Running head: ADULTS WITH LD IN THE WORKFORCE 1

Challenges for Adults with LD In the Workforce Linh Nguyen University of British Columbia

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As we delve deeper into understanding the issues surrounding learning disability (LD), questions and concerns arise regarding what happens to students with LD in terms of finding employment once they exit secondary school? Have we properly prepared them for the challenges they will be facing in their search for employment? These are some of the thoughts that race through my mind when I think of my case student. He is a seventeen year old boy with LD who only has one year left of high school before he enters the working world and has to face the demands and challenges of finding employment. I worry about the challenges he will face looking for work, the issues he will have to deal with in the workplace, and the kind of support that will be available to help him overcome these obstacles. Challenges in Obtaining Employment In the initial stages of trying to find work, the majority of adults with learning disabilities rely on the assistance from a strong support network composing of family and friends. The assistance from this network comes in the form of personal referrals for jobs, assistance with filling out the application forms and assistance in reading forms and documents pertaining to a job (Gerber et al., 2004; Price, Gerber & Mulligan, 2003). After the initial step of looking and applying for jobs, adults sometimes may be required to undergo the interview process. Price, Gerber and Mulligan (2003) noted that many adults in their study felt their verbal ability was their strength which helped them to be successful during their interviewing process. My case student is fortunate because he has a strong family support system which consists of his mom, dad, grandmother and two siblings. Im confident that should he require any kind of assistance his family will be the first in line to offer their support. He also has strong verbal skills which has helped him to get out of various conflicts with his teachers and peers. However, he has also shown to have possible auditory difficulties which might hinder him

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during a job interview. He has difficulty taking in verbal information which he acknowledges is one of his challenges during class when his teachers are lecturing. To overcome this challenge, he will need to be taught the skills and strategies which will enable him to be successful during an interview. Strategies that will help him are; asking the speaker to repeat themselves, going over possible questions that may be asked in the interview beforehand, and researching information on the company prior to the interview so he is knowledgeable and prepared. Issues Surrounding LD in the Workplace The challenges an adult with a learning disability experiences do not end after they are hired for a job. Now they must prove themselves on a daily basis that they have earned the right to be there and can carry out the demands of their position. Their greatest obstacles will be themselves as they must learn to overcome the fear they have of their disability and ask for accommodations to help them perform their job. By law, employers are required to provide reasonable accommodation to help adults function in their workplace. Laws that Protects Individuals with LD To ensure that equality exists for individuals with learning disabilities in the workplace, laws have been set up to protect the rights of individuals with LD. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and the Employment Equity Act protects individuals with learning disabilities from discrimination requiring employers to provide equal opportunities to applicants with a disability who are qualified for the job (LdPride, n.d.). The law also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with a disability to allow them to perform their job. Yet many people are unaware of their rights and the laws that are set up to protect them. This is a concern as the laws then become useless if their intended audience does not know about them or never intends to use them.

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In reference to my case student, educators should help him to be made aware and understand the laws that exist to protect him in the workplace and show him how he can access this support. Before he can access the law, he needs to understand and accept his disability, have the strength to self-disclose to his employer that he has a learning disability, and request accommodations to help him perform his job. Self Disclosure Learning disabilities can be perplexing to employers because of their hidden nature. Therefore the responsibility falls on the individual with LD to educate their employer of their disability before they can receive appropriate accommodations to help them perform their job. Although this is a personal choice, many people with LD are reluctant to self disclose their disability. This could be from a lack of knowledge about their own LD or the fear that their employer may focus solely on their weaknesses rather than see their strengths, which might prevent them from getting the job (Gerber et al., 2004). Ultimately, it is better to proactively self-disclose rather than disclosing after problems arise, which can often lead to a break down in relationships between employers and employees. Once my case student understands and accepts his disability, he needs to be given the guidance and encouragement to self-disclose his disability to future employers. If he chooses not to self disclose he may live in fear and hiding of his learning disability, which may in turn affect other aspects of his life. By choosing to self disclose his disability to his employer, he will be able to assess how understanding his employer is to his learning disability and the employers willingness to provide accommodations to meet his needs. This will also help him to decide whether or not he wants to accept the job.

