Disability and Adult Education - the consumer view

Abstract

Developments in recent years have shown an increasing interest in the educational needs and aspirations of disabled adults. There is still, however, limited research information representing the disabled person's voice. This paper describes the outcomes from a survey of the educational experiences of 44 physically disabled adults in the North West of England. The findings indicated that, usually, the earlier someone had acquired a disability, the less likely they were, as adults, to have achieved professional or higher qualifications, and that the level of qualifications reached among women being surveyed was particularly low. Barriers to course attendance reflect both attitudinal and practical access issues, with underachievement often the result of oppression from a variety of sources. Both positive and negative experiences from disabled adults form the basis of recommendations for an equal opportunities approach to adult education for disabled people around the themes of integration, self worth, empowerment and consultation.