PPD: Bridges: High School and Community College Demonstration Model to Increase Students with Disabilities Accessibility to Careers in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Tech

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Science and mathematics faculty from Holt High School (HHS) and Lansing Community College (LCC), service agency providers, and businesses will work collaboratively to develop a model to increase students with disabilities' accessibility to careers in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET). The Bridges Project is a comprehensive model to develop the linkages between these institutions and agencies that support students with disabilities in their transition to post-secondary education. The model is designed to prepare students with disabilities for the transition to a community college by providing them with appropriate experiences and support including: providing high school mentorship experiences in SMET, strengthening their self-advocacy skills, grounding them in the use of assistive technology, providing them with a precollege workshop to facilitate a successful transition to college, linking them with an adult mentor with disabilities in their career area to support them in their studies, and making college classrooms/labs good learning environments. The model has several major components to expand and develop these bridges. The methods employed to create this model are as follows. The existing HHS Mentorship Program will be expanded to a seventh hour after school to allow students with interests in careers in scientific areas to explore opportunities in these fields in workplace settings. The mentorship will assist students in developing skills in interviewing, self-advocacy, working in a professional environment, and developing a focus for their future. A Collaborative Inquiry Team (CIT) of HHS and LCC faculty in science/math, special education teachers, LCC disabilities counselors will be initiated to increase awareness and understanding of disabilities and to discuss curriculum, assessment, teaching and learning strategies and accommodations for students with disabilities including assistive technology. The collaboration will take several forms: monthly meetings, E-mail, a Bridges Web Page, and intense summer collaboration. Through these exchanges members of the CIT will increase their awareness of curriculum between the institutions, teaching methods, alternative assessments, and accommodations for students with disabilities and incorporate them in their practice. As the collaboration progresses CIT members will develop the content for workshops for all college faculty about strategies to accommodate students with disabilities, assistive technology, and elements of the legal mandates, IDEA and ADA. CIT members will mentor other faculty in science/math in the use of these practices as they teach students with disabilities. Several methods to support students with disabilities in post secondary settings will be employed. HHS will incorporate evaluation and training of students with disabilities in the use of assistive technology within its Self-Determination class. HHS faculty will be trained in the use of assistive technology as well. LCC math/science faculty will receive similar training and with the support of the Disabilities Services Office develop a workshop for all LCC faculties. Students with disabilities will complete a pre-college workshop to assist them in their transition by reviewing with them the learning strategies and study skills necessary for college success, practicing their self-advocacy skills with college faculty, and refreshing their skills in the use of assistive technology. A plan for ongoing support will be the Bridges Adult Mentorship Program; a connection for the student with an adult mentor with a disability employed in SMET careers. The adult mentors will offer college students support to sustain their efforts in achieving their goals.