Perceptions of adolescent girls with LD regarding self-determination and postsecondary transition planning

Existing research has documented disparate outcomes between young women and men with disabilities in many transition domains, including employment, postsecondary education, and parenting. Similarly, students with learning disabilities (LD) have unique postsecondary transition needs. Promoting self-determination and active participation in transition is recommended in practice regardless of gender and disability type. Because both gender and disability status impact the postsecondary trajectories of young adults, helping young women with LD meet the demands of adulthood, including responding to opportunities for self-determination, is a salient issue. Using qualitative interview data and analysis, this study examined the perceptions of adolescent females with LD regarding self-determination during transition. Findings indicated that participants perceived they were self-determining individuals, yet several key component skills necessary for self-determination were missing. Connections to practice and future research are presented.