Purpose

The materials in this packet can be used to deliver presentations to students with disabilities, career development staff, educators, employers, and other professionals. Determine the purpose of your program based on the needs of your students or employees, career center, cooperative education program, or business. A presentation can help your audience:

• become aware of the issues, needs, and concerns of people with disabilities in accessing work-based learning and employment opportunities
• create career development programs that are accessible to all students by applying universal design principles
• understand the important role work-based learning can play in preparation of students with disabilities for employment after college graduation
• understand how worksite accommodations can be determined using the Four-Step Accommodation Model
• gain knowledge about the wide array of adaptive technologies and their implications for people with disabilities
• plan and purchase adaptive technology for school and business computer workstations
• learn universal design principles for developing World Wide Web pages for a school or business

Length and Content

You may alter presentations to meet the content and scheduling needs of your audience. Simply play one of the videotape presentations and distribute related handouts for a 15-20 minute presentation during a meeting. Or, use a combination of the materials provided to deliver a full-day workshop.

In this section is a sample presentation outline for each of three key audiences -- students with disabilities, career development professionals, and employers.

Accommodations

When publicizing your presentation, be sure to include a statement in flyers and other presentation announcements that tells how participants can request accommodations. Provide a contact name, telephone number, and electronic mail address. Provide materials in alternative formats when requested.

A sample statement follows.

"People with disabilities are encouraged to attend. To request materials in alternative formats or to request other accommodations, please contact [name], [address], [phone number], [TTY number], [e-mail address]."

This section provides several presentation options followed by one more detailed outline for delivering presentations on work-based learning opportunities to students with disabilities.

Purpose

Your presentation to students with disabilities may have one or more of the following purposes:

• to learn what work-based learning is
• to understand why it is important to participate in work experiences before graduating from college
• to know their rights and responsibilities as interns with disabilities
• to develop strategies for appropriately disclosing their disabilities and requesting effective accommodations
• to become familiar with adaptive technology that will provide them with access to computers
• to identify key personnel and support-services offices that will be able to assist them on a typical college campus

Length

The following presentation examples are designed to address a wide variety of participant needs.

• Develop a 15-30 minute presentation for a student orientation meeting to give participants an understanding of why participation in work-based learning opportunities is important for students with disabilities and to alert them to who the key players are on a typical college campus. Share the It's Your Career videotape presentation and distribute the handout titled It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities.
• Develop a 15-30 minute presentation to give participants a conceptual understanding of what adaptive technology is and how it can help them access computers, the Internet, and other electronic resources. Share the Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology videotape presentation. Distribute the handouts titled Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, and Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology.
• Develop a one-hour presentation to describe the concepts of work-based learning and to provide students with tools and strategies for accessing opportunities available through their schools. Show the It's Your Career videotape presentation and distribute the It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities handout. Utilize the information in the Strategies section for more details. Select appropriate overhead transparency templates from the Tools section.
• Develop a one-hour presentation to explore how adaptive technology can provide access to computers and help to level the worksite playing field for students with disabilities. Show the Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology videotape presentation. Distribute the handouts Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, and Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology. For more detail, utilize the information in the section titled Access to Computing for People with Disabilities and the overhead transparency templates in the Tools section.
• Develop a half-day workshop to encourage students with disabilities to participate in campus work-based learning activities, and to make them aware of how adaptive technology can provide access to computers and careers. Share the It's Your Career and Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology videotape presentations. Distribute the handouts titled It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities, Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, and Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology. For more details and examples of student experiences, utilize the Strategies, Access to Computing for People with Disabilities, and Tools sections.

Presenters

A Career Counselor, Cooperative Education Coordinator, Disabled Student Services Officer, Adaptive Technology Consultant, or student with a disability could deliver all or part of a presentation. Little experience working with students with disabilities is required to give a short presentation; longer presentations require more specialized expertise.

Preparation

• Secure a site.
• Select presenter(s).
• Set-up registration procedure.
• Photocopy handout templates from the back pouch of this notebook.
  • It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities
  • Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
• Select overhead transparency templates from the Tools section of this notebook and create transparencies.
• Develop handouts and overheads of local campus and community resources.
• Advertise presentation well in advance.
• Send a presentation reminder to registered participants.

Sample Presentation Outline

The following outline can be tailored to your audience, and can vary from a brief 15-minute overview to a full-day workshop.

Logistics

• Introduce presenter(s).
• Introduce participants.
• Identify accessible restrooms, telephones, and provide site logistics.
• Discuss presentation agenda and schedule.
• Describe and distribute handouts.

