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ERIC Number: ED480731
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2000-Feb
Pages: 45
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Improvement of Employment Opportunities for Students with Disabilities upon High School Graduation in Rural Settings.
Jackson, Kent R.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), ICW Employment Services of Indiana County, ARIN Intermediate Unit #28, and Indiana County Vo-Tech cooperated in a 1-year pilot project to explore employment opportunities for rural high school seniors with mild disabilities. These agencies created a four-tier program that included job preparation, job shadowing, job coaching, and paid internships. Ten special education students participated in the 5-month pilot program. Quantitative assessment data were collected via a follow-up survey of students and employers. Qualitative data were collected in seven areas: policymaker awareness, attitude change, project replication, barriers to employment, impact on pre-professional educators, infrastructure development, and status of project goals. Based on the number of outgrowth activities that resulted and on positive feedback from the collaborative partners, students, and parents, the pilot project was deemed very successful. Four of five project goals were met: expanding employers' awareness of the potential contributions of employees with disabilities, training future special education teachers and other related professionals at IUP, improving students' job readiness skills, and increasing interagency collaboration in this area. Recommendations are offered for program development and replication. Three appendices present survey results, meeting agendas, and media associated with the program. (TD)
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Center for Rural Pennsylvania, Harrisburg.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A