The Learn and Earn Program: Teaching Students with Disabilities Job Skills Training

1
The Learn and Earn Program Teaching Students
with Disabilities Job Skills Training

• National Academic Advising Association
• Conference
• Advising Locally, Thinking Globally
• Rutgers University, NJ
• Michele Sartori Michelle A. Campbell Sean
  Cruse
• Abilities, Inc. 201 I. U. Willets Road,
  Albertson, NY 11507

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What is Learn and Earn?

• The Learn and Earn Program is a
  One-Year, Two-Semester
  Supportive Transitional Program
  for Recent High School Graduates Diagnosed
  with Disabilities

3
Goals

• The Goals of the Learn and Earn Program are to
  Facilitate
• Transition Into
• And
• Retention Within
• Post-Secondary Education and Adult Vocational
  Outcomes

4
Target Population

• The Learn and Earn Program Meets the Needs of Two
  Diverse Student Populations

• Students that fall between the cracks because
  they do not neatly fit into an post-secondary
  academic or vocational environment
• Students with academic potential that would get
  lost or flounder without support and continued
  direction

5
Location

• The Learn and Earn Program is Situated on the
  Campuses of Three Community Colleges Located in
  Both Suburban and Urban Environments in the
  States of New York and New Jersey

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Bridging the Gap

• Academic Shadowing

• Individualized Attention

• Facilitates Retention by Helping Students Commit
  to a Course of Action

7
Student Growth

• Self-Discovery
• Self-Advocacy
• Self-Direction
• Self-Discipline

8
Eligibility Requirements

• High School Graduate
• Diagnosed with a Disability
• Recommendation by HS Counselor
• Meets College Entry Requirements

9
Program Components

• Academic Component
• Vocational Component
• Career Research Component
• One-on-One Counseling

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Program Outcomes

• Full-time College
• Full-time Employment
• Training Programs
• Combination

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Program Partners
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Learn Earn Program

• Collaborative partnership with Abilities, Inc.
  grant funded through the Henry H. Kessler
  Foundation.
• Based in New Jersey
• Foundation focus on Physical Disabilities
• Program enhances available services provided to
  students with physical disabilities

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Support Services for Students with Disabilities

• Center for Academic Student Success (CASS)
• Advisement Counseling
• Career Transfer Services
• Tutorial Services
• Student Support Services Program
• Educational Opportunity Fund
• Disability Support Services

Abilities, Inc. 201 I. U. Willets Road Albertson,
NY
14
Disclosure and Responsibility

• It is students decision to disclose their
  disability and provide documentation.
• It is the students responsibility to request
  accommodations.
• It is the students responsibility to share
  specific accommodations with each professor.

Abilities, Inc. 201 I. U. Willets Road Albertson,
NY
15
HCCC Student Profile Spring 08 09

• 29 undergraduate students with physical and/or
  learning disabilities
• Age range 17 22
• Diversity of majors
• ? Liberal Arts ? Accounting ? Culinary Arts
• ? Education ? Sociology ? Psychology
• ? Computer Science ? Criminal Justice

Abilities, Inc. 201 I. U. Willets Road Albertson,
NY
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Identifying Students

• Local Area High Schools
• Undecided Student
• Educating on Strengths and Abilities
• College as a Viable Option

Abilities, Inc. 201 I. U. Willets Road Albertson,
NY
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Layout of HCCC Semester

• First Semester students begin job development
  (resumes, cover letters, thank you letters,
  etc.) and career exploration using internet
  resources (career/job search engines, career
  assessments)

• Second Semester continues job development,
  focusing on interviewing, telephone skills,
  preparing students to be work-ready through
  employer workshops and mock interviews.

Abilities, Inc. 201 I. U. Willets Road Albertson,
NY
18
Self-Advocacy Skills and Employment

• Self-Advocacy and Disabilities
• Model Self-Advocacy in Action
• Self-Advocacy in the Classroom
• Examples of Self-Advocacy in the Media
• Self-Advocacy on the Job
• Real Life Examples in the Workplace
• Increasing SelfAdvocacy Improves a Students
  Ability to Interview and Address Supervisors
  About Their Needs

Abilities, Inc. 201 I. U. Willets Road Albertson,
NY
19
Training Beyond the Classroom Comprehensive
Supports

• One-on-One Counseling
• Point of Contact
• Continuity
• Targeted Classroom Curriculum
• Resume, Cover, Thank You
• Internet Career Exploration
• Classroom Discussion

Abilities, Inc. 201 I. U. Willets Road Albertson,
NY
20
Training Beyond the Classroom Comprehensive
Supports

• Interactive Workshops (Abilities, Inc.)
• Rights Under ADA
• Workplace Accommodations
• Mock Interviews
• New York Life Insurance
• Sovereign Bank
• UPS
• Dress for Success

Abilities, Inc. 201 I. U. Willets Road Albertson,
NY
21
Program Evaluation

• Purpose
• Methods of Collection
• Quantitative
• Qualitative

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Program Evaluation

• Qualitative
• Focus Group Session
• Quantitative
• Orientation Assessment Survey
• Semester-End Satisfaction Survey
• Long Term Outcome Evaluation Survey
• To be conducted

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Student Orientation- HCCC

• Initial Student Indicators
• Orientation to Learn and Earn was useful
• Students had been attending HCCC for average of 3
  semesters
• 33 employed at the time of orientation
• Expectations and Objectives
• Employment
• Academic
• Personal

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Student Experiences-HCCC

• 100 were confident/very confident in the skills
  they gained to obtain a job.
• 79 were satisfied/very satisfied with the
  assistance they received from Learn and Earn
• 79 indicated that their grades had improved
• 71 of students were satisfied/very satisfied
  with their grades after completing their semester
  with Learn and Earn

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What about Learn and Earn was helpful?
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Student Experiences

• Focus Group
• Students Highlighted
• Individualized Attention
• Confidence Building (Self-Advocacy)
• Job Preparation Skills
• Obtaining Accommodations
• Never thought I would go to college, Learn and
  Earn helped to get here.

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Helpful Program Aspects Based on Long Term
Outcome Study of NY Programs
Computer Programs 11
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Student OutcomesBased on Long Term Outcome Study
of NY Programs

• 79 Surveyed Still Enrolled in College
• 68 of respondents attending school plan to
  continue their education after graduation
• 39 of respondents indicated that they were
  currently employed
• Most Indicated Program Helped Them Determine a
  Direction in Areas of
• Academics
• Vocational Pursuits
• Experience Improved their Life

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Replication

• Select Population to be Served
• Select Academic Institution
• Partnership with State VR
• Canvas Local High Schools
• Obtain Curriculum and Technical Support

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Contact Information

• For further information, technical assistance, or
  staff training, please contact
• Patricia Birbiglia, Director
• Youth Transition Services
• Learn and Earn Program
• 516-465-1496
• pbirbiglia_at_abilitiesinc.org
• Michelle A. Campbell, Sr. Coordinator
• Youth Transition Services
• Learn and Earn Program
• 516-465-3779
• mcampbell_at_abilitiesinc.org
• Sean Cruse, Evaluator
• Research Evaluation Center
• Abilities!
• 516.465.1608
• scruse_at_abilitiesonline.org

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The Learn and Earn Program Teaching Students
with Disabilities Job Skills Training

• National Academic Advising Association
• Conference
• Advising Locally, Thinking Globally
• Rutgers University, NJ
• Michele Sartori Michelle A. Campbell Sean Cruse
  
• Abilities, Inc. 201 I. U. Willets Road,
  Albertson, NY 11507