Young Disabled People : Aspirations, Choices and Constraints

Examines the career-related decisions and aspirations of young disabled people and explores the relationships, policies and social structures that determine the extent to which they will achieve their goals. This book offers a comparison between young disabled people in special and mainstream education.

Recent policies and government initiatives in many Western countries have strengthened the expectation that young disabled people have the right to be involved in decisions affecting their futures. Many of the choices that are currently taken out of young disabled people’s hands, including those relating to education and future employment, are now being viewed as an opportunity to encourage participation in the decision making process. Sonali Shah uses a comparative study of young disabled students within mainstream and special education to determine the influence these recent policies will have on the realization of their long term goals. Young Disabled People: Aspirations, Choices and Constraints will be essential reading for academics in the fields of education, disability studies and employment policy. It will also be valuable to policy makers and teaching and careers professionals.