Aim: This research aimed to explore the lived experiences and investigate the meaning(s) that people with intellectual disability construct of their experience in post-secondary and higher education in the Republic of Ireland.
Method: Study participants were 27 adults who attended post-secondary or higher level courses. Participants’ narratives of their experiences were captured via audio-taped interviewing, and analysed following the interpretive process in Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology.
Results: The findings highlight the transformational role of education. Participants experienced going to post-secondary or higher education as valuable and positive. They described the experience by detailing opportunities such as improving literacy and learning new skills. Their experiences were interpreted as creating conditions that increase their independence and self-belief. The meanings drawn from the experience reflect an understanding of the benefits of inclusion, but also highlight the emerging realities of the limitations caused by having a disability and being dependent on services.
Conclusion: The methodology used has resulted in a unique method of interpretation which gives a greater insight into the experiences of people with intellectual disability. Recommendations are made for research, practice and policy.