Improved career services in postsecondary education are needed if students with disabilities are to experience greater success in acquiring and maintaining employment following college graduation. In this study, postsecondary students with disabilities, faculty members, and student personnel professionals responded to results from a student survey that identified the strengths and weaknesses in career services at colleges and universities. In a series of focus groups, these stakeholders recommended 114 specific strategies clustering in the following five categories of an action agenda: (a) information, (b) research, (c) services and curriculum, (d) self-advocacy and self-determination, and (e) involvement of key stakeholders.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Council on Education. (1999). Facts in brief: Students with disabilities have lower persistence, but graduates are successful 48(11).
2.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.
3.
Bellini, J., & Rumrill, P. (1999). Research in rehabilitation counseling. Springfield, IL: Thomas.
4.
Bogdan, R., & Biklin, S. (2003). Qualitative research for education. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
5.
Burgstahler, S. (2001). A collaborative model to promote career success for students with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation , 16, 209—216.
6.
Carroll, A., & Johnson-Bown, C. (1996). Disability support services in higher education: An extension of the rehabilitation process. JARC, 27(3), 54—59.
7.
Coomber, S. (1996). Inclusion: Strategies for accommodating students with disabilities who use adaptive technology in the classroom. Vancouver, BC: Adult Services Project, SET-BC.
8.
Corrigan, M., Jones, C., & McWhirter, J. (2001). College students with disabilities: An access employment group. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 26, 339—349.
9.
Enright, M., Conyers, L., & Szymanski, E. (1996). Career and career-related educational concerns of college students with disabilities. Journal of Counseling and Development, 75, 103—114.
10.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. ( 2003). Technical assistance manual on the employment provisions (Title 1) of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
11.
Feldblum, C. (1991). Employment protections. In J. West (Ed.), The Americans with Disabilities Act: From policy to practice (pp. 81— 110). New York: Milbank Memorial Fund.
12.
Friehe, M., Aune, B., & Leuenberger, J. (1996). Career service needs of college students with disabilities. The Career Development Quarterly, 44(3), 289—298.
13.
Gartin, B., Rumrill, P., & Serebrini, R. (1998). The higher education transition model: Guidelines for facilitating college transition among college-bound students with disabilities . In D. Podell (Ed.), Perspectives: Educating exceptional learners (pp. 92—96). Chicago: Coursewise.
14.
Getzel, E., Briel, L., & Kregel, J. (2000). Comprehensive career planning: The VCU Career Connections Program. Work (Reading, Mass.), 14, 41—49.
15.
Getzel, E., Stodden, R., & Briel, L. (2001). Pursuing postsecondary education opportunities for individuals with disabilities. In P. Wehman (Ed.), Life beyond the classroom: Transition strategies for young people with disabilities (pp. 247—260). Baltimore : Brookes.
16.
Graves, W. (1991). Participatory action research: A new paradigm for disability and rehabilitation research. ARCA, 19, 8—10.
17.
Hennessey, M. (2004). An examination of the employment and career development concerns of postsecondary students with disabilities: Results of a tri-regional survey. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Kent State University , Kent, OH.
18.
Kalb, R. (2004). Multiple sclerosis: The questions you have, the answers you need. New York: Demos.
19.
Kundu, M., Dutta, A., Schiro-Geist, C., & Crandall, L. (2003). Disability-related services: Needs and satisfaction of postsecondary students. Rehabilitation Education, 17(1), 45—54.
20.
Marini, I. (2003). What rehabilitation counselors should know to assist Social Security beneficiaries in becoming employedWork (Reading, Mass.), 21(1), 37—44.
21.
McMahon, B., & Domer, T. (1997). Twenty questions surrounding unpaid medical leave: Navigating the Bermuda Triangle of employment law. Work (Reading, Mass.), 9, 129—145.
22.
National Council on Disability. (2003). People with disabilities and postsecondary education position paper . Washington, DC: Author.
23.
National Longitudinal Transition Study-2. ( 2005). Changes over time in the early postsecondary outcomes of youth with disabilities Retrieved October 19, 2005, from http://www.nlts2.org
24.
Palmer, C. (1998). Self-advocacy and conflict resolution: Requesting academic accommodations at postsecondary institutions. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
25.
Palmer, C., & Roessler, R. (2000). Requesting classroom accommodations: Self-advocacy and conflict resolution training for college students with disabilities. Journal of Rehabilitation, 66(3), 38—43.
26.
Perry, E., Hendricks, W., & Broadbent, E. (2000). An exploration of access and treatment discrimination and job satisfaction among college graduates with and without physical disabilities . Human Relations, 53, 923—955.
27.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.
28.
Roessler, R., & Rumrill, P. (1995). The Work Experience Survey: A structured interview approach to worksite accommodation planning. Journal of Job Placement, 11(1), 15—19.
29.
Roessler, R., Rumrill, P., & Brown, P. (1998). Self-advocacy training: Preparing students with disabilities to request classroom accommodations. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 13, 20—31.
30.
Rubin, S., & Roessler, R. (2001). Foundations of the vocational rehabilitation process . Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
31.
Rumrill, P. (2001). Contemporary issues in postsecondary education for students with disabilities: Roles and responsibilities for educators and rehabilitation professionals. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation , 16, 133—144.
32.
Rumrill, P., & Cook, B. (2001). Research in special education: Designs, methods, and applications. Springfield, IL: Thomas.
33.
Rumrill, P., Koch, L., Murphy, P., & Jannerone, A. (1999). Technology transfer concerns of college graduates with disabilities: Profiles in transition from higher education to competitive careers. Work (Reading, Mass.), 13, 43—49.
34.
Rumrill, P., Roessler, R., Brown, P., & Boen, L. (1994). Project career program planning guide. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas, Arkansas Research and Training Center in Vocational Rehabilitation.
35.
Satcher, J. (1995). Bridges to career success: A model program serving students with learning disabilities. College Student Affairs Journal, 14(2), 102—105.
36.
Schriner, K., & Fawcett, S. (1988). Development and validation of a community concerns report method. Journal of Community Psychology, 16, 306—316.
37.
Schriner, K., & Roessler, R. (1990). Employment concerns of college students with disabilities: Toward an agenda for policy and practice. Journal of College Student Development, 31, 307—312.
38.
Serebreni, R., Rumrill, P., Mullins, J., & Gordon, S. (1993). Project Excel: A demonstration of the higher education transition model for high-achieving students with disabilities. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 10(3), 15—23.
39.
Stodden, R., Whelley, T., Chang, C., & Harding, T. (2001). Current status of educational support provision to students with disabilities in postsecondary education. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 16, 189—198.
40.
Super, D. (1957). The psychology of careers. New York: Harper & Row.
41.
Thompson, A., Bethea, L., & Satcher, J. (1993). Employment guide for college students with disabilities: The Career Development Project. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement .
42.
Thompson, A., & Dooley Dickey, K. (1994). Self-perceived job search skills of college students with disabilities. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 37(4), 358—370.
43.
Torkelson Lynch, R., & Gussel, L. (1996). Disclosure and self-advocacy regarding disability-related needs: Strategies to maximize integration in postsecondary education. Journal of Counseling and Development, 74, 352—357.
44.
Wehman, P. (2005). Life beyond the classroom: Transition strategies for young people with disabilities. Baltimore: Brookes.
45.
Wehmeyer, M., Lattimore, J., Jorgensen, J., Palmer, S., Thompson, E., & Schumaker, K. (2003). The self-determined career development model: A pilot study. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 19, 79—87.
