Project Overview

The goal of the Pacific Alliance for Supporting Individuals with Disabilities (IWD) in STEM Fields Partnership (Pacific Alliance) is to increase the numbers of IWD in STEM postsecondary education programs and ultimately the STEM workforce in Hawai‘i. Proposed outcomes are: (1) increased graduation rates in degreed programs (associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees); and (2) increased rates of graduates (high school, associate, baccalaureate, and graduate) entering STEM employment.

Evidence based, student-centered practices will be explored to address 4 categories of barriers to increasing STEM participation and progress in STEM fields: (1) disability (e.g., physical access and lack of academic and career accommodations); (2) self-empowerment/exploration (e.g., perceived lack of ability to succeed, and lack of awareness and opportunities in STEM); (3) academics (e.g., lack of basic academic skills, lack of academic supports, advising, and accommodations, and insufficient course content success in STEM courses); and (4) career/employment (e.g., physical, communication, and visual access to job responsibilities and lack of knowledge of work specific accommodations).

 

Funded by the National Science Foundation—Award Information

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