1. Promising practices that address ICT access & other challenges for students with disabilities in transition: Example of program evidence base, practices, outcomes
Sheryl Burgstahler
Director, Accessible Technology Services

2. Our two Centers at UW: Access Technology Center DO-IT Center 1984–
To ensure ICT procured, developed & used at UW is accessible
DO-IT Center
1992–
Supported with grants
2007– DO-IT Japan
Disabilities
Opportunities
Internetworking
Technology

3. DO-IT goal To increase the success of individuals with disabilities in
postsecondary
education &
careers, using
technology
as an
empowering tool.

4. Evidence base for DO-IT practices:
Literature review
Ongoing outcomes of DO-IT projects
Suggestions from practitioners
Input from participants
Ongoing formative evaluation

5. Combinations are most effective!
Evidence-based transition support practices for women & racial/ethnic minorities
Summer academic/bridge enrichment programs
Mentor, peer support
Academic, career awareness/advising & networking (e.g., conference attendance)
Skills-building programs (e.g., ICT, study)
Work-based learning (e.g., Internships)
Research experiences
Combinations are most effective!

6. inclusion in general education (1,2,3)
Correlations of predictors & positive postschool outcomes in (1) education (2) employment & (3) independent living for students with disabilities /2
inclusion in general education (1,2,3)
paid employment/work experience (1,2,3)
independent living skills (1,2,3)
student support (1,2,3)
career awareness (1,2)
interagency collaboration (1,2)
occupational courses (1,2)
self-advocacy/self-determination (1,2)
social skills (1,2)

7. vocational education (1,2) community experiences (2)
Correlations of predictors & positive postschool outcomes in (1) education (2) employment & (3) independent living for students with disabilities /2
transition program (1,2)
vocational education (1,2)
community experiences (2)
high school diploma status (2)
parental involvement (2)
program of study (2)
work study (2)
Source: Test, D. W., Mazzotti , V. L, Mustian, A. L., Fowler, C. H., Kortering, L.,
Kohler, P. (2009). Evidence-based secondary transition predictors for improving postschool outcomes for students with disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 32(3)

8. evidence-based
interventions
applied
at critical
junctures
within a
lasting
community

9. Examples of DO-IT projects that engage students with disabilities
DO-IT Scholars

10. Example: DO-IT Scholars
Wide range of disabilities
Begin as high school sophomores & continue through college, employment & beyond
Loaned computers & assistive technology

11. DO-IT Scholars— 3 Summer Studies @ UW
Independent living, self-determination/ advocacy, social skill development & practice
Computer activities
Academic labs, lectures
College & career prep, including field trips
3rd year internship

12. DO-IT year-round
E-mentoring & peer support, evolving into mostly mentoring for older participants
On-site meetings
Individual advising/ consultation
Leadership opportunities
Technology & other internships
Parent support group

13. DO-IT Scholars long term
Advocate for & mentor others
Make programs & employment more welcoming & accessible to people with all types of disabilities wherever they may be
It is harder to get out of DO-IT than it is to get in!

14. DO-IT Highlight: Faculty interaction
Introduce yourself, including your disability (in functional terms).
Tell about something YOU do to make yourself successful, including technology use.
Request an accom- modation & say who will do what.

15. DO-IT Highlight: Training on design of accessible websites
Technical
Employment
Self-advocacy
“I went from understanding design to understanding good design.”

16. DO-IT Highlight: Informal science accessibility reviews
Promoting accessibility for all types of disabilities 16

17. DO-IT Highlight: Including student perspectives in publications
In Moving On: Transitioning to Graduate School

19. DO-IT Scholars Report DO-IT participation helped them
prepare for college, employment, & independent living;
develop ICT, self-advocacy, & social skills;
experience higher self-esteem; &
persevere.

20. DO-IT Scholars report that facilitated online communication helps them
stay close to friends & family;
get answers to specific questions;
meet people from around the world;
communicate quickly, easily, & inexpensively with many people at one time; &
communicate independently without disclosing their disabilities.
gain psychosocial support & further their academic & career interests.

21. DO-IT Mentors report talking to Scholars about
disability
college
careers
computers
assistive technology
the Internet

22. DO-IT parents report that their children increased in
interest in college;
awareness of career options;
self-esteem; &
self-advocacy, social, academic, & career skills.
& also expressed appreciation for DO-IT’s coordination of parent-to-parent support

23. Students who participated in work-based learning opportunities reported increased
motivation to work toward a career;
knowledge about careers & the workplace;
specific job-related skills;
ability to work with supervisors & coworkers; &
skills in self-advocating for accommodations.

24. DO-IT external evaluation, 2009, SRI
Most important for successful transition outcomes, DO-IT participants gain:
Sense of belonging (both academic & social integration)
Involvement (in academic & social life)
Sense of purpose (through internships, workshops, networking, mentoring, …)
Self-determination skills (skill building, practice)

25. ALTS evidence of Scholar success
1993- AccessSTEM/AccessComputing/DO-IT Longitudinal Transition Study (ALTS)
Educational status when starting in DO-IT

26. ALTS participant disabilities

27. Access to ICT & mentors
Access to assistive technology: from 31% to 64%.
Access to mentors: from 55% to 92%.

28. ALTS vs. National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) college-bound respondents
96% in ALTS enrolled in college, 31% of NLTS;
ALTS respondents are achieving higher levels of high school & college graduation.
About half of NLTS & ALTS participants who attended postsecondary school did so at a technical/two-year college.

29. Employed ALTS participants
were more likely to be DO IT Scholars (where they received more tech support & training in ICT)
were more likely to participate in conferences, workshops, panels, job preparation activities, informational interviews, & job shadows.  
rated college transition workshops &/or camps as significantly more valuable than did those not yet employed.

30. Value of interventions
ALTS respondents rated (from 1 = not valuable to 4 = very valuable)
access to computer technology (3.7),
work-based learning (3.5),
college transition workshops/camps (3.3),
mentoring (3.3), &
career transition workshops/camps (3.0).

31. 2004-5 & 2010-11 UT professors Takeo Kondo visited DO-IT in Seattle
Modified practices & materials to Japanese culture
2007 first DO-IT Summer Study, U. Tokyo

32. “It is fair to enable people to do challenging things in the way they can do best.”

33. “My view of the world has drastically changed
through DO-IT”

34. “A PC is my pencil and eraser.”