Presentations

This section is organized as follows:

Presentation Planning

Purpose

The materials in this packet can be used to deliver presentations to students with disabilities, career development staff, educators, employers, and other professionals. Determine the purpose of your program based on the needs of your students or employees, career center, cooperative education program, or business. A presentation can help your audience:

  • become aware of the issues, needs, and concerns of people with disabilities in accessing work-based learning and employment opportunities
  • create career development programs that are accessible to all students by applying universal design principles
  • understand the important role work-based learning can play in preparation of students with disabilities for employment after college graduation
  • understand how worksite accommodations can be determined using the Four-Step Accommodation Model
  • gain knowledge about the wide array of adaptive technologies and their implications for people with disabilities
  • plan and purchase adaptive technology for school and business computer workstations
  • learn universal design principles for developing World Wide Web pages for a school or business

Length and Content

You may alter presentations to meet the content and scheduling needs of your audience. Simply play one of the videotape presentations and distribute related handouts for a 15-20 minute presentation during a meeting. Or, use a combination of the materials provided to deliver a full-day workshop.

In this section is a sample presentation outline for each of three key audiences -- students with disabilities, career development professionals, and employers.

Accommodations

When publicizing your presentation, be sure to include a statement in flyers and other presentation announcements that tells how participants can request accommodations. Provide a contact name, telephone number, and electronic mail address. Provide materials in alternative formats when requested.

A sample statement follows.

"People with disabilities are encouraged to attend. To request materials in alternative formats or to request other accommodations, please contact [name], [address], [phone number], [TTY number], [e-mail address]."

Student Presentation

Photo of students learning about career preparation

This section provides several presentation options followed by one more detailed outline for delivering presentations on work-based learning opportunities to students with disabilities.

Purpose

Your presentation to students with disabilities may have one or more of the following purposes:

  • to learn what work-based learning is
  • to understand why it is important to participate in work experiences before graduating from college
  • to know their rights and responsibilities as interns with disabilities
  • to develop strategies for appropriately disclosing their disabilities and requesting effective accommodations
  • to become familiar with adaptive technology that will provide them with access to computers
  • to identify key personnel and support-services offices that will be able to assist them on a typical college campus

Length

The following presentation examples are designed to address a wide variety of participant needs.

Presenters

A Career Counselor, Cooperative Education Coordinator, Disabled Student Services Officer, Adaptive Technology Consultant, or student with a disability could deliver all or part of a presentation. Little experience working with students with disabilities is required to give a short presentation; longer presentations require more specialized expertise.

Preparation

Sample Presentation Outline

The following outline can be tailored to your audience, and can vary from a brief 15-minute overview to a full-day workshop.

Logistics

  • Introduce presenter(s).
  • Introduce participants.
  • Identify accessible restrooms, telephones, and provide site logistics.
  • Discuss presentation agenda and schedule.
  • Describe and distribute handouts.

Introduction

  • Provide background and overview.
  • Define work-based learning.

Why Participate in Work-Based Learning Activities?

  • Describe how all students benefit from work-based learning.
  • Identify benefits specific to students with disabilities.
  • Define different types of work-based learning options.
  • Show the It's Your Career videotape presentation.

How to Get Involved

  • Provide an overview of how to find work-based learning opportunities.
  • Identify the key players on a typical college campus.
  • Discuss disclosure of disability -- when, where, and how.
  • Outline how to determine and request appropriate accommodations.
  • Share local school and community resources.

Adaptive Technology

  • Discuss the benefits of using technology in academic and career settings.
  • Share the Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology videotape presentation to provide an overview of technology options for individuals with:
    • low vision
    • blindness
    • hearing and speech impairments
    • specific learning disabilities
    • mobility impairments
    • health impairments
  • Discuss how to choose appropriate adaptive technology.
  • Provide additional resources.

Conclusion

  • Summarize the key points of the presentation.
  • Provide additional resources.

Equipment and Tools

Career Development Staff Presentation

This section provides a several presentation options followed by one more detailed outline for delivering presentations on including students with disabilities in work-based learning programs to career development staff.

