It’s believed that up to 10% of Americans may have undiagnosed learning disabilities they’ve carried into adulthood. The tragedy is not only that these individuals have gone through half their lives feeling frustrated and confused, but that they now carry the emotional scars too. Many adults with dyslexia and other learning disabilities have very self confidence, suffer from anxiety and experience bouts of depression. Sometimes the impact of something as basic as reading difficulties can transform into a diagnosable mental disorder, while other times it’s manifested as stress.
The challenge of coping with learning disabilities as an adult is enormous. Today, so much emphasis is placed on completing college and special needs adults are expected to fit into this mold, even when other options like vocational skills training may be more in-sync with their adult learning styles. According to the National Longitudinal Transition Study, the results are bleak, as 35% of children with learning disabilities drop out of high school (which is twice the rate for students without learning disabilities). Only 2% of high school graduates with learning disabilities transition to a four-year college.
Despite the difficulty of arriving at adulthood with a learning disability, some achieve college degrees and transition into working adults. The successful students are generally self-motivated and seek out campus leadership positions, work study jobs, internships and summer employment opportunities. They are observant at work, watching how others communicate, interact and function. They ask questions, know what is expected of them and stay organized with cell phone reminders, calendars, lists and agendas. On the job, successful special needs adults know that certain accommodations will help them, such as written instructions, tape recorders, demonstrations, diagrams, extended deadlines, a clean working space, computer spell-check and color-coded files. They tap into their support network of family and friends as needed and visit websites like the Job Accommodation Network (www.jan.wvu.edu), Peterson’s Internships (www.petersons.com), the National Rehabilitation Information Center (www.naric.com) and the Equal Opportunity Commission (www.eeoc.gov).
There are many options for post-secondary-education as disabled individuals reach adulthood. Some go onto two or four-year college programs, vocational training or they seek out internships. For special needs adults who never graduated high school, there are continuing education programs to help them prepare for a GED test or improve academic skills in reading, writing, math and critical thinking. These adult education courses can be taken at county boards of education, colleges, community centers or private companies. Since there are no admission requirements and minimal (if any) fees, many adults with dyslexia or other disabilities feel most comfortable taking this first step.
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