Collaboration between Career Services and

Disability Services Works! The DCO Model

Alan D. Muir, Executive DirectorCareer Opportunities for Students with Disabilities

Sarah HelmDisability-Careers Office

The University of Tennessee

August 16, 2006

Objectives of Presentation Introduce the Disability-Careers Office (DCO)

model Provide information on the history and

implementation of the DCO Cover services provided through the DCO Review roles and responsibilities of the DCO

Coordinator Discuss campus and community collaboration Highlight future goals of the DCO Introduce COSD Career Gateway

Background Information Observed low participation by students with disabilities

within University Career Services Needed to identify methods of increasing traffic of these

students Extensive research on transition from HS to work, yet no

information on transition to work from Higher Education No statistics on the unemployment rate of college students

with disabilities – Best estimate is near 40% TN State VR provided a small grant, mainly for travel

expenses Required results of research

Research Hypothesis

Collaboration between Disability Services (DS) and Career Services (CS) is needed– CS is the only office at which employers visit

to recruit– Without students with disabilities participating

in CS programs, they are invisible to employers– CS needs exposure to disability– DS needs exposure to careers

Research Results

University– No active “model program”– Several attempts that withered away– Some DS and CS offices were unaware of each

other– Other possible programs were active but

ineffective• Assigning a specific person in CS as the disability

expert• Limited hours with limited disability experience

Research Results

Employers– Great enthusiasm and recognition of need to

hire people with disabilities• Changing workforce with looming labor shortage

• Disability is a new source

– More questions than answers• Where do we find students with disabilities?

• When we do find students, why are they unqualified?

UTK Solution

Creation of the Disability-Careers Office Liaison between Office of Disability Services and

Career Services Serve students who are registered with the Office

of Disability Services and/or are funded by Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation– Provide services to over 750 current UTK

students– UT Funding

Disability-Careers Office

In cooperation with UT Career Services and the Office of Disability Services, the

purpose of the DCO is to assist individual college students and alumni, with various disabilities, by providing career planning

services and guidance.

Office of Disability Services

DCO Organizational Chart

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

Director, Career Services

Dean of Students

Disability-Careers Office

Director, Disability Services

DCO Annual Budget(Approximate)

DCO Coordinator Salary

$32,150

Professional Development

$2,000

Printing/Office Supplies

$3,500

Computer/Telephone Port Charges

$500

TOTAL $38,150

Office of Disability ServicesDisability Type Breakdown ADHD = 188 LD = 153 Psychiatric = 100 Chronic = 82 Deaf/Hard of Hearing = 38 Mobility = 37 Blind/Low Vision = 21 TBI/ABI = 10 Temporary Disability = 9

DCO Services Services provided

– Career path and major exploration through assessment tools

– Career counseling

– Job seeking skills

– Self-advocacy skill development

– Self-disclosure skill development

– Interview techniques and preparation

– Information regarding an individuals rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

– Informational resources for students, staff, faculty and employers

– Referrals to UT Career Services and the Office of Disability Services

Self-Advocacy

Difference between K-12 and Higher Education law

Articulation of one’s disability Low expectations inhibit self-advocacy Career Services and Disability Services are

generally unfamiliar with the functions of the other. Therefore, the student is caught in the middle without proper self-advocacy training.

Self-Advocacy

Two transitions – Transition from high school to higher education – Transition from higher education to work

• Definition of self-advocacy and disclosure is very different within this transition

• The stakes are much higher– protected vs. non-protected environment

• We need to teach self-advocacy at the next level in order for students to be successfully prepared for the workforce

Disability Disclosure

Definition

A voluntary act of revealing

a disability for the purpose of receiving

accommodations and/or providing

awareness

Disability Disclosure

Who am I?– Questions that should be asking during the

college years• How does my disability play a role?

• What is the best match for me and my career choices?

• What are my needs beyond the classroom?

Disability Disclosure

Preparing to disclose– Exploring feelings– Identify accommodations– Weigh the benefits, risks and timing of

disclosure– Analysis of essential functions– Script preparation

Americans with Disabilities Act

Title I - Employment– Interview

– Hiring

– Essential functions

– Reasonable accommodations

Internship and Employment Opportunities

Disability Mentoring Day DO-IT AccessSTEM Entry Point!/ACCESS - AAAS Emerging Leaders Microsoft-AAPD Federal I.T. Internship Program Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation AAPD

Congressional Internship Program The Washington Center for Internships and Academic

Seminars, Scholarship Program for College Students with Disabilities

The Workforce Recruitment Program

Referral Sources– DS professional staff members– CS professional staff members– Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors– TN Career Centers– Local disability service providers

Outreach to Students

Email listserv Orientation Campus newspaper Bulletin board Brochures Career Services job posting database

Outreach to Employers

Career Fairs On-campus recruiting Off-campus visits Become familiar with the employers

company wide diversity efforts in regard to recruiting and hiring

Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD)

Outreach to Community Constituents

Knoxville Area Employment Consortium Business Advisory Council Tennessee Valley Human Resources

Association

DCO Student Contact November 2005 – April 2006

Total Number of Student Appointments

62

Total Number of Intakes 38

Total Number of Follow-Up Appointments

13

Total Number of Resumes Reviewed 25

Total Number of Emails Sent to

DCO Listserv13

DCO – Future Goals Double unique student participation numbers More focus on employer relations to create

additional employment opportunities Increase participation in related experiential

education opportunities for students with disabilities

Create Graduate Assistant position to assist with student meetings, campus and community outreach and employer relations.

Increase DCO funding to improve services

Bringing It All Together

Employers– Specifically searching for students with

disabilities– Specific recruiting programs– Specialized personnel in Disability Services

role– Greater sophistication in disability

Bringing It All Together

Career Services– Understanding of key role as liaison between

student and employer– Need to be more helpful and attuned to needs of

students with disabilities– COSD training is getting out there– COSD encouraging CS to reach out to DS

Bringing It All Together

Disability Services– Expanding the “continuum of service”– Understanding difference between disclosure in

higher education and the workplace– COSD encouraging involvement with students

and employers– COSD encouraging outreach to CS

Challenges

Confidentiality in sharing of student information between CS and DS

Not enough time within the CS or DS office Not enough knowledge regarding disability

and /or careers

Additional Successful Programs

Adelphi University Cal Berkeley Florida International University Ball State University DO-IT AccessSTEM

========Continuum========The DCO is an example of an ideal model.

What is best for your institution?

Learn about the roles and responsibilities of both Disability Services and Careers Services

Collaborate and provide staff training in regard to students with disabilities and career development

Open up lines of communication if a question would arise from either department

Appoint a professional staff member within each department to serve as the disability/career contact

Create a program that bridges the two departments

The Disability-Careers Office is a national example, which is driven

by Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD)

Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD)

COSD is a unique national association of higher education institutions, well-known national corporate employers, U. S. Government agencies and private sector non-profit organizations focused on career employment of college graduates with disabilities. COSD is funded by a number of corporate partners that are committed to hiring people with disabilities.

Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD) Career Gateway

– COSD is launching a national recruiting database that focused on college students with disabilities that will benefit both these students and employers. The database is an interactive environment where employers post job openings and students upload their resumes for review by employers. The database will provide a central point at which employers can identify and recruit qualified candidates with disabilities.

Questions