Project Director's Report
Can We Improve Employment Outcomes for Students With Disabilities?
Adaptive Environments has received a five year federal grant award from the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education to research effective strategies to improve employment results for people with disabilities in the six New England states. The new grant, DBTAC–New England ADA Center has created a set of partnerships and collaborations that will help to meet the new expectations. We are pleased to report that The Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University is our primary research partner. The target populations for New England ADA Center’s research are students with disabilities and their diverse support services at institutes of higher education, and employers in demand-driven, high growth industries in New England. Read about how the New England ADA Center plans to identify strategies to improve academic success and employment outcomes for students with disabilities. The story is entitled “Labor Market Projections – A Perfect Nor’ Easter”.
Nationwide, college students with disabilities are not receiving the same employment and career outcomes after graduation as their non disabled peers. Specifically, a college graduate with a disability is 8-12 times more likely to be unemployed than a college graduate without a disability (American Council on Education 2000). Unemployment rates for college graduates with disabilities range from 33-45% which compares unfavorably to the 3-4% unemployment rates for students without disabilities.
Why does this phenomenon exist?
There are many reasons, some of them obvious in patters of experience by many students with disabilities. Once they arrive on campus, students with disabilities “under–explore” their career options. For example, they register with career services about one-third as often as non-disabled students (Getzel, 2005), rarely participate in Co-Op and other internship programs (Rumrill, 1999), and tend not to engage in part-time and other work study employment–especially, if they are receiving SSI (Burgstahler, 2001 and Wehman, 2005). Some strides are being made however, to help students motivate themselves to gain internships. In the region, the Rhode Island Governor’s Commission on Disability provides paid internships for students with disabilities. Employers look for work experience on a resume and some employers hire students who have interned with them (see: News from Around the Region - Rhode Island). Also, EAST Alliance of the University in Southern Maine, is assisting students with disabilities to get internships in the sciences throughout New England. Read more about their exemplary project here: News from Around the Region - Maine.
The limited engagement in career exploration activities exhibited by students with disabilities may be compounded by their colleges support services. Some disability service personnel lack expertise in employment, and career service personnel often lack expertise regarding the needs of students with disabilities (Rumrill, 1999). However, this tide is changing. Through the efforts of Alan Muir at Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD) (www.COSD.org), the lines of communication between career counselors and disability services are opening. As well, the Association for Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) (www.AHEAD.org) members are now attending to employment issues for the students with disabilities they serve. Recently, I have spoken with Disability Services Personnel who have further identified a major issue-students lack of preparation in transitioning from high school to college. In K-12, students rely upon family members and advocates to speak for them. In college, students need to figure out what they need and learn to speak for themselves.
Our Feature Stories
Our feature stories highlight a stunning series by the New York Times (November 5, 2006), “A Dream Not Denied.”. This series of articles describes students with intellectual and cognitive disabilities and their support systems and the innovative strategies being used for successful navigation of a college education.
Included in this series is “Just a Normal Girl,” a story about Katie Apostides and her enrollment at Becker College in Massachusetts. Katie is at the forefront of a wave of intellectual limitations students gaining a place on college campuses nationwide. Studies commissioned by the National Down Syndrome Society have shown that the quality and quantity of jobs for students with cognitive disabilities increases with post secondary education. This concurs with the Connecticut (CT) Department of Labor report that more than half of the 20 fastest growing occupations will require a minimum of a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree. The ADA Coalition of CT stresses the importance of keeping abreast of the jobs of the future and grooming students for them (see: News from Around the Region - Connecticut). Katie and other college students with intellectual disabilities are out to prove they can succeed in competitive employment.
A related article, “A Dream Not Denied: Students on the Spectrum” depicts best practices assisting students with Asperger’s syndrome to stay in school, and survive socially in and out of the classroom. The Autism Foundation is claiming that one in every 166 children has been diagnosed with autism (Autism Speaks, 2006). These children are now beginning to enroll in higher education, leaving institutes of higher education ill-prepared to address the magnitude of demand for support services for students with disabilities. As I read the stories in Moore’s article, I was awestruck by the simplicity and effectiveness of some of the strategies, such as older students mentoring younger students.
Can We Improve Employment Outcomes for Students With Disabilities in New England?
The employment issues facing youth with disabilities exist on many levels. These issues involve the intersection of a student’s personal situation with national policy, as well as the prevailing societal and economic regional environment. For instance, on the national level, the loosening of eligibility requirements of SSI has magnetized people away from work. Furthermore, the labor market catastrophe occurring in New England additionally challenges the personal and developmental factors influencing student decision making.
Read about these issues. The story is entitled “Labor Market Projections – A Perfect Nor’ Easter”. Our newsletter offers an array of articles addressing the multi-layered challenges to improving education, training and employment success.
Oce Harrison, Project Director
References
- American Council on Education (2000). Facts in brief: Students with disabilities have lower persistence rates, but graduates are successful. Vol.48, No.11.
- Autism Speaks (2006). Available at www.autismspeaks.org
- Burgstahler, S. ( 2001). A collaborative model to promote career success for students with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 16, 209-216.
- Getzel, E., Stodden, R. & Briel, L. (2005). Pursuing postsecondary education opportunities for students with disabilities. In P. Wehman (Ed.), Life Beyond the classroom: transition strategies for young people with disabilities (pp. 247-260). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
- New York Times (November 5, 2006). Students on the Spectrum by Abigail Moore. Just a Normal Girl by Leslie Kaufman. Found in a series, A Dream Not Denied.
- Rumrill, P., Koch, L., Murphy., P., & Jannerone, A. (1999). Technology transfer concerns of college graduates with disabilities: Profiles in transition from higher education to competitive careers. Work, 13, 43-49.
- Wehman (2005). Life Beyond the classroom: transition strategies for young people with disabilities (pp. 247-260). Baltmore: Paul H. Brookes.
