Perceptions of GI Bill recipients with disabilities of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) as a viable career choice

摘要

BACKGROUND: Student veterans with disabilities are attending higher education programs at an increasing rate as a result of receiving educational benefits through the GI Bill. Yet limited data is collected by state agencies on the characteristics, needs, and preferences of this population.OBJECTIVE: This study describes an analysis of STEM as a viable career option for GI Bill recipients enrolled in two and four year public institutions in Virginia. Researchers explored the factors affecting the interests, enrollment, performance, and retention in STEM of GI Bill recipients with disabilities along with institutional and personal factors that impacted their decisions.METHODS: A 48-item survey, titled GIBill Recipients and Their Career Choices, comprised of a series of questions using dichotomous responses, checklists, and five point Likert type scales was distributed to 19,000 GI Bill recipients at two and four year public colleges and universities in Virginia.RESULTS: The results provide insights on some of the factors that influenced the decisions of GI Bill recipients about STEM, and the institutional characteristics and supports that contribute to their overall college experience. CONCLUSIONS: The experiences of GI Bill recipients with disabilities and their decision to select a STEM major remains an important area of research. Further study is needed to examine more in-depth the extent to which their disabilities played a role in how these decisions were made.