Introduction

• Provide background and overview.
• Define work-based learning.

Why Participate in Work-Based Learning Activities?

• Describe how all students benefit from work-based learning.
• Identify benefits specific to students with disabilities.
• Define different types of work-based learning options.
• Show the It's Your Career videotape presentation.

How to Get Involved

• Provide an overview of how to find work-based learning opportunities.
• Identify the key players on a typical college campus.
• Discuss disclosure of disability -- when, where, and how.
• Outline how to determine and request appropriate accommodations.
• Share local school and community resources.

Adaptive Technology

• Discuss the benefits of using technology in academic and career settings.
• Share the Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology videotape presentation to provide an overview of technology options for individuals with:
  • low vision
  • blindness
  • hearing and speech impairments
  • specific learning disabilities
  • mobility impairments
  • health impairments
• Discuss how to choose appropriate adaptive technology.
• Provide additional resources.

Conclusion

• Summarize the key points of the presentation.
• Provide additional resources.

Equipment and Tools

• VCR and monitor
• Handouts:
  • It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities
  • Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
• Overhead projector
• Videotape presentations:
  • It's Your Career
  • Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology

This section provides a several presentation options followed by one more detailed outline for delivering presentations on including students with disabilities in work-based learning programs to career development staff.

Purpose

To help career development staff become more aware of:

• the rights, responsibilities and potential contributions of students with disabilities;
• how to recruit students with disabilities into their programs;
• how to ensure equal access into their programs for students with disabilities;
• how to encourage employers to hire interns with disabilities;
• strategies for discussing disclosure of disability and determining appropriate accommodations;
• adaptive technology that provides access to computers; and
• who the key players are on a typical college campus.

Length

The following presentation examples are designed to accommodate a wide variety of participant needs. You may choose to deliver a presentation in a staff meeting, as a conference session, or as a pre-conference workshop.

• Develop a 15-30 minute presentation on how to recruit students with disabilities into campus career development programs. Distribute the It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities handout and share the It's Your Career videotape presentation.
• Develop a 30 minute to one-hour presentation for a conference, regional consortium or staff meeting on recruiting students with disabilities. Use the overhead transparencies provided in the Tools section of this notebook. Show the It's Your Career videotape presentation and distribute the It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities handout. Share information on tactics for creating accessible and inclusive work-based learning programs from the Strategies section.
• Develop a one and one-half to two-hour presentation on creating an inclusive work-based learning program. Share the It's Your Career, Equal Access: Computer Labs, and World Wide Access videotape presentations. Distribute the handouts titled It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities, Equal Access: Computer Labs, World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design, and Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design. Use the overhead transparency templates and information provided in the Strategies, Access to Computing for People with Disabilities, and Tools sections as appropriate.
• Develop a 15-minute presentation on encouraging employers to hire students with disabilities. Share the Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest videotape presentation and distribute the handout with the same name.
• Develop a 15-30 minute presentation on adaptive technology that provides access to computers. Show the Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology videotape presentation. Copy and share the handouts titled Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, and Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology.
• Develop a one and one-half hour presentation on accessible computer workstations and electronic resources. Share the Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, Equal Access: Computer Labs, and World Wide Access videotape presentations. Distribute the handouts titled Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, Equal Access: Computer Labs, World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design, and Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design.
• Deliver a full-day workshop on recruiting, placing, and accommodating students with disabilities in campus work-based learning programs. Use the It's Your Career, Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest, Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, Equal Access: Computer Labs, and World Wide Access videotape presentations. Distribute the handouts titled It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities, Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest, Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, Equal Access: Computer Labs, World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design, and Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design. Use the overhead transparency templates, and information provided in the Tools, Strategies, and Access to Computing for People with Disabilities sections as appropriate.

Presenter

A Career Counselor, Cooperative Education Coordinator, or Disabled Student Services Officer can deliver this presentation. Little experience working with students with disabilities is required to give a short presentation; longer presentations require more specialized expertise.

Preparation

• Select presenter(s).
• Develop handouts and overhead transparencies of resources available on your campus and in your community.
• Photocopy handout templates:
  • It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities
  • Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest
  • Equal Access: Computer Labs
  • Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design
  • Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design
• Prepare overhead transparencies.
• Advertise presentation well in advance.
• Send presentation reminder to participants.

Sample Presentation Outline

The following sample outline can be tailored to your audience, and can vary from a brief 10-minute overview to a full-day workshop.

Logistics

• Introduce presenter(s).
• Introduce participants.
• Identify accessible restrooms, telephones, and provide other site logistics.
• Discuss presentation agenda and schedule.
• Describe and distribute handouts.

