Professional aspirations and life plans of students with disabilities studying at the University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce and Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas

For years, the interest in the situation of disabled people have not decreased in the framework of education at various levels. The EU directives, as well as the growing social awareness, favors this. The issue of the impact of the university on the disabled youth, and in the long run the degree of its social participation, participation in the production of economic and social values is also important. For a disabled person, being a student is often an important source of building and strengthening a sense of self-worth, based on gaining various competences and the possibility of pursuing professional aspirations and life plans. The aim of the research undertaken for the purposes of this article was to learn about professional aspirations and life plans of disabled students studying at the University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce and the University of Vytautas Magnus in Kaunas (Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, Lithuania). The analysis of the collected empirical material revealed that students with disabilities in both countries value similar values in their lives, want to receive education and in the future a job that suits their interests, and ensure a decent existence and the ability to support themselves and the family. Professional students depend primarily on their "own efforts" and "efforts" as well as "knowledge and skills". In the future, they want to be independent and autonomous people appreciated by the society and employers. They also care about love and forbearance on the part of others.