Preparing Students with Learning Disabilities for Success in Postsecondary Education: Needs and Services

This qualitative study addressed the question, What personal characteristics contribute to the postsecondary academic success of students with learning disabilities? Counselors in learning disabilities programs from nine postsecondary institutions made up the sample. The findings reveal that successful students are motivated toward realistic goals, are academically prepared, and serve as effective self-advocates. Self-advocacy is a complex construct that includes awareness and acceptance of the disability, knowledge of laws and policies governing learning disabilities, and assertiveness and problem-solving behaviors. The findings provide direction for the creation of a multisystem school social work intervention that includes individual and group counseling, parent support, and teamwork with school colleagues.