Reports of life skills training for students with intellectual disabilities in and out of school

Life skills can be critical to the success of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) in terms of postschool outcomes. Yet, research suggests a decreasing emphasis on the acquisition of life skills in school for students with ID, raising the question if students then receive training in these areas after graduation.

This study represented a secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 data to understand the reported receipt of life skills instruction in school and out of school for individuals with mild and moderate/severe ID. Frequency distributions, significant tests and a t-test were used to understand receipt of life skills in and out of school for both individuals with mild and moderate/severe ID.

The results suggest low-reported receipt of life skills instruction/training in school and postschool for individuals with mild ID, few students with moderate/severe ID report receiving life skills training out of school, and receipt of life skills instruction in school is not related to receipt of life skills training/therapy after school by either individuals with mild ID or moderate/severe ID.

Given the current educational policy situation (i.e. a predisposition towards inclusive general education placements for students with disabilities and participation in the accountability system for all students), educators who believe in the value of a life skills curriculum will need to be creative in its implementation and look towards transition plan and activities to provide students with the needed training. Regardless, teachers will need to rectify providing students with the academic skills they need to be successful on a general large-scale assessment with providing them with the life skills (e.g. independent living, daily living, financial) to be successful after school in employment and independent living.