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

joy.kniskern@amac.gatech.edu (404) 894-7669

Karen Royston, Executive Director

Georgia Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Inc.,

royston.Karen@gmail.com (706) 202-4792

Ava Scearce, HS/HT and Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant, ascearce21@gmail.com (706) 267-8221

Questions???