AccessCollege

Background

Andrea is an architecture major. Her mobility impairment affects her fine motor skills and manual dexterity.

According to the Veterans' Preference website, "veterans who are disabled, who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in military campaigns are entitled to preference over others in hiring for virtually all federal government jobs." For more general information on the program including eligibility requirements, please visit the website.

DO-IT Scholars is a college preparation program for teens with disabilities. Originally funded by the National Science Foundation in 1992, DO-IT Scholars was institutionalized with Washington state funds in 1998. The program also receives funds from Microsoft and Boeing.

The United States Department of Labor includes the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), which was created in 2001 as a sub-cabinet policy agency.

The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) invited a group of thirty high school seniors with disabilities, along with their teachers and parents, to a transition event. The UAA Transition to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) event exposes students, teachers, and parents to STEM programs on campus and facilitates the transition from high school to college.

Mary Driscoll teaches in the special education and learning assistance program (LAP) at Evergreen Elementary School in Spokane, WA. Following a presentation on assistive technology by DO-IT staff, Ms. Driscoll applied for and received an AccessSTEM minigrant to purchase technology for her school.

Professional organizations such as the Oregon Science Teachers Association (OSTA) serve an important function in helping their members stay current on relevant issues in their fields. OSTA made a statement about the importance of including students with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by partnering with AccessSTEM to provide their members with training and resources for fully including these students in their courses.

All students, including those with disabilities, should be expected to comply with established campus behavioral standards. Consider discussing the problem with the student in private and informing them of behavioral expectations in the classroom.

Contact the campus student services unit that handles behavioral issues and/or the disability services coordinator for guidance.

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs has established more than 300 community-based Vet Centers in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Vet Centers provide readjustment counseling and outreach services to veterans who have served in any combat zone.

Students with mental health issues benefit from traditional job supports such as career assessments, job search training, and work-based learning opportunities. As referenced in the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability's workforce guide, youth with mental health needs may also benefit from employment programs that offer