본 연구는 2012년부터 2021년까지 게재된 장애인 평생교육 연구 논문 242편에 대한 일반현황과 연구방법 및 내용을 분석하는 것이다. 연구결과를 살펴보면, 첫째, 최근 10년간 발행된 논문은 총 242편이며, 2018년이 가장 많이 출판되었으며, 학술지별 발행논문 수는 ‘특수교육학연구’, 연구방법은 조사연구가 가장 많았다. 둘째, 조사연구의 대상은 장애인 당사자, 대상자 수는 101∼200명, 방법은 설문조사, 목적은 평생교육에 대한 인식, 실태, 요구가 가장 많았다. 셋째, 문헌연구의 형태는 문헌고찰, 목적은 장애인 평생교육 체계 구축 및 활성화, 동향분석의 대상 국가는 국내, 논문 수는 100편 이하가 가장 많았다. 넷째, 질적연구의 대상은 센터장과 담당자, 대상자 수는 5명 이하, 방법은 심층면담, 목적은 장애인 평생교육 경험과 의미 분석이 가장 많았다. 다섯째, 사례연구의 대상 연령은 전공과+성인, 장애유형은 발달장애, 실험집단 크기는 3명, 실험설계는 대상자간 중다 간헐 기초선 설계, 독립변인은 장애인 평생교육 프로그램, 종속변인은 조리직무기술이 가장 많았다. 여섯째, 개발연구는 직업중심 평생교육 모델, 장애인 평생교육 프로그램 분류체계, 장애인 직업코디네이터 양성 교육과정, 발달장애인 평생교육지원체계 모형 개발 등이 있었다. 일곱째, 실험연구의 장애유형은 발달장애, 장소는 대학 및 부설기관, 집단 크기는 11∼20명, 실험설계는 통제집단 사전-사후(AB)설계, 중재회기는 11∼20회기가 가장 많았으며, 다양한 독립변인과 종속변인이 있었다. 이상의 연구결과를 바탕으로 장애인 평생교육 연구의 개선 방안을 논의 및 제언하였다.
This study analyzes the general status, research methods, and contents of 242 research papers on lifelong education for the disabled published from 2012 to 2021. Looking at the research results, First, a total of 242 papers have been published in the last 10 years, and 2018 was the most published year, and the number of papers published by each journal was the Korean Journal of Special Education, and the survey study was the most study. Second, the subjects of the survey research were the persons with disabilities, the number of subjects was 101∼200, the method was a survey, and the purpose was to recognize, actual condition, and demand for lifelong education. Third, the form of literature research was literature review, the purpose was to establish and activate a lifelong education system for the disabled, and the country subject to trend analysis was Korea, and the number of papers was the largest with less than 100. Fourth, the subject of the qualitative research was the head of the center and the person in charge, and the number of subjects was 5 or less, the method was in-depth interviews, and the purpose was the most experience and meaning analysis of lifelong education for the disabled. Fifth, the age of the case study was majoring course in special school + adult, disability type was developmental disability, experimental group size was 3 people, experimental design was multiple probe baseline design across participants, independent variable was lifelong education program for the disabled, and dependent variable was cooking job skills. Sixth, development research included a career-oriented lifelong education model, a classification system for lifelong education programs for the disabled, a training course for vocational coordinators for the disabled, and the development of a lifelong education support system model for people with developmental disabilities. Seventh, the types of disabilities in experimental research were developmental disabilities, universities and affiliated institutions, group sizes were 11∼20 people, pretest-posttest control group design, and intervention sessions were the most common, and there were various independent and dependent variables. Based on the above research results, measures to improve lifelong education research for the disabled were discussed and suggested.