By Lynn Stempel, M.A., and Deborah Pennert, Ph-D.

Former students of the Dyslexia Training Program (DTP) were contacted as adults to determine if training had impacted career development, feelings of success, vocation and educational attainment. In January 1994. a questionnaire was sent to 1,200 former students who were at least 21 years of age. Questionnaires were returned by 152 (16.5%) of the former students. As a result, the (following information was collected:

• 92% (140) of the students had completed high school or better.
• 27% (40) had college degrees or higher.
• Compared to the general population of Texas, the former DTP students have a higher level of education, according to 1990 census figures.
• 72-5% (108) of former students described their jobs as skilled or higher.
• 66% of the respondents reported an income equal to or exceeding the median income for Texas households ($27,016).
• Occupations reported included many managerial and clerical positions, suggesting many had learned to read with sufficient confidence to obtain white collar employment.
• 83% of the respondents indicated they were satisfied with their jobs.
• 90% considered their personal well-being to be average or better.
• Students attending the DTP two or more years considered training to be more influential in areas of self-esteem, career decisions, educational needs and strategies taught than those attending for less than two years.
• 64% (97) of respondents said dyslexia had some Impact on their career choices.
• 56% felt their social or emotional functioning was impacted by dyslexia.
• 60% of the students felt somewhat different from their non-dyslexic friends.
• 43% were bothered by friends' awareness of their dyslexia.