PPD-DEI: Supporting Youth with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: The SIU SY-STEM Project

该项目将通过展示以人为本的职业规划活动、持续指导和科学实践经验的创新结合的有效性，有助于提高我国在科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域就业的残疾人人数。这些活动的组合旨在1.)提高对残疾学生在STEM职业领域的兴趣和需求的认识，2.)为残疾人创造一个更支持性的学术和专业环境，3.)促进各级（高中，社区学院和大学）教学材料和教育技术的可及性和适当性，4)增加学术丰富经验的可用性，如STEM领域的指导和实践经验。为了实现这些广泛的目标，SIU system - stem项目将：*确定学生对特定stem相关职业领域的偏好和兴趣。*提高教育工作者（中学和大专数学和科学教育工作者）和指导顾问对将残疾学生纳入stem相关课程经验的接受程度。*影响教育工作者在多个级别的STEM课程和实验室中使用的适应、住宿和教学策略。*通过增加获得职业探索经验和指导的机会，促进STEM相关职业领域的学术和专业发展。该项目的一个基本前提是，影响残疾人在科学领域就业的最佳方式是，同时增加进入这些职业的人数，并提高中等和高等教育机构的能力，成功地将残疾学生纳入其中。来自伊利诺斯州南部25所高中的25组学生、家长、教育工作者和指导顾问将参加为期一天的以人为本的职业规划密集研讨会。从这25个学生团队中，将选出6名学生参加南伊利诺伊大学密集的校园暑期学院。本研究所将让学生接触到科学领域的各种职业，并让他们在各种实验室科学领域进行一系列的轮岗。残疾大学生将被招募与研究生导师和教师导师密切合作，为研讨会和研究所参与者提供持续的支持。SIU system - stem项目将在多个层面上影响残疾人系统研究领域的参与，包括残疾高中生和大学生的个人和专业发展，以及教育资源、意愿和能力的变化，以支持这些学生在高中、社区学院和大学课程中学习。虽然该项目是作为区域性示范项目设计的，涉及高中、社区学院联盟和南伊利诺伊大学，但申请人的意图是通过建立更广泛、更全面的区域/国家网络和联盟来维持这一倡议。为此，该项目包括一个全面的评估部分和广泛的传播计划。

This project will contribute to our nation's capacity for increasing the number ofpeople with disabilities employed in the science, technology, engineering, andmathematics (STEM) work force by demonstrating the effectiveness of an innovativecombination of person centered career planning activities, ongoing mentoring, and handson experiences in the sciences. This combination of activities is designed to 1.) increaserecognition of the interests and needs of students with disabilities in the STEM careerareas, 2.) create a more supportive academic and professional climate for persons withdisabilities, 3.) promote accessibility and appropriateness of instructional materials andeducational technologies at multiple levels (high school, community college, anduniversity), and 4.) increase the availability of academic enrichment experiences such asmentoring and hands-on experiences in the STEM areas.To meet these broad goals, the SIU SY-STEM project will:*Identify students' preferences and interests for specific STEM-related careerareas.*Increase receptivity of educators (secondary and post-secondary math and scienceeducators) and of guidance counselors for including of students with disabilitiesin STEM-related curriculum experiences.*Impact adaptations, accommodations, and instructional strategies used byeducators in STEM classes and labs at multiple levels.*Foster academic and professional development in STEM related career areas byincreased access to career exploration experiences and mentoring.A fundamental premise of this project is that the best way to impact employment ofpersons with disabilities in the sciences is by simultaneously increasing the numbers ofpeople in the pipeline leading to these careers and enhancing the capacity of secondaryand post-secondary training institutions to successfully include students with disabilities.Twenty-five teams of students, parents, educators, and guidance counselors from 25 highschools in southern Illinois will participate in intensive one-day workshops on personcentered career planning. From these 25 student teams, six students will be selected toparticipate in an intensive, on-campus Summer Institute at Southern Illinois University.This Institute will expose students to a variety of careers in the sciences and engage themin a series of rotations in various lab sciences. University students with disabilities will berecruited to work in close affiliation with a graduate student mentor and faculty mentorsto provide ongoing support for the workshop and Institute participants.The SIU SY-STEM project will impact involvement of persons with disabilities inSTEM areas of study at multiple levels, including the personal and professionaldevelopment of high school and college students with disabilities, and changes in theeducational resources, willingness, and capacity to support these students in high school,community college, and university programs. Although this project is designed as aregional demonstration involving high schools, consortia of community colleges, andSouthern Illinois University, it is the intention of the applicant to sustain this initiative bybuilding broader, more comprehensive regional/national networks and alliances. To thatend, the project includes a comprehensive evaluation component and widespreaddissemination plan.