JSET ejournal
The Role Of Technology In Preparing Youth With Disabilities For Postsecondary Education And Employment
Sheryl Burgstahler
University of Washington
Introduction
Today, technology has become essential in almost every educational,
employment, community, and recreational environment. Access to
electronic and information technology can help students with
a wide range of abilities and disabilities prepare for and succeed
in adult life. Specifically, for people with disabilities, such
access has the potential to maximize independence, productivity
and participation in academic programs, employment, recreation
and other adult activities. In addition, for those who have the
interest and aptitude, advanced technology skills can open doors
to high-tech career fields that were once unavailable to people
with disabilities.
Although the benefits of technology may be even greater for people
with disabilities than for people without disabilities (Anderson-Inman,
Knox-Quinn, & Szymnski, 1999; Blackhurst, Lahm, Harrision,
& Chandler, 1999; DO-IT, 2002; Goldberg & O'Neill, 2000;
Hasselbring & Glaser, 2000; Success stories, 2002),
individuals with disabilities are less than half as likely as
their non-disabled counterparts to own computers, and they are
about one-quarter as likely to use the Internet (Kaye, 2000).
In addition, the design of many Web pages, instructional software
programs, productivity tools, telecommunications products, and
other electronic and information technologies erects barriers
for some individuals with disabilities (Burgstahler, 2002; Opitz,
Savenye, & Rowland, 2003; Schmetzke, 2001). For example,
Web pages that do not include text alternatives that can be read
by speech and Braille output systems limit information access
by a student who is blind or is a poor reader; the content of
a videotape that does not have captions is inaccessible to a
viewer who is deaf; software with a high reading level may not
be accessible to people with learning disabilities or developmental
disabilities; and office equipment that cannot be operated from
a seated position is inaccessible to an employee who uses a wheelchair
for mobility.
Taking advantage of the power that technology offers in improving
the precollege and postsecondary academic outcomes for individuals
with disabilities is critically important because people with
disabilities today experience far less career success than their
non-disabled peers (Benz, Doren, & Yovanoff, 1998; DeLoach,
1992; Gilson, 1996; McNeil, 1997, 2000; National Council on Disability,
2000; National Organization on Disability, 1998; Phelps &
Hanley-Maxwell, 1997; Wagner & Blackorby, 1996). However,
these differences in achievement diminish between individuals
as they gain more education. For example, the employment rate
for individuals with disabilities who do not complete high school
is 15.6%; for those who complete high school it is 30.2%; for
those with some postsecondary education it is 45.1%; and for
those with four years of college it is 50.3% (Yelin & Katz,
1994a, 1994b). Clearly, technology access that leads to greater
success in precollege and postsecondary education has the potential
to improve career outcomes for people with disabilities.
Today, individuals with disabilities are significantly underrepresented
in postsecondary education and a significantly lower percentage
of students with disabilities than those without disabilities
eventually earn degrees (Horn & Berktold, 1999; National
Council on Disability, 2000). The largest and fastest growing
disability among freshmen who report having disabilities is learning
disability 40.4% in 2000 as compared to 16.1% in 1988 (Henderson,
2001). Percentages of students with disabilities reporting other
types of disabilities are 16.1% blindness or partial sight, 15.4%
health-related impairments, 8.6% hearing impairments, 7.1% orthopedic
impairments, 2.9% speech impairments, and 16.9% other impairments
(Henderson). Even those who complete postsecondary studies are
likely to have fewer work-based learning experiences than those
who do not have disabilities. Lack of job skills and related
experiences before graduation create additional barriers to employment
for people with disabilities (Benz, Doren, & Yovanoff, 1998;
Benz, Yovanoff, & Doren, 1997; Blackorby & Wagner, 1996;
Luecking & Fabian, 2000; National Council on Disability,
2000; National Council on Disability and Social Security Administration,
2000; Phelps & Hanley-Maxwell, 1997; Unger, Wehman, Yasuda,
Campbell, & Green, 2001). The poor employment figures for
people with disabilities coupled with the positive impact of
postsecondary education and work-related experiences makes increasing
their success in these activities an important goal. The cost
of failure to reach this goal, to these individuals and to society,
is high (Blackorby & Wagner, 1996; Gajar, 1998; Reskin &
Roos, 1990; Stodden, 1998; Stodden & Dowrick, 2000; Wagner
& Blackorby, 1996; Yelin & Katz, 1994a, 1994b).
High-tech careers are particularly accessible to individuals
with disabilities because of the combined effect of the increasing
use of electronic and information technology and of the advancements
in assistive technology that provide access to computers and
other electronic equipment for people with a variety of disabilities
(Closing the Gap, 2001; Smith & Jones, 1999). A bachelor's
degree or higher is a prerequisite for many of these challenging
careers (Price-Ellingstad & Berry, 1999/2000). Although few
students with disabilities pursue high-tech postsecondary programs
and careers and the attrition rate is high (Malcom & Matyas,
1991; National Science Foundation, 2000; Office of Disability
Employment Policy, 2001), those who succeed in these fields demonstrate
that opportunities do exist for people with disabilities who
successfully overcome the barriers imposed by facilities, electronic
and information technology, inadequate academic preparation,
lack of role models, and negative attitudes (Blumenkopf, Stern,
Swanson, & Wohler, 1996; Burgstahler, 1993-2001, 2001; DO-IT,
2001; Heidare, 1996; National Science Foundation, 1989; Presidential
Task Force, 1999; Stern & Summers, 1995; Stevens, Steele,
Jutai, Kalnins, Bortolussi, & Biggar, 1996; Stodden, 1998).
