult with learning disability. Not only does the presence of such professional assist in the development and growth of the person, but also provides a hand in adjusting to a more hectic life in college and which will eventually train them to real life situations. The paper appeared to be substantial for counselors since it serves as a sort of guidelines in which they could follow. In the context of adults with learning disabilities, it is an important addition to the numerous works that has been published with regards to the subject. It provides an outlook in which considerably young individuals (high school graduates) with learning disabilities are to be treated once they make this transition from being cared for as a youngster into someone that is going to avail adult services from society.
Conclusion
The acknowledgment of LD as a permanent circumstance has not been pursued with a parallel acknowledgment of the requirement for lasting services. As the LD area carries on to mature, development of services concerning postsecondary schooling, vocational instruction and services to perk up job proficiencies, academic capabilities, and psychosocial adjustment are indispensable. Noteworthy approaches have been accomplished, but the job is not in the slightest, realized. Special education and vocational rehabilitation have got to look for superior management of effort to accomplish maximum effect for both the education and rehabilitation procedure. It appears to be understandable that this is not an “either-or” condition but one that have need of the combination of best practices from both special education and vocational rehabilitation to guarantee that people with LD carry out their full potentials.
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