Abstract

Project Title

Pacific Alliance for Supporting Individuals with Disabilities in STEM Fields

Co-PIs

Robert Stodden and Kelly Roberts, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa (UHM), Center on Disability Studies (CDS)

Intellectual Merit

The goal of the Pacific Alliance for Supporting Individuals with Disabilities (IWD) in STEM Fields Partnership (Pacific Alliance) is to increase the numbers of IWD in STEM postsecondary education programs and ultimately the STEM workforce in Hawai‘i. Proposed outcomes are:

  1. increased graduation rates in degreed programs (associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees); and
  2. increased rates of graduates (high school, associate, baccalaureate, and graduate) entering STEM employment.

Evidence based, student-centered practices will be explored to address 4 categories of barriers to increasing STEM participation and progress in STEM fields:

  1. disability (e.g., physical access and lack of academic and career accommodations);
  2. self-empowerment/exploration (e.g., perceived lack of ability to succeed, and lack of awareness and opportunities in STEM);
  3. academics (e.g., lack of basic academic skills, lack of academic supports, advising, and accommodations, and insufficient course content success in STEM courses); and
  4. career/employment (e.g., physical, communication, and visual access to job responsibilities and lack of knowledge of work specific accommodations).

The Alliance will initially focus on 3 UH system campuses. Students with disabilities in feeder high schools will be engaged with programs at participating campuses.

Pacific Alliance staff will develop an Alliance Advisory Committee to provide input and support implementation of project activities. Participating campuses will be supported to organize a “Community of Practice” (COP) which could include key postsecondary STEM instructors, student/disability services personnel, STEM personnel from participating feeder high schools, key STEM community employers, and disability agencies. COP members will given input and assist student recruit, monitor retention, and conduct trainings and implement further capacity-building through training, consultation, and ongoing engagement with stakeholder collaborators and affiliates. Alliance staff will facilitate and support the work of each campus based COP to implement those practices and activities which fit their specific needs and programs to reduce barriers and improve outcomes for IWD in STEM as they progress through critical junctures (transition from one program or level to the next). Data collected by project staff as evidence of the progress, impact, and effectiveness of the project, as well as assist the project to be responsive to each participating campus.

Expected outcomes include increases in:

  1. Numbers of IWD in high schools who enroll in STEM degree programs at partnering 2 and 4 year IHE;
  2. Graduation rates (associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees) for STEM students with disabilities in participating community colleges and the University of Hawaii at Manoa;
  3. Increase successful entry (employed) rates of students with disabilities (associate, baccalaureate, and graduate) into STEM employment.

Special attention will be given to the IWDs of greatest need: those of minority culture, women, veterans, and IWDs living in rural areas.

Broader Impacts

The Pacific Alliance Partnership will advance knowledge and ensure long-term impact by:

  1. broadening STEM participation of IWDs including women, underrepresented minorities, veterans, and residents of rural areas;
  2. enhancing disability support offices and STEM programs within UH and Public School systems and employment settings by building on existing associations and networks and creating synergy and durable relationships;
  3. developing and disseminating knowledge and practice that enhances the inclusion of people with disabilities in STEM careers;
  4. initiating activities resulting in systemic change in the organizations represented by COP members; and
  5. yielding rigorous evaluation data allowing for evidence based replication in similar settings.