Transitional Issues that Individuals with Disabilities Encounter as They Progress into Adulthood

Introduction

The process of transition to adulthood for youths with disabilities is associated with several obstacles. The challenges that people with disabilities face in the transitional stages vary from individual issues, such as cognitive and communication hindrances, physical and sensory challenges, to the environmental obstacles that present the worst hindrance to the effective transition for people with disabilities (Committee on Disability in America, 2007). In addition to the threats presented by the environmental factors, youths with disabilities face difficulties due to improper coordination of the systems, policies, and services. Odom (2009) states that infragmented or poorly coordinated policies and services pose challenges to youths with disabilities and their families in an attempt to access necessary information in order to help them overcome the transition successfully (Committee on Disability in America, 2007). Stewart et al. (2006) states that the obstacles that people with disabilities face in the transition stages restrict their level of participation in their adult life. This discussion considers transition to refer to the process that involves undertaking new responsibilities and adapting to or changing the initial roles (King et al. 2005). The concept of transitions should be given a holistic view that serves as a principle determining the nature of services and support to be given to youths with disabilities.

There are different types of transitions that people with disabilities can experience. There are transitions from and to the services and systems, healthcare transitions that are also referred to as transfer of care, transitions to post-secondary education systems and developmental services. Therefore, the appropriate time to begin preparations for transitions can be viewed differently according to the type of anticipated transition. Generally, it is advisable to start preparations before the projected transition because the families and youths with disabilities work collaboratively to access essential information that can facilitate a successful transition. Stewart et al. (2006) recommends that initiatives should be provided to ensure that adequate support is given to the people with disability prior to, during, and after the transition.

The transformational issues that the individuals with disabilities encounter in their progress to adulthood are addressed in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). ADA prohibits the exposure of people with disabilities to discrimination while pursuing higher education. The laws stipulate that people who attain the necessary qualifications to undertake or to benefit from any public program or activity should not be denied such rights due to their disabilities. A denial of such rights based on people’s disabilities amounts to discrimination that attracts a penalty by law. With the approval of Disabilities Act Americans require that postsecondary institutions provide appropriate accommodation to the qualified students who disclose their disabilities and give relevant documentation to that effect. The reason is that ADA recognizes the need for people with disabilities to access program offerings and to pursue their post secondary education in a favorable environment that can enable them realize their full potential. Although ADA does not have a provision that compels postsecondary schools to assist students with disabilities in their transition to other educational establishments and institutions and it obliges often the educators to broaden their responsibilities in this respect. They help students with disabilities undertake their future education and succeed in their future employment.

According to the terms of the Disabilities Act (IDEA) of 1990, the individuals were enacted to assure that students with disabilities can get a well-coordinated education.  Such curriculum must be also well-structured in order to facilitate students’ transition to further education, training, and employment as well as to ease their experiences as they lead their independent lives.

The first challenge faced by people with disability is connected with the issues of legislation. The group has to fight for legislation provision of opportunities for further education. The result is already evident in disability-related laws that advocates for establishment of campus support services for the students with disabilities. The offices, as initiated by legislation, cater for the rights of such people by institutions of higher learning, provide reasonable accommodations and offer appropriate campus services to the students with disabilities. Additionally, there are disability service offices that offer academic advisory services, career planning and college transfer services to facilitate transition for people with disabilities. However, it is vital to recognize the fact these people had to produce certain documentations in proof of their disabilities before they are admitted to various learning institutions. It is complicated by the issue that the documentations that campuses require vary from one campus to another. Campuses also offer different services with varied qualities to people with disabilities. In addition, the law also requires pre-college school systems to offer free and relevant education to all students. It was not an easy task to force the institutions to recognize the specific needs of students with disabilities and formulate personalized education plans for every student based on the students’ specific needs.

