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From Learning to Earning: Transition from School to
Work
Joy Kniskern, AMAC Accessibility Solutions, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAva Scearce, HSHT and Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant
Karen Royston, Executive Director, Georgia Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Inc.
We are Glad you are Here!
Session Objectives
Identify data that highlights why transition services are critical for high school students with disabilities
Define HSHT’s innovative approach to providing additional resources and services to students with disabilities
Discuss steps to establish laptop refurbishing, AT services for HSHT students, and alternative media technology solutions to ease higher ed transitions
Discuss strategies to involve VR leadership in HSHT
Why Are Transition Services Essential?
• ¼ of high school students fail to graduate on time
• Students with disabilities have a dropout rate that is twice as high as students without disabilities. National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET)
• 70% of youth with disabilities remain unemployed two years after graduation from high school and have higher rates of incarceration than the general population
• Drop outs will earn $200,000 less than graduate over a lifetime
Every 26 seconds one student drops out of public school….
7,000 each day…1.2 million a year
Sources: America’s Promise Alliance and www.dosoemthing.org
A comprehensive community-based program providing youth with disabilities a link to academic and career-development experiences that enable them to successfully meet the workforce demands
of the 21st century.
High School/High Tech is….
Provide information & services
to students with all types of disabilities to assist them with identifying a realistic vocational goal and
transitioning to post secondary education and/or gainful employment.
Brief History of HS/HT Programs
Nationally
Who is eligible?
Student in grades 8-12 (ages 14-22) and
have a documented disability that’s
physical, sensory or learning related.
Who is involved?
Advocacy Groups
Families
Educators
Colleges, Universities, &Technical Colleges
Business Leaders& Employers
Students
DOL/Voc Rehab
Goals of HS/HT Program
Reduce the dropout rate of students with disabilities
To improve education and training outcomes for youth with disabilities
Teach students how to advocate for themselves
Opportunity awareness
Explore career options
Facilitate a successful transition to post-secondary education or gainful employment
Five Guideposts for Success
Georgia’s HS/HT program’s services are based on research
that identifies five guideposts that support young people
transitioning out of high school…
School PreparationYouth Development & LeadershipCareer Preparation & Work Based Learning ExperiencesConnecting ActivitiesFamily Involvement
Georgia’s HS/HT is not a Cookie Cutter Program. HS/HT in Georgia looks
like….
Curriculum-basedVR – School –Community PartnershipClubElective creditSchool partnerships – CTI and Special EducationCommunity OrganizationsSponsored by Civic Organizations and Employer
Committees–” Adopt a Program”Other Options:
Afterschool Program Out of School Youth (WIA/RFP) One Stop / Career Center Partnerships with existing programs; i.e. Housing Authority, Junior
Achievement
Sites may be multi-county and multi-school with 200 students or they may be one county and one school with 5 students.
HS/HT is an additional resource for students with disabilities.
Services at each HSHT site may vary based on the needs of the students.
All services provided should be geared to post-secondary education or employment.
High School\High Tech Services
Possible Services
Tours to post-secondary education sitesIndustry site visitsAdvocacyMotivational speakersJob ShadowingCollege Fair or Career DayLeadership opportunitiesInternshipsAwards Ceremony
Georgia has developed a secure web based reporting system has been developed to track data on students served in the High School High Tech
Program.
Data entry is simple and requires the following:
Students complete a simple high school high tech application that is entered into the web based reporting system.Each service that the students receives must be entered into the system.Narrative reports on services provided are requested at the end of each quarter.End of Year Reports
Data and More Data
Key Data Elements
Demographics
HSHT Services
Assistive Technology
Participation of VR Caseload (from 20% to 60%)
Outcomes after Graduation
Use of Data
Quantitative Information
Track Trends and Outcomes
Improve the Range and Quality of Services
Sustain the Program
The High School/High Tech computer competition generates a lot of interest with the students to participate in the
program
High School/High Tech Laptop Program
Refurbished Laptop Program
• Rising juniors and seniors with disabilities
• Competitive application process to committee Essay or PowerPoint Goals to attain with award of laptop Leadership
“I help my little brother get ready for school every morning.”
Teacher and Parent Recommendations
We need a laptop to:
Because of transportation issues – can’t get to library!Complete research for homeworkCommunicate with teachers via emailGet and turn in assignmentsConduct job searchesOn-line assessments – career and interestBecome proficient in using assistive technologyStudy for high school graduation examUse tutorials and apply for college scholarshipsComplete online job and college applications
HSHT students tell us…….