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Reasonable Accommodation Jacobs and Hendricks (1992) study found that the most common types of challenges encountered by adults with learning disability in the workplace were reading at 71% and spelling at 18%. Other challenges they found were writing at11%, mathematical calculation at 10% and auditory-perception problems at 7% (p.280). These challenges can be overcome with the use of present day technology. The presence of a word processor, electronic scanner and reader, electronic dictionary and various computer hardware and software will accommodate the reading, writing and spelling challenges in the workplace. The use of a calculator will assist with the mathematical calculation difficulties and a tape player or dictating machine will help with the auditory-perception difficulties. These tools are easily accessible if they dont already exist in the working environment. The challenges my case student has are with his reading, writing, mathematical calculation and auditory perception. The purchase of a computer and the appropriate writing and spelling software will assist him with his writing and spelling difficulties. His math challenges can be supported by him owning a calculator and understanding how to use the different functions to carry out an operation. To address his auditory perception challenges, he can use a tape recorder to record important information in meetings or conversations and have it available to refer back to should he required it. Many companies have attached this application in their everyday products such as the phone and music player which fits nicely inside a pocket. This will enable my case student to not be forced to advertise his disability to those around. How Can Schools Assist Students with LD Transition Smoothly Into the Workforce?

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The difference between the education and work environment is that the school environment is protected while the employment world represents a social system that has little knowledge about the issues of disability and negative misinformation is rampant (Madaus, Gerber & Price, 2008). Successful adults with learning disability are able to recognize, understand and accept their disability and find goodness of fit between their strengths, weaknesses and career choice (Roffman, Herzog & Wershba-Gershon, 1994). These are the skills teachers should be teaching their students with learning disability. Teachers need to educate their students about their disability and identify the most effective strategies to help compensate their weaknesses. Understanding Ones Disability In order for students to tackle their learning disability, they first need to understand the specific areas that pose a challenge for them. Do they find it hard to read complex text, do they have poor phonological awareness, do they find it difficult to carry out mathematical calculation mentally or on paper, or do they find it challenging to comprehend verbal instructions? Students need to be aware of their learning challenges and discover their strengths before they can develop the appropriate strategies to help them cope with their weaknesses. It is also important to get students to focus on their strengths as this may be what they will need to rely on to get them through their difficult times. When students understand the nature of their learning disability, they can discuss their learning challenges with others, and be willing to ask for necessary accommodations and assistance. This will give them the tools to begin to cope with the challenges that await them in the working environment. With regards to my case student, I do not feel he has a thorough knowledge of his learning disability. I question if he is even aware that he has a learning disability? He has shown an awareness of some of his learning challenges such as his difficulty processing verbal

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information and carrying out any form of writing that requires more than a sentence. He would benefit from a teacher sitting with him and making a list of all his challenges and strengths and also strategies that have helped him in school. This would be a start to helping him become more aware of his strengths and weakness and empowering him with the knowledge to share with his class teachers and future employers. Self-Determination It is important that students develop self- determination skill which encompasses selfawareness, decision making, self-advocacy, independent performance, self-adjustment, and understanding ones own strengths and weaknesses. Gerber, Ginsberg, and Reiff (1992) conducted an interview with over 70 adults with learning disability and discovered that the underlying commonality across the adults was the development of control which was divided into two themes, internal decisions and external manifestations. Internal decisions required adults to set goals and reframe their disability in a positive manner. Reframing involves recognizing, understanding, and accepting the disability, and then developing a plan of action to accomplish the set goals. The person also needs to have a desire to excel in order for success to become possible. External manifestation involves adults finding a goodness of fit between their strengths, weaknesses, and career choice. Individuals will try to fit themselves to environments in which they can succeed, where their skills and abilities can be optimized. This also requires individuals to be persistent and willing to do whatever is necessary to accomplish their goal. Successful adults also developed learned creativity. This is where they carefully analyze their abilities and determine how they can use their strengths to compensate for their weakness using a variety of creative techniques and strategies (Gerber, Ginsberg &Reiff, 1992).

