Science and Engineering as Viable Career Choices for Students with Disabilities

Abstract

Although the availability of jobs in science and technology fields are abundant, awareness has increased that certain populations (e.g., persons with disabilities) have fewer opportunities to pursue these careers and, consequently, are underrepresented as employees in these fields. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of parents and teachers concerning the following variables as they relate to career entry of persons with disabilities into science and engineering: (a) facility access, (b) expense of accommodations, (c) role models, (d) teachers' understanding of students' academic needs, (e) length of learning time, (f) student aptitude and educational preparation, (g) career guidance, and (h) employer attitudes. A MANOVA indicated significant differences between parents and teachers on several variables. Psychometric properties of the scale developed for the study are described, and implications of the findings for rehabilitation counselors providing career development to secondary school students are discussed. he U.S. Department of Labor (1995) projected t that the greatest employment need for the years JL 1994 to 2005 would be in the professional specialty occupations. Engineers, scientists, and computer systems analysts comprise the largest segments of these professional specialty occupations, representing nearly 970,000 prospective openings. Similar reports were heralded in widely read publications, such as USA Today, which stated that &dquo;200,000 tech jobs wait vacant&dquo; (Jones, 1998). Compounding the need for employees in science and technology fields is the observation that young people are not entering these careers in the numbers needed to meet current and future demands (Jones, 1998; Task Force on Women, Minorities, and the Handicapped in Science and Technology, 1996). Oakes ( 1990) noted that traditional pools (i.e., college-age White men) that supply scientific workers are shrinking.Although jobs in the science and technology fields are abundant, certain populations (e.g., persons with disabilities) have fewer opportunities to pursue these careers and are, consequently, underrepresented as employees.Within the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering (CEOSE) was established to review current practices and to develop a long-range plan to advance opportunities for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in federal scientific and technical positions (Task Force on Women, Minorities, and the Handicapped in Science and Technology, 1996). The U.S. government has recognized that encouraging and supporting underrepresented groups such as women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to enter the fields of science and engineering is crucial to &dquo;strengthen our [America's] science and engineering workforce&dquo; (p. 3). at UNIV OF NORTH DAKOTA on June 23, 2015 rcb.sagepub.com Downloaded from 159In addition to the creation of the CEOSE, a report titled &dquo;Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Sci...

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Measuring role entrapment of people who stutter

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