Approximately 350 laptops, assistive technology, and electronic notepads have been awarded to rising HS/HT juniors and seniors at schools in:
Augusta, Albany, Atlanta,Columbus and DeKalb, Jasper, McDuffie, Paulding, Newton & Bibb counties
Thank You Note from Student
I really appreciated the generous donation. I value the fact that I was accepted to receive a laptop computer. It brings me great joy knowing that I will have extra help in my transition from high school to college. This computer is a great investment in my future. I know I will be able to keep up in school and challenge myself to be the best. The laptop will go to good use. Thank You,Brandy
Laptop Computer AwardMaritza is a student with orthopedic impairments…she uses a power chair and has difficulty with fine motor skills. She is unable to write legibly with pen or pencil, and uses the computer at home to complete classroom work. She has lost her ability to speak and also uses the computer for communication. She was very excited to apply for a computer and made it clear that it would help her to communicate her needs at home and at school. Her mom said that Maritza now clearly communicates her needs. Using the computer showcases skills no one realized Maritza had!
Assistive Technology!
Michael – Juvenile Arthritis – Hand Writing!
Jeovani – Learning Challenges – Text-to-Speech/ Reading
Maxwell – Homework . . .and he will use it when he graduates and begins work in electrical wiring!
Landis – Reading Challenges – Text-to-Speech/ Reading
Alternative Media Technology Solutions
Alternative format is any information other than regular printBraille Captioning Voice output that converts text to speech using a screen
reader Windowing so Deaf students can read by means of an
interpreter who explains using sign language what other people are hearing during a video presentation or broadcast.
DVS – Descriptive videos to explain sequences in videos
Assistive Technologies
Speech input and synthesized speech output
Screen readers, screen magnifiers, screen projectors
Audio recorded information
Hands free data entry
Intelligent word prediction software
Alternative pointing devices like mouthsticks, lasers
Keyboard controllers like Sticky Keys
Book holders, page turners
Accessible electronic e-pub
AMAC Accessibility Solutions - Georgia Tech
A social change organization providing practical solutions such as Braille, e-text, remote captioning, assistive technology and consulting to higher ed and public and private organizations sharing our commitment to accessibility.
Create accessible formats for information – PDF, DOC, DAISY, HTML, Math ML –produce one, make many as affordable way for post-secondary schools to accommodate information needs of students with disabilities www.amac.usg.org
Identifying more secondary students from school systems who can benefit from VR services
Build stronger networks and partnerships between VR and school systems
Build and maintain more partnerships with local employers
Increase employer awareness and involvementCreate ongoing opportunities to discuss VR
eligibility with schools
Opportunities for VR Program
Opportunities for VR Clients in HS/HT
• Participation in all local high school high tech services such as: field trips to post-secondary education sites industry tours job shadowing
• Participate in the laptop computer competition
• Advocating for themselves after graduation. Learn self-advocacy skills necessary to survive after graduation
Opportunity for Employers
Identify workforce talentLearn disability etiquetteUnderstand disAbilitiesHelp students learn what they don’t or do want to doHelp students understand real jobs, what work is
and isn’tTrain students in soft skills they make lackDemonstrate good citizenship
Opportunities for Schools
Try to sell “Hope”Keep the students interested and engaged to lower
the drop-out rate for students with disabilitiesAdditional resources to assist with providing field
trips, opportunity awareness, career exploration, advocacy, job shadowing, and other services
Build stronger partnerships with Vocational Rehabilitation
Potential Challenges
Commitment of staff
Schools assisting with tracking outcomes
Employers
Family support
Closer Look at Augusta HSHT Site
Augusta HSHT established in 2001
2012 Stats 300 students currently enrolled 17 high schools participating 5 counties: Richmond, Columbia, Burke, Wilkes &
McDuffie 2% dropout rate
HS/HT Awards Luncheon
Plant Vogtle Tour
Augusta Technical College
Richard Gayle, D.V.M.
The Cotton Patch Restaurant
Augusta Tech - Automotive
HS/HT Laptop Award Recipients
Steps to replicate HSHT in your state
• Convene summit with key partners
• VR-DOE-WIA-Employers
• Get commitments
• Identify funding sources
• Conduct Pilot - rural and urban
• Evaluate, improve, implement
National and State Resources
State Assistive Technology Act programs: http://www.resnaprojects.org/scripts/contacts.pl?ga&&State
National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/topic/hjsht
America’s Promise Alliance: http://www.americaspromise.org/
National and State Resources
Georgia HighSchool/High Tech:
http://www.gacomm-hsht.orgSouth Carolina HighSchool/HighTech:
http://www.scvrd.net/i_hsht.html
Community Foundations: http://www.communityfoundations.net/
Contact Information
Joy Kniskern, AT Initiatives Director, AMAC Accessibility Solutions, College of Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology
[email protected] (404) 894-7669
Karen Royston, Executive Director
Georgia Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Inc.,
[email protected] (706) 202-4792
Ava Scearce, HS/HT and Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant, [email protected] (706) 267-8221
Questions???