In addition to the legislations regarding access to further education, there are issues connected with the considerations to be made based on the level of independence and opportunity for self advocacy among people with disabilities. Burgstahler (2001) states that at the elementary and secondary levels of education, educators are liable for provision of appropriate education to children. Regulations and legislation expect that the parents are actively involved in the education of their children while undertaking pre-college education. At this stage, the learners with disabilities are under the control and guidance of their educators who work closely with their parents. The situation changes because the students move to postsecondary educational settings. At this stage, the students undergo a transition and are expected to be responsible for coordinating their educational programming. Students with disabilities face challenges at this stage when they have to be independent. It is difficult for them to fulfill personally the entry requirements of their institutions, self-disclose their disabilities and provide necessary documentation to support their statement regarding individual disabilities. The level of independence encourages the students with disabilities to self-advocate in case the accommodations, offered to them by their institutions, do not correspond to the reasonable standards that they expect. It requires from the college students with disabilities to demonstrate good understanding of their needs and poses effective self-advocacy skills. This stage is characterized by the transition from institutional to parental responsibility, advocacy to self advocacy and personal responsibility (Odom, 2009).

The transitional challenges experienced by people with disabilities can also be analyzed with respect to financial matters. Financial restrictions present a great challenge because these students require more time to accomplish their postsecondary education. Students with disabilities need an extended period to complete their courses as opposed to those without disabilities. The extended time has a consequential implication on the cost that they have to incur to fulfill their pursuit for further education. At the same time, the beginning of the student’s wage-earning years is delayed by the long durations of getting further education. It follows that most people with disabilities forgo their quest for higher education due to their inability to incur the cost of their studies and other essential services. The time that students with disabilities require to finish their higher learning limits their chances of accessing federal funded scholarships, work-study awards, grants, and loans. Some of them also have families to care about while striving to accomplish their studies.

Reflection

Based on the findings of this literature review, it is clear that people with disabilities undergo several changes during their transitional stages. The shift in responsibilities from institutional to family and change from advocacy to self-advocacy and personal responsibility presents immeasurable challenges to people with disabilities.

The literature review shows that people with disabilities experience challenges in a wide range of aspects, including their ability to pursue further education and financial matters. The need for students with disabilities to change from dependence on the protection and care offered by their institutions of learning to a point where they become independent and rely on self-advocacy is also a big problem (Austin, 2000).

Despite the obstacles that threaten to paralyze effective transition for people with disabilities, there are legal provisions that offer protection for people with disabilities, advocate that they receive necessary services and protect their rights in general. According to Disabilities Act, the Americans help to safeguard the rights of people with disabilities. However, it is essential that the government initiates measures to ensure complete implementation of the law to ensure that people with disabilities are not discriminated. The availability of the law presents a solid basis upon which the efforts to secure the rights of people with disabilities can be based. Its implementation can help ease the experiences undergone by the people with disability, hence facilitating successful transitions.

The literature review also highlights the challenges that people with disabilities encounter in relation to the cost of pursuing further education. The information can be used to give directions regarding the issues how the best grants, loans, work-study programs and other financial assistance can be made available to people with disabilities. From the literature review it becomes evident that students with disabilities incur more costs on education than students without disabilities due to the length of time taken to complete their studies. The information should be used in determining the level of need among the students in order those with disabilities are prioritized in loan allocations and provision of other financial aids.

A practical case study requires application of the lessons learnt from this literature review in a situation where an institution operates on a limited space. The institution has story buildings used to accommodate the students and for lecture purposes. Based on a clear understanding of the rights of students with disabilities, the institution must initiate appropriate measures to ensure that all students can comfortably access their halls of resident and lecture rooms. The requirement may necessitate proper planning and coordination to ensure that all lectures, in which the students with disability participate, are allocated rooms that are accessible to them. In addition, the institution has to ensure that all students with disabilities are given the first priority in residential room allocation and that they are provided with the rooms which they can easily access.  

The central point is that disability is part of life, and it should not be taken to signify inability. Those with disabilities need support in order to undergo their transitional stages successfully and realize their full potential in all spheres of life.