Universal Design for Access into SMET Careers

Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield MA

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal # HRD-0004326 Institution: Springfield Technical Community College Principal Investigators: Mary Moriarity, Jack Barocas, and James Masi ABSTRACT Springfield Technical Community College plans to leverage its extensive experience with technical education and with assistive/adaptive technology to increase participation of students with disabilities in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) education. The primary goal of the project is to demonstrate and disseminate a professional development model to engage SMET faculty in the Universal Design of Curricula to support the learning of students with disabilities. The institution and its project staff will rely on their experience acquired in the Advanced Technical Education (ATE) Center in the design of specialized technical simulation, courseware, and laboratory-based components of SMET curricula. A cohort of 30 disabled students, half of whom experience sensory disabilities, will be the principal target population upon which the materials are piloted and tested. Evaluation will include an examination of outcomes of a "train-the-trainer" model of professional development, wherein a cohort of SMET faculty are trained and serve as mentors to other faculty within their academic divisions to expand and accelerate the diffusion of Universal Curriculum Design of SMET courses. The Springfield Technical Community College actively participates in extensive Northeast and national networks of ATE institutions (including both high schools and community colleges) that will permit broad dissemination of the project's results and products.