Do They Even Need “Adult” Education? A Programming Critique of Day Habilitation

Abstract

Day habilitation provides informal and non-formal adult education programming for individuals with disabilities, who often go unrecognized by the adult education field because of infantilization that precludes them from common perceptions of “adults,” contributing to a dearth of information about day hab access and programming in adult education literature. In this paper, we critically examine day hab access and programming issues in Texas, discussing barriers regarding costs and stigmas toward attendees from adult educators’ perspectives. We include practical recommendations for the field, such as embracing person-centered approaches and entering discussions about day habilitation programming to improve outcomes for participants.