Abstract
The aim of this study was to describe the employment experiences of persons with learning disabilities (LDs) in developing countries, such as Malaysia. Factors associated with respondents’ employment were also determined. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among young adults with LD who left the special education programs in secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Ninety young adults with LD, aged 18 to 25 years were interviewed face-to-face at an agreed upon convenient place on their working experiences after leaving secondary schools. A total of 13 respondents were excluded from the analysis because their intellectual quotient (IQ) score demonstrated a high possibility of intellectual disability with IQ estimation <70. Of the 77 young adults analyzed, 74.0% reported having work experience and 64.9% were working at the time of interview. Statistical analysis showed significant associations between individual, family, and community factors with respondents’ employment. Two factors made a unique statistically significant contribution to the model (gender, p = 0.043 and adult service: Financial support p = 0.012). This study suggests the current school-to-work transition program at secondary and post-secondary schools should be improved to better prepare young adults with LD with necessary skills relevant for the current job market so that they could improve their employability.
Highlights
Participation in employment activities is considered worldwide as one of the important transition outcomes for young adults with disabilities, including those with learning disabilities (LDs)
Echoing what was suggested by Loh and Sharifah Zainiyah (2013) [35], this study strongly suggests that more vocational training programs should be provided for young adults with LD in the country at the post-secondary school level
This paper increased our understanding on the employment experience of Malaysian young adults with LD; the characteristics, challenges, and factors that associated with their employment
Summary
Participation in employment activities is considered worldwide as one of the important transition outcomes for young adults with disabilities, including those with learning disabilities (LDs). Literature on the employment of young adults with LD mainly comes from developed countries, such as the United States and Canada, rather than developing countries, such as Malaysia. Many factors are found to be associated with the employment of young adults with LD. These include personal, family, and community factors. The personal factors include age, gender, educational level, and positive attributes. The family factors include parental involvement and expectations, socioeconomic level, and parents’ education while community factors include support services received from the government and/or non-governmental organizations
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