Date

4-17-2024

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Sharon B. Farrell

Keywords

work-based learning, intellectual disabilities, post-school, competitive employment, employment organization services

Disciplines

Education | Special Education and Teaching

Abstract

The purpose of this embedded single-case study was to understand how participation in work-based learning experiences (WBLE) prepares students with intellectual disabilities (ID) for successful post-school competitive employment. The theory guiding this study was Kolb’s experiential learning theory, as it systematically explains the four stages of learning that learners go through during WBLE. This embedded single-case study investigated the experience of 12 work site supervisors supervising students with an ID while participating in WBLE at a restaurant and a hotel and one student who participated in the WBLE. Data were collected using individual interviews, document analysis, and focus groups. The data analysis methods included spreadsheet software, in-vivo coding, and the development of themes. The themes discovered in this study were: Connect the Pieces for Mutual Gain, Student Willingness to Participate Outweighs their Disabilities, Teamwork in a Controlled and Supportive Environment, and Students Deal Confidently with Undesirable Situations and Tasks. The themes suggest that implementing WBLE for students with ID must include profound collaboration. Students with disabilities (SWD) are incredibly complex, as are the work environments in which they participate. SWDs have medical conditions that require attention, learning differences that necessitate accommodation, and limitations that demand consideration. In prioritizing the students' vocational benefits and employability growth when implementing WBLE, all stakeholders profit from these extraordinary experiences.

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