Introduction

• Provide background and overview.
• Describe why students with disabilities should participate in work-based learning experiences.

Legal Issues

• Provide an overview of legal issues.
• Describe the content of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Discuss issues such as who is covered by the legislation, what is a reasonable accommodation, and what is an undue hardship.

Access Issues

• Discuss how to recruit students with disabilities.
• Discuss how to provide access to computers.
  • Computer facility access
  • Adaptive technology
  • Access to electronic resources

Placing Students with Disabilities

• Explain issues and strategies involved in disclosing disability.
• Describe accommodation strategies.
• Identify "key players" on campus and in your community. Provide examples.
• Share Four-Step Accommodation Model and Abilities Profiles.
• Describe ways to work effectively with employers when placing students with disabilities.

Equipment and Tools

• VCR and monitor
• Handouts:
  • It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities
  • Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest
  • Equal Access: Computer Labs
  • Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design
  • Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design
• Overhead projector
• Videotape presentations:
  • It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities
  • Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest
  • Equal Access: Computer Labs
  • Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • World Wide Access

This section provides a summary of presentation options followed by one detailed outline for delivering presentations to employers about hiring work-based learning participants with disabilities.

Purpose

To help employers become more aware of:

• the rights, responsibilities, potential contributions and needs of interns with disabilities
• how to recruit students with disabilities into their programs
• how to ensure equal access into their programs
• how to accommodate interns with disabilities
• adaptive technology that provides access to computers
• who the key players are on a typical college campus

Length

The following presentation examples are designed to accommodate a wide variety of participant needs. You may choose to deliver a presentation in a service club or professional organization meeting, as a conference session, or as a pre-conference workshop.

• Develop a 10-minute, one-on-one presentation to describe the benefits of hiring interns with disabilities. Share the Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest videotape presentation and distribute the handout with the same title.
• Develop a 30-minute to one-hour presentation to deliver at a service club or professional association meeting on how to accommodate interns with disabilities. Show the Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, and Equal Access: Computer Labs videotape presentations. Distribute the handouts titled Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, and Equal Access: Computer Labs.
• Develop a 1/2-day workshop on recruiting and accommodating interns with disabilities. Share the Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and The Brightest, Equal Access: Computer Labs, and Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology videotape presentations. Use the overhead transparency templates provided in the Tools section. Extract appropriate information from the Strategies and Access to Computing for People with Disabilities sections, and distribute the following handouts: Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest, Equal Access: Computer Labs, Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, and Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology,.

Presenter

A Career Counselor, Cooperative Education Coordinator, Disabled Student Services Officer, Adaptive Technology Consultant, or a fellow employer may deliver this presentation. Little experience working with students with disabilities is required to give a short presentation; longer presentations require more specialized expertise.

Preparation

• Secure a site.
• Select presenter(s).
• Develop handouts and overhead transparencies of resources available on your campus and in your community.
• Photocopy selected handout templates.
  • Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest
  • Equal Access: Computer Labs
  • Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • Meet the Speakers in the Videotape --Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design
• Prepare overhead transparencies.
• Advertise presentation well in advance.
• Send a presentation reminder to registered participants.

Possible Presentation Outline

The following sample outline can be tailored to your audience, and can vary from a brief 10-minute overview to a half-day workshop.

Logistics

• Introduce presenter(s).
• Introduce participants.
• Identify accessible restrooms, telephones, and provide other site logistics.
• Discuss presentation agenda and schedule.
• Describe and distribute handouts.

Introduction

• Provide background and overview.
• Discuss employment statistics of people with disabilities.

Legal Issues

• Describe the Americans with Disabilities Act and it's implications.
• Discuss who is covered, reasonable accommodations, undue hardship, and related issues.
• Talk about appropriate and inappropriate situations in which to ask about disability.

Access Issues

• Discuss how to provide access to computers.
  • Computer lab/workstation access
  • Adaptive technology
  • Access to electronic resources

Hiring Students with Disabilities

• Explain methods for recruiting students with disabilities.
• Describe accommodation strategies.
• Identify "key players" on campus and in the community.
• Share the Four-Step Accommodation Model and Abilities Profiles. Provide specific examples.
• Identify school and community resources.

Equipment and Tools

• VCR and monitor
• Handouts
  • Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest
  • Equal Access: Computer Labs
  • Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • Meet the Speakers in the Videotape -- World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design
• Overhead projector
• Videotapes:
  • Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest
  • Equal Access: Computer Labs
  • Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • World Wide Access