Making STEM Education Inclusive: Opening Doors to Students with Disabilities

Griffiths, AJ (Amy-Jane)¹, Round, RL (Rachel), Kennedy, K (Kelly)^2
1Chapman University, One University Drive,, 92866, Orange
²Chapman University, One University Drive, 92866, Orange

 

Submission type

Oral only

Scheduled

Room 118, 12-07-2019, 14:00 - 15:30

Keywords

Inclusion, STEM education, disabilities, special education, transition planning

Summary

 

We are living in an age of acceleration where employers will need people who can efficiently and consistently learn, unlearn, and relearn. Lifelong learning is becoming an economic imperative. Fortunately, some schools are trying to pivot their pedagogy and curriculum to prepare students with the necessary skills to be lifelong learners. Despite these developments, there is little understanding on what these changes mean for students with disabilities (SWD) and how to prepare them. SWD possess perspectives and skills that benefit the ever-changing milieu of the workplace. Their contributions to professional sectors, including fields related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), should be actively championed.

 

In order to position SWD for success, particularly in STEM fields, we must understand the needs of the labor market and develop strong individualized transition plans (ITPs). ITPs often focus on jobs that are immediately available to SWD. We contend that ITPs must be developed with attention to projected labor market needs to ensure we are preparing students for long-term success. We provide the results of an in-depth labor market analysis, and how it can be used by school psychologists, to develop ITPs that prepare students for careers that will last into the future.

Auteurs