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In the area of self-determination, my case student has yet to gain the skills necessary to be successful in the working environment. Although he has numerous strengths, he lacks the desire and persistence to excel when faced with an obstacle. His solution is to give up when work becomes too difficult and offer a list of excuses as to why the work is incomplete. He does not set academic goals for himself with the fear of being unable to see it through. He would benefit from the support of teachers helping him to set small, realistic, achievable goals where he will experience success. We can then build on that success using his strengths and setting up larger goals, ensuring that we provide him the support he requires to achieve his goal. Conclusion Once a student with LD leaves secondary school, he or she must understand the general nature of the LD, how it impacts them, and be able to explain this impact to others. This involves their knowledge of both their strengths and weaknesses as well as a high level of selfdetermination skills. Students with LD need to accept that hard work will be required of them in life and that this level of work may be more than whats expected from their non-LD peers. Presently, I feel my case student lacks the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in the working world. He was not given the proper support and guidance to understand his learning disability and as a result has experienced numerous failures during his school years. However, I still hold on to the hope that it is not too late and change is possible. With the support and encouragement from his family, my case student can seek out various associations and online networks aimed at helping people with LD (Appendix A). He can receive the guidance that was unavailable to him during his years in school. This research has also opened my eyes to the importance of educating our students with LD as early as possible of their disability and developing in them the skills they will need to be successful and independent in their adult years.

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Appendix A Resources within BC for Youth and Adults with LD 1. Service Canada website: http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/audiences/disabilities/employment.shtml Provides information, services and programs for people with disabilities. o Education and training o Income assistance o Employment o Housing o Special Events For those who have difficulty in reading, the site has the function that will read the information to you.

2. Learning Disability Association of BC http://www.ldabc.ca/ For parents, professionals and people with LD seeking support in education, employment or required further information on LD.

3. Adult Learning Development of BC - Has a variety of programs for adults with learning disabilities, including employment services, support group and service assessments. Suite 603 - 409 Granville Street, Vancouver Phone (604) 683-5554 4. Youth Employment Strategy (YES) http://www.youth.gc.ca/ - Government of Canada's initiative to help Canadian youth get the work experience, knowledge, skills and information they need to prepare for, and participate in, the world of work. YES also assists employers who hire youth. 5. Workink http://www.workink.com/
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Online career development and employment portal for Canadians with disabilities. Provides job search tools, career guidance and resources pertaining to education and employment. Resumes can be posted by individuals seeking employment and job opportunities are posted by prospective employers.

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References Gerber, P. J., Ginsberg, R., & Reiff, H. B. (1992). Indentifying alterable patterns in employment success for highly successful adults with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 25, 475-487. Gerber, P. J., Price, L. A., Mulligan, R., & Shessel, I. (2004). Beyond transition: A comparison of the employment experiences of American and Canadian adults with LD. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37, 283-291. Jacobs, A., E., & Hendricks, D. J. (1992). Job accommodations for adults with learning disabilities: Brilliantly disguised opportunities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 15, 274285. LdPride. (n.d.). Coping with LD/ADD in the Workplace. Retrieved March 10, 201, from http://www.ldpride.net/work.htm Madaus, J. W., Gerber, P. J., & Price, L., A. (2008). Adults with Learning Disabilities in the Workforce: Lessons for Secondary Transition Programs. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 23(3), 148-153. Price, L. A., Gerber, P. J., & Mulligan, R. (2003). The Americans with Disabilities Act and adults with learning disabilities as employees: The realities of the workplace. Remedial and Special Education, 24, 350-358. Roffman, A. J., Herzog, J.E., & Wershba-Gershon, P. M. (1994). Helping Young Adults Understand Their Learning Disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 27(7), 413-419.