AccessCAREERS Projects
CAREERS,
ACADEMICS,
RESEARCH,
EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION,
RELEVANT SKILLS
The goal of the AccessCAREERS project is to maximize the success of people with disabilities in careers. It serves to increase the representation of high school and college students with disabilities in internship, cooperative education, and other work experiences.
AccessCAREERS Project Management
Dr. Sheryl Burgstahler is the Director of DO-IT. Scott Bellman, Tami Tidwell and Lyla Crawford support AccessCAREERS efforts. Contact information for these staff members is listed below.
Scott Bellman swb3@u.washington.edu
Lyla Crawford lylac@u.washington.edu
Tamitha Tidwell tamitha@u.washington.edu
The DO-IT Industry Advisory Board helps AccessCAREERS staff address project goals. Board members provide a liaison to industry to help develop corporate opportunities. Board members advise on the development and opening of internship and other employment opportunities for college students with disabilities. They also recruit mentors for DO-IT participants and give advice regarding funding of project efforts. They review the resumes of participants in the projects and give feedback on the quality as well as advice on where opportunities might exist that match students' skills.
AccessCAREERS Publications, Videos, and Training Materials
Many useful resources are available through DO-IT's website at http://www.washington.edu/doit/. Specifically DO-IT makes available the following materials. Permission is granted to reproduce printed materials and video presentations for noncommercial, educational purposes as long a credit is given to the source.
Publications
The following career-related publications are available at no charge from DO-IT.
- It's Your Career: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities emphasizes the importance of preparing for employment with good academic preparation and transferable job skills. The benefits and types of work-based learning experiences for college students are detailed in this publication.
- Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest increases awareness about the contributions of individuals with disabilities, dispels common myths about accommodations, and highlights resources available to employers recruiting and hiring individuals with disabilities as interns or permanent employees.
- Access to the Future: Preparing Students with Disabilities for Careers details the legal responsibilities regarding the American with Disabilities Act and describes how to provide an open and welcoming environment on campus for students with disabilities. The publication includes tips on working with employers and implementing accommodation strategies.
- Learn and Earn: Tips for Teens encourages secondary students with disabilities to include work-based learning experiences in their career planning and academic preparation. This publication details the types of work-based learning, helps students identify their team players, and outlines community and scholastic resources.
- Learn and Earn: Supporting Teens outlines ways in which parents, teachers, and mentors can encourage and support secondary students with disabilities in pursuing work-based learning experiences. The publication provides ideas for career exploration activities and inclusive career development programs.
Videos
The following AccessCAREERS videos may be purchased in DVD format from DO-IT and are fully available to view online at http://www.washington.edu/doit/video/. Popular for individual training and group presentations, they are applicable for high school students, postsecondary students, career services offices, and employers.
- It's Your Career is designed for college students with disabilities, encouraging them to participate in work-based learning experiences and expand their career preparation (13 minutes).
- Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest helps employers in cooperative education, internship, and other work-related learning programs learn how to more fully include participants with disabilities (7 minutes).
- Access to the Future: Preparing Students with Disabilities for Careers is designed to show college career development staff how they can make services and programs accessible to students with disabilities (14 minutes).
- Learn and Earn: Supporting Teens shows parents, teachers, and mentors encouraging teens with disabilities to participate in work-based learning (13 minutes).
- Learn and Earn: Tips for Teens shows how students with disabilities benefit from work-based learning experiences (13 minutes).
Training Materials
The following comprehensive training notebook may be purchased from DO-IT.
- Career Development and Students with Disabilities helps staff and employers in cooperative education, internship, and other work-based learning programs accommodate participants with disabilities. It includes the DO-IT publications and videos: It's Your Career, Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest, Equal Access: Computer Labs, Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, and World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design.
Additional Information
Additional information about AccessCAREERS projects can be found in the publication AccessCAREERS Projects: Increasing Career Success for People with Disabilities.