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Training success for persons with disabilities: the role of business and education partnerships

University of British Columbia

The Access Ability Program was designed specifically to provide persons with disabilities access to technical computer training in a supportive environment and with assistance in transitioning to employment. Graduates receive a certificate in Computer Programming from the Open College, a division of the Open Learning Agency. The unique feature of the Access Ability Program is the active participation of the business community in all aspects of the program to increase the educational success and employment of persons with disabilities. This study evaluates the Access Ability Program to determine if, over the nine years of its existence, the program model of business and education partnerships enhance persons with disabilities access and completion of training as well as employment for graduates. Data were collected from student files, and surveys of the Business Advisory Council, graduates and rehabilitation counsellors. Comparative data were collected from similar programs. The Access Ability Program model of business/education partnership was found to increase students' access to training, enhance their successful completion of the training, and provided graduates with employment. Access Ability accepted students with a wide variety of disabilities and educational backgrounds and had a completion rate of 76%. As a result of business involvement 92% of the graduates were employed one year after graduation. The longterm graduate employment rate is 85%. This study demonstrates that partnerships involving business and education positively influences the quality of the training program and enhances the employment of persons with disabilities.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-05-26

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/8242

Educational Studies

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace