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What are key issues for increasing the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in STEM fields?

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Individuals with disabilities experience far less career success than their nondisabled peers, especiallly in challenging careers such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The following three factors contribute to the underrepresentation of individuals with disabilities in STEM:

  • preparation of students with disabilities;
  • access to facilities, programs, and equipment; and
  • acceptance by educators, employers, and coworkers.

The article entitled Increasing the Representation of People with Disabilities in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics discusses these three issues, explores the role of information technology, describes a program designed to positively influence each of the factors, and makes a series of recommendations for action.