Abstract
This contribution explores the question of the vocational experiences which women with intellectual disabilities have after leaving school. The main part of the contribution contains an analysis of three interviews with women with intellectual disabilities about their post-school vocational orientation. The research method applied for the analysis was grounded theory. The results show that the three women changed from school directly to a sheltered workshop/occupational therapy or to external vocational preparation measures. They were only able to gain work experience on the regular labour market in the framework of work placement, which led them to express their wish to find employment on the regular labour market. They were successful in their pursuit of vocational participation on the regular labour market. However, they perceive the transition from school to the regular labour market as a cumbersome vocational orientation process.
Highlights
It is the aim of inclusive education to include all children, adolescents and adults in inclusive processes of education and training within a framework of life long learning (UN Convention, 2006: Art. 24). This aim suggests that it is relevant to include post-school processes of vocational education and training in research. It must be analysed which vocational training experiences women and men with intellectual disabilities have after compulsory education
Summarising the results of the structural data, it can be concluded that especially during the transition from school to vocational training and employment the interaction between a person’s sex and disability develops a special dynamic which is based on the social structure of men’s gainful labour and neglects difficulties faced by women (Schildmann, 2010: p. 656)
Successful vocational participation is related with an interesting occupation in combination with social integration at the workplace. They see as helpful the personal support they receive through guidance which actively assists them in their vocational orientation process, as well as moving out of the parents’ house and into self-supported living
Summary
It is the aim of inclusive education to include all children, adolescents and adults in inclusive processes of education and training within a framework of life long learning (UN Convention, 2006: Art. 24). Resulting from the above, in the research field of inclusive education/pedagogics, when considering disability, the aspect of the sex of the person should be taken into account and research must take into consideration the entire life span in order to identify social inequality theoretically as well as in terms of methodology (Schildmann, 2011) It must be the aim of research to systematically explore the effects of social inequalities which are primarily found in the transition period from school to vocational training and employment and which increase the risks of exclusion. Summarising the results of the structural data, it can be concluded that especially during the transition from school to vocational training and employment the interaction between a person’s sex and disability develops a special dynamic which is based on the social structure of men’s gainful labour and neglects difficulties faced by women (Schildmann, 2010: p. 656)
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