1. Cracking the Door Open on Research
Havel, A., & Fichten, C., in collaboration with King, L., Jorgensen, M., Asuncion, J., Nguyen, M. N., Budd, J., Jorgensen, S., Lussier, A., Amsel, R., Chauvin, A., & Vo, C. (2018, November). Cracking the door open on research. Presentation at Opening Doors for Accessibility Seminar.
Alice Havel, Ph.D. & Catherine Fichten, Ph.D.
In collaboration with L. King, M. Jorgensen, J. Asuncion,
M.N. Nguyen, J. Budd, S. Jorgensen, A. Lussier,
R. Amsel, A. Chauvin, C. Vo
Opening Doors for Accessibility Seminar Montreal, November 16, 2018

2. Adaptech Research Network: Overview
Focus
College/university students & grads with disabilities
Academic success
Employment
Information and communication technologies
Free or inexpensive assistive technologies
FANDI

3. Who Are the Stakeholders?
Individuals with disabilities
Family and friends
Service providers
Health care professionals
Vendors of supplies and materials
Researchers
Others
Government representatives
Senior administrators

4. Role of Stakeholders in Research
Propose research questions
Collaborate
Design and conduct research
Form partnerships with researchers
Funding
Participate in research
Identify implications of findings
Distribute findings and recommendations

5. Benefits of Applied Research
Gives stakeholders a voice
Expands knowledge base
Informs best practices
Provides data for lobbying
Guides policy

6. Research Findings

7. Facilitators of Academic Success
Disability related accommodations
Services for students with disabilities
Access to course notes
Extended time for exams / assignments
Academic
Satisfactory schedules
Adequate study skills

8. Facilitators of Academic Success
People
Good teachers
Supportive friends
Helpful family
Finances
Adequate finances

9. Graduation / Persistence
Students with/without disabilities graduate at the same rate1
Higher graduation rate of students with disabilities
Take an extra term
1 Jorgensen, S., Fichten, C.S., Havel, A., Lamb, D., James, C., & Barile, M. (2005). Academic performance of college students with and without disabilities: An archival study. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 39(2),

10. Grades College 6 year archival study1 Program
Learning Disability / ADHD 
All Other Disabilities
No Disability
Grade
Social Science
64%
70%
62%
Career/Technical
71%
67%
All Programs
66%
1 Jorgensen, S., Fichten, C.S., Havel, A., Lamb, D., James, C., & Barile, M. (2005). Academic performance of college students with and without disabilities: An archival study. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 39(2),

11. Employment - College graduates 5-10 months after graduation1 Employed
Working Full Time
Working Part Time
Looking for Work
Studying
Unavailable For Work
Pre-University
With a Disability
10% 4% 1%
83%
No Disability 8% 5% 2%
84%
Career/Technical
51%
15%
30%
49%
14% 3%
31%
Employed
Pre-university
14% with a disability
13% nondisabled
Career/technical
66% with a disability
63% nondisabled
1 Fichten, C.S., Jorgensen, S., Havel, A., Barile, M., Ferraro, V., Landry, M-E., Fiset, D., Juhel, J-C., Chwojka, C., Nguyen, M.N., Amsel, R. & Asuncion, J.V. (2012). What happens after graduation? Outcomes, employment, and recommendations of recent junior/community college graduates with and without disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation 34(11),

12. Employment: 4 Year Follow-up1
175 university & 77 college students
4 years later
193 graduated from original program
59 dropped out
Employment outcome
Of those in the labor force
82% employed (94% if no disability2)
Jobs of grads closely related to field of study
2Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey. (2015). Unemployment rates of 25-to 29-years-olds, by educational attainment, Canada and provinces, 1995, 2000, 2005, and to Retrieved from
1Fichten, C. S., Jorgensen, S., Havel, A., Barile, M., Ferraro, V., Landry, M.-E., Fiset, D., Juhel, J.-C., Chwojka, C., Nguyen, M. N., & Asuncion, J. V. (2012). What happens after graduation? Outcomes, employment, and recommendations of recent junior/community college graduates with and without disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation, 34(11),  

13. Technology From Research to Real Life
Barriers students faced
High cost of adaptive technologies
Lack of knowledge of available products
Inadequate opportunities to try products before purchasing
Lack of information about where to purchase products
Not knowing if a product would work well for them
Make sure to explain that these are for assistive/adaptive technologies

14. Adaptech’s Response to High Cost Technologies
Created a bilingual database to
Identify
Test
Compile free and/or inexpensive technologies
Provide students the opportunity to try different technologies that could help
Ongoing since 1999

15. Adaptech Research Network Database
Free and Inexpensive Technology Database (FANDI)

16. Product Categories (1)
Adapted Keyboards Dictionary/Reference Organization/Productivity Alternative Mice Dictation

17. Product Categories (2)
Magnification Scanning & Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Screen Reading Writing Other (including multipurpose programs)

18. Summary Students with disabilities can
Have access to free and inexpensive technologies
Succeed in postsecondary education
Get jobs after graduation

19. What strategies can be used to engage stakeholders in research?
Questions?
What strategies can be used to engage stakeholders in research?

20. Contact Information
More information