A Collaborative Disability Related Accommodations Process in Work-Integrated Learning

Y

14

Students with Disabilities; Experiential Learning; Work Experience; Accessibility (for Disabled); Skill Development; Job Skills; Cooperation; Barriers; Educational Legislation; Foreign Countries; Attitudes toward Disabilities; Legal Responsibility; Student Rights; Equal Education; Work Environment; Student Personnel Services

2538-1032

Students with disabilities are far less likely than their peers to participate in work-integrated learning (WIL). This gap may contribute to the high levels of unemployment for people with disabilities. Unemployment rates compound when accounting for intersectional identities, with disabled people of color experiencing even higher rates of unemployment. Skill development through opportunities such as WIL is critical to ensure equity-deserving groups can transition successfully from post-secondary institutions into the workforce. Without a transparent, collaborative accommodations process in an environment that is actively reducing stigma and ableism, it is likely students with disabilities will continue to be underrepresented in WIL and the workforce after graduation. This paper presents an overview of disability, barriers to participation, and relevant Canadian legislation. The authors then propose an outline for developing a collaborative accommodations process for WIL opportunities.

As Provided

2024

EJ1432618