MULTIMEDIA TO HELP STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES BECOME CRITICAL CONSUMERS OF POSTSECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES

THE PARTICULAR EXPERIENCES OF YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES IN TRANSITION ARE VARIED. HOWEVER, ALL SHARE THE NEED TO ASSUME INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY AND TO DETERMINE THEIR FUTURERS. TO BECOME INFORMED, CRITICAL CONSUMERS OF POSTSECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE SPECIFIC INFORMATIONAL AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS RELATED TO SELF-ASSESSMENT, DISABILITY LEGISLATION, INFORMATION-SEEKING, AND SELF-ADVOCACY. THESE NEEDS ARE NOT CURRENTLY ADDRESSED IN SECONDARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS. COUNSELORS AND OTHERS PROVIDING SERVICES TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OFTEN LACK SKILLS AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED GUIDANCE. TECHNOLOGIES USED IN SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA AND VIDEO TECHNOLOGIES, COULD ASSIST THESE PROFESSIONALS. MACRO WILL INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING AN INTEGRATED INSTRUCTIONAL PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES A MULTIMEDIA APPLICATION, VIDEOTAPE, AND EDUCATOR'S GUIDE. THIS PHASE I STUDY WILL: INVESTIGATE SPECIFIC INFORMATIONAL NEEDS OF ADOLESCENTS WITH DISABILITIES; DEVELOP A PRELIMINARY PRODUCT DESIGN; IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES; AND DEVELOP A FINAL PRODUCT DESIGN TO GUIDE PHASE II DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. SPECIAL ATTENTION WILL BE PAID TO: IDENTIFYING APPROPRIATE CONTENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES; DEFINING THE TARGET AUDIENCE(S); INVESTGATING THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING A PROGRAM COMPONENT USEFUL TO PARENTS; AND EVALUATING TECHNOLOGIES IN LIGHT OF BOTH ABILITY TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM DESIGN AND LIKELY AVAILABILITY IN SCHOOLS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.