EMPLOYEES AND THEIR SUPERVISORS FROM HIGH TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES AS MENTORS IN THE TRANSITION OF HANDICAPPED YOUTH FROM SCHOOL TO WORK

HAROLD RUSSELL ASSOCIATES (HRA) HAS RECENTLY CONDUCTED A NATIONAL FIELD STUDY CONCERNING COORDINATION OF SPED, VR AND VOC. ED. SERVICES AND PRACTICES WHICH FACILITATE THE TRANSITION OF HANDICAPPED YOUTH FROM SCHOOL TO WORK. WHILE MANY COORDINATION PRACTICES WERE IDENTIFIED, HRA STAFF WAS NOT ABLE TO DOCUMENT ANY SYSTEMATIC INVOLVEMENT OF INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES IN THE VOCATIONAL PREPARATION OF HANDICAPPED YOUTH. MOREOVER, HRA NOTED NO SIGNIFICANT INVOLVEMENT OF SUCCESSFULLY EMPLOYED DISABLED INDIVIDUALS. THE RESULT IS THAT HANDICAPPED YOUTH AND ADULTS ARE DEPRIVED OF ROLE MODELS AND MENTORS WHO CAN ASSIST THEM IN CHOOSING CAREERS, PREPARING FOR CAREERS AND IN SEEKING A JOB. HRA WILL DEVELOP MODELS FOR SYSTEMATICALLY INVOLVING DISABLED EMPLOYEES AND THEIR SUPERVISORS AS MENTORS IN THE PREPARATION OF HANDICAPPED YOUTH AND ADULTS FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE HIGH TECHNOLOGY MARKETPLACE. MODELS WILL ALSO BE DEVELOPED FOR INTEGRATING SPED, VR AND VOC. ED. RESOURCES SO AS TO AVOID DUPLICATION OF INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT AND INVOLVING INDUSTRY VOLUNTEERS IN JOINT IN-SERVICE TRAINING. PROJECT TASKS INCLUDE CRITERIA DEVELOPMENT; MEETINGS WITH STATE OFFICIALS; IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, VR OFFICES AND VOC. ED. FACILITIES; CONDUCTING A FEASIBILITY STUDY; PREPARING MODEL UTILIZATION PLANS; CONVENING A RESEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE; AND PREPARING A FINAL REPORT.