An estimated five million Americans participate in non-credit college and university classes annually. The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) does not require the reporting of non-credit student postsecondary enrollment, which means there is a lack of data about non-credit higher education. This qualitative case study provides…

This dissertation is centered on further understanding the warehousing hypothesis. This is a phenomenon where college enrollment patterns across the U.S. are driven by labor market conditions. The interrelated nature of individual and structural level processes motivates the fundamental question driving my research: how do race and ethnicity,…

For youth with disabilities, transitioning from school to work and adult life often means overcoming multiple social, academic, and environmental constraints that may present as roadblocks to meeting society's expectations of 'successful transition' (Lehman, Clark, Bullis, Rinkin, & Castellanos, 2002). According to the United States Department…

For more than three decades, the unemployment rates have been extremely high for persons who are blind or visually impaired. This is particularly noted for those seeking business-related careers where technology or computer competency is a required skill. Generally, since education and training are related to employment, the purpose of this study…

Human capital theory suggests that the opportunity cost is lower during an economic recession which in turn encourages a person to enroll in a postsecondary educational institution. At the same time, the ability to pay the direct costs of education is reduced. The two effects work in an opposite direction. Using unemployment rates as a business…