Purpose

To help career development staff become more aware of:

  • the rights, responsibilities and potential contributions of students with disabilities;
  • how to recruit students with disabilities into their programs;
  • how to ensure equal access into their programs for students with disabilities;
  • how to encourage employers to hire interns with disabilities;
  • strategies for discussing disclosure of disability and determining appropriate accommodations;
  • adaptive technology that provides access to computers; and
  • who the key players are on a typical college campus.

Length

The following presentation examples are designed to accommodate a wide variety of participant needs. You may choose to deliver a presentation in a staff meeting, as a conference session, or as a pre-conference workshop.

Presenter

A Career Counselor, Cooperative Education Coordinator, or Disabled Student Services Officer can deliver this presentation. Little experience working with students with disabilities is required to give a short presentation; longer presentations require more specialized expertise.

Preparation

Sample Presentation Outline

The following sample outline can be tailored to your audience, and can vary from a brief 10-minute overview to a full-day workshop.

Logistics

  • Introduce presenter(s).
  • Introduce participants.
  • Identify accessible restrooms, telephones, and provide other site logistics.
  • Discuss presentation agenda and schedule.
  • Describe and distribute handouts.

Introduction

  • Provide background and overview.
  • Describe why students with disabilities should participate in work-based learning experiences.

Legal Issues

  • Provide an overview of legal issues.
  • Describe the content of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  • Discuss issues such as who is covered by the legislation, what is a reasonable accommodation, and what is an undue hardship.

Access Issues

  • Discuss how to recruit students with disabilities.
  • Discuss how to provide access to computers.
    • Computer facility access
    • Adaptive technology
    • Access to electronic resources

Placing Students with Disabilities

  • Explain issues and strategies involved in disclosing disability.
  • Describe accommodation strategies.
  • Identify "key players" on campus and in your community. Provide examples.
  • Share Four-Step Accommodation Model and Abilities Profiles.
  • Describe ways to work effectively with employers when placing students with disabilities.

Equipment and Tools

Employer Presentation

This section provides a summary of presentation options followed by one detailed outline for delivering presentations to employers about hiring work-based learning participants with disabilities.

Purpose

To help employers become more aware of:

  • the rights, responsibilities, potential contributions and needs of interns with disabilities
  • how to recruit students with disabilities into their programs
  • how to ensure equal access into their programs
  • how to accommodate interns with disabilities
  • adaptive technology that provides access to computers
  • who the key players are on a typical college campus

Length

The following presentation examples are designed to accommodate a wide variety of participant needs. You may choose to deliver a presentation in a service club or professional organization meeting, as a conference session, or as a pre-conference workshop.

Presenter

A Career Counselor, Cooperative Education Coordinator, Disabled Student Services Officer, Adaptive Technology Consultant, or a fellow employer may deliver this presentation. Little experience working with students with disabilities is required to give a short presentation; longer presentations require more specialized expertise.

Preparation

Possible Presentation Outline

The following sample outline can be tailored to your audience, and can vary from a brief 10-minute overview to a half-day workshop.

Logistics

  • Introduce presenter(s).
  • Introduce participants.
  • Identify accessible restrooms, telephones, and provide other site logistics.
  • Discuss presentation agenda and schedule.
  • Describe and distribute handouts.

Introduction

  • Provide background and overview.
  • Discuss employment statistics of people with disabilities.

Legal Issues

  • Describe the Americans with Disabilities Act and it's implications.
  • Discuss who is covered, reasonable accommodations, undue hardship, and related issues.
  • Talk about appropriate and inappropriate situations in which to ask about disability.

Access Issues

  • Discuss how to provide access to computers.
    • Computer lab/workstation access
    • Adaptive technology
    • Access to electronic resources

Hiring Students with Disabilities

  • Explain methods for recruiting students with disabilities.
  • Describe accommodation strategies.
  • Identify "key players" on campus and in the community.
  • Share the Four-Step Accommodation Model and Abilities Profiles. Provide specific examples.
  • Identify school and community resources.

Equipment and Tools