Mainstreaming and Postsecondary Educational and Employment Status of a Rubella Cohort

Abstract

The postsecondary education and work status of 46 rubella deaf young adults was described and evaluated as an outcome of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, preschool attendance, early parent involvement, and degree of prior mainstreaming. With regard to postsecondary education attendance, 24 had two or more years, 11 had one year or less, and 11 had none. At time of interview, 19 were still attending school, 22 were working and five were neither working nor attending an educational program. Ethnic minority young adults were underrepresented in the group with two or more years of postsecondary education, and overrepresented in the group neither working nor in school at time of interview. Prior mainstreaming was a determinant of postsecondary education attendance over and above the effects of demographic and background characteristics. Implications of these findings are discussed.