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This study report examines the dilemmas facing policymakers dealing with students with disabilities. As students with disabilities move toward equal opportunities in elementary and secondary education, policymakers have placed greater emphasis on equal access to postsecondary opportunities. The report focuses on the special barriers to equal educational opportunity in higher education faced by students with disabilities as they transition to higher education and aims to provide a snapshot of the educational pipeline and postsecondary experiences for students with disabilities as they exist today.

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In exploring how to improve labor market outcomes for persons with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries, this chapter first reviews several labor market outcomes across disability status in low- and middle-income countries, followed by a discussion of the constraints on the employment of persons with disabilities. The third section focuses on the development of disability and employment policy and proposes a framework to guide the selection of disability and employment interventions. A review of possible interventions and available evidence for the general population and persons with disabilities follows, concluding with a discussion of next steps.

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Opportunities for, and participation of persons with disabilities in the workforce is still a challenge in Suriname. Many persons with disabilities who want to work do not have the opportunity due to many barriers. Survey data shows that there are more women than men with disabilities. Difficulty seeing and walking are the most common types of disabilities in Suriname. The highest group of people with disabilities was found among the working-age population (15-64 years). Approximately two-thirds of people with disabilities are more likely to have completed at most, primary or lower secondary education. Completion of higher education seems to be more challenging for people with disabilities than for the rest of the population. The present research provides a background to describe not only the labour market performance of the people with disabilities, but also the actual and perceived barriers to their employment in the country. The study is a combination of analysis of survey-based microdata (quantitative data) and in-depth interviews (qualitative data).

Findings of this study suggest that there could be possibilities to increase the participation of people with disabilities in employment. However, since a key deciding factor for hiring is their educational level, investments will need to be made to the workplaces' infrastructure to accommodate people with disabilities. In addition, it is a shared opinion that guidance in the job search process and labour integration may be a critical element. Any employability-enhancing intervention must start with awareness raising led by the Government and key organizations for people with disabilities in order for campaigns that focus on reducing barriers and removing stigmas to go a long way. In terms of labour market policies, more investment in special education combined with job search assistance, vocational rehabilitation, and special employment programmes for people with disabilities can help participation and employment rates. Any intervention aimed at enhancing the generation of employment opportunities should be carried out in collaboration with the private sector and key organizations for people with disabilities. While a holistic approach to remove such barriers is most likely required, the analysis and recommendations presented are a solid starting point to initiate policy and programmatic changes.

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This paper, from the CD-ROM proceedings of the Pathways 5 Conference, provides an overview of the Liberated Learning Project (LLP), a research project investigating the use of speech recognition technology in university lecture notetaking for disabled students. This paper outlines the development of the LLP and highlights some of the challenges faced by those involved. A conceptual framework, with corresponding relevant research questions, provides an outline of the individual components of the project. The LLP is expected to gain widespread acceptance and contribute to universities' attempts to better accommodate students.

The CD-ROM from which this paper is taken is indexed at TD/TNC 78.60. Selected papers are indexed from TD/TNC 78.71 to TD/TNC 78.90. Show less

This paper looks at the education and training of people with disabilities. It is part of a Youth Unemployment Action Programme of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Research has shown that the high rates of unemployment for people with disabilities is because of their inadequate or inappropriate education and training, their inaccessibility to the workplace and because of ongoing stereotypes assumed by educators and employers. It focuses on youth with disabilities in Denmark, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom and examines them within the context of programs and initiatives for people with disabilities in general and young people in general. Show less

This kit has been designed to assist home care workers with aspects of their work that involve numeracy, including reading rosters and timesheets, using maps, calculating travel time and travel claims, making sense of parking signs and calculating parking fees. Research indicates that many carers find some of these tasks difficult because of the length of time since they last studied, their having language difficulties or their being from a non-English speaking background. It can be used flexibly, either in a formal group training setting or by individual learners under the guidance of a mentor. Show less

The major purpose of this study was to determine the role of TAFE in the rehabilitation process of disabled persons. The data was obtained through questionnaire and interview techniques. The sample consisted of rehabilitation professionals, rehabilitation clients and post-rehabilitation clients. Conclusions included the following: 1. The vocational rehabilitation needs of many disabled persons returning to the workforce and not being adequately met by the rehabilitation centre; 2. The reciprocity between TAFE and the rehabilitation process is within the broad section of the rehabilitation model, vocational preparation and work skills training; and 3. For any vocational program established. there must be a strong commitment to co-operation and co-ordination of resources and expertise between TAFE and the rehabilitation system. Recommendations included the following: 1. The establishment of effective relationships within the rehabilitation system; 2. That a preparatory program be established to introduce students to TAFE vocational programs and to include work preparation skills (e.g. study, job seeking, and social skills); 3. That all students be assessed on entry to determine their need for pre-vocational skills training; and (4) The establishment of a program of intensive inservice training of TAFE teachers. Show less

Employment and earnings can be a key part of an individual's overall economic well-being. Persons with disabilities often face barriers around employment, resulting in lower rates of employment, lower earnings, a decreased capacity to work full-time or higher rates of involuntary part-time work. One priority area of the Accessible Canada Act is to identify, remove and prevent barriers within employment. As barriers within employment are removed and prevented, the disparity in income and earnings between persons with and without disabilities is expected to lessen.

Using data from the 2019 Canadian Income Survey (CIS), this report examines the pay gap between persons with and without disabilities by looking at different sociodemographic factors and employment characteristics. Key findings are as follows: (1) among those aged 16 years and older, persons with disabilities earn 21.4 per cent less than persons without disabilities; (2) looking by disability type, the pay gap was greatest between persons with cognitive disabilities and persons without disabilities (46.4 per cent); (3) differences in earnings were also seen by sex, as both men and women with disabilities earned less than their counterparts without disabilities; (4) earnings differed between full-time workers with and without disabilities, but were similar among part-time workers with and without disabilities; and (5) among the working-age population (aged 25 to 64 years), the disability pay gap was similar to that of the total population (22.2 per cent).

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Through a project supported by Canada's Social Development Partnerships Program, a team of leading National Disability Organizations, universities, and industry partners are piloting a prototype Hosted Transcription Service that uses speech recognition to automatically create multimedia transcripts that can be used by students for study purposes. This paper focuses on the accessibility and educational impacts of receiving complete and accurate lecture transcripts for students with disabilities.

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Recognising that students with disabilities require extra support while going about their tertiary studies, NZ Polytechnics and Universities are providing varying degrees of help and guidance. Dreams, goals and visions, while not a definitive list, touches on what NZ Disability Liaison Officers see as the greatest needs and the changes that are required in the tertiary system if students with disabilities are to have educational opportunities that are equal to those of other students.

This paper was written as part of a paper entitled 'Presenting the scene in NZ'. The latter was written for the Pathways II Conference (People with Disabilities in Post-Secondary Education) held in Brisbane, Australia, July 1993. Show less