When educational support is just not enough: adult students diagnosed with dyslexia in technical and further education (TAFE)

This research focused on the exploration of 22 adult students diagnosed with dyslexia1, as well as Disability Service Officers (DSOs) who supported adult students in five Queensland Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Colleges/Institutes. Adult students diagnosed with dyslexia ‘perceived’ having a social identity different from others without dyslexia, which became evident from experiences in childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. The lifelong barriers emerged from the analysis of one-on-one interviews, while enrolled in TAFE courses. Adult students diagnosed with dyslexia revealed they had a marred social identity, compared to people without dyslexia, as identified in this thesis. A social identity was evident in adult students diagnosed with dyslexia due to their vulnerability; which played out in cultural and global contexts, eventuating in a relational: hyphenated-self. In this embedded case study, there was an interactional relationship at the micro-social level of servicing and supporting of adult students. Disability Officers became advocates for adult students diagnosed with dyslexia; through their Professional Agency in TAFE contexts. In addition to advocacy, DSOs were caring, some had ‘a calling’, supported students with Formalised Disclosure, and have ‘professional agency’ in TAFE, being the case-manager of adult students diagnosed with dyslexia. Essentially DSOs practiced good deeds in their practise. In addition to advocacy, some DSOs were autonomous in their discretionary practices and went outside of TAFE, in order to access funding and services for adult students diagnosed with dyslexia.Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2017