Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Vanaja Nethi

Committee Member

David Weintraub

Committee Member

Kimberly Durham

Keywords

college inclusion, employment barriers to employment, case study, competitive employment, employment success, inclusive academics, job coaches, person-centered planning, postsecondary education (PSE), qualitative study, social cognitive career theory (SCCT), students with disabilities, vocational preparation, young adults with disabilities

Abstract

The problem addressed in this research was low employment rates for young adults with disabilities. Young adults with disabilities are employed at a much lower rate than their neurotypical peers. The factors identified in this study could be beneficial to other college and postsecondary education (PSE) programs with employment components, to promote higher rates of employment for students with disabilities who attend those institutions.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify factors that contribute to employment success for young adults with disabilities completing a PSE program. The study was conducted at a medium-sized, 4-year, public university in the southeastern United States. The University Participant (UP) program for students with disabilities at the university focuses on inclusive academics and person-centered vocational preparation, including paid internships, and 90% of the students who graduate from the program are competitively employed upon exiting. The study looked at the participants’ perceptions of challenges and barriers to employment for young adults with disabilities as well as program factors that contribute to employment success.

Guided by social cognitive career theory (SCCT), the findings of this study are consistent with the interest model and choice model. Using case study techniques through eight interviews and a focus group, I investigated the high rates of employment for UP graduates. Results showed that the UP program has many relevant strengths, including peers as job coaches and a person-centered planning approach to career development. My study contributes to the field of postsecondary employment programming for young adults with disabilities. Recommendations for future research include including employers from off-campus businesses to further understand the perceptions of people who employ young adults with disabilities.

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