Post-school outcomes of students with disabilities: A quantitative and qualitative analysis

Abstract

Post-school outcomes are measured by how successful students are integrating into their communities as productive citizens. Halpern's [10] "quality-of-life" transition outcomes were examined in this study using a mixed method research design of quantitative and qualitative measures. This study investigated a post-school outcomes survey administered in a southeastern state for the academic years 2003–2006 of former students who received special education services while in high school. The majority of the participants who provided data for both the survey and focus group methodologies had high incidence disabilities (i.e., learning disabilities, mental retardation, and emotional disturbance). Results from each data analysis method supported the findings of the other and each method contributed to the understanding of quality-of-life attainment as perceived by participants. Overall, the results of this mixed methods study illustrate that the use of focus group methodology compliments the post-school outcomes survey results by revealing the many reasons for participants' responses by answering how and why questions.