Organization+and+Project+Links

=Organizations and Project Links= There are a multitude of organizations, large and small, new and longstanding, both public and privately funded, and both well-known and obscure, that provide rich information in the areas of transition and AT. We cannot capture them all here, but we can give you a very good start!

Advocacy and Self-Advocacy
[|Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network] The PYLN is a team of youth leaders with disabilities from across Pennsylvania with a purpose to develop the self-determination, empowerment, and leadership of youth that promotes successful post school outcomes in the areas of education, employment, independent living, and health and wellness among youth and young adults throughout Pennsylvania.

[|Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania] (DRN) is a statewide, non–profit corporation designated as the federally–mandated organization to advance and protect the civil rights of adults and children with disabilities. DRN works with people with disabilities and their families to ensure their rights to live in their communities with the services they need, to receive a full and inclusive education, to live free of discrimination, abuse and neglect, and to have control and self–determination over their services.

Employment
[|DisabilityInfo.gov] Employment Page This section of DisabilityInfo.gov covers a variety of topics related to employment of people with disabilities: advice for individuals with disabilities seeking work; help for employers looking for hard-working and dedicated employees; information on employment rights, laws and regulations; resources for employment programs and job accommodations for people with disabilities. This site is located at http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=9.

[|Worksupports.com] The purpose of the Virginia Commonwealth University RRTC on Workplace Supports and Job Retention is to study those supports that are most effective for assisting individuals with disabilities maintain employment and advance their careers. The primary stakeholders for this project are persons with disabilities, with an emphasis on those who are unemployed, underemployed or at risk of losing employment. This website is rich with training opportunities, resources, and research. Visit this website at http://www.worksupport.com/resources/index.cfm.

[|Job Accommodations Network] The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the U.S. Department of Labor. JAN's mission is to facilitate the employment and retention of workers with disabilities by providing employers, employment providers, people with disabilities, their family members and other interested parties with information on job accommodations, self-employment and small business opportunities and related subjects. This is an excellent tool to utilize with students to explore careers and understand employment accommodations. Some portals located on the JAN website:
 * [|Job Accommodation Network by Disability]: On this site you can obtain information about disabilities including functional limitations, resources and potential accommodations that may be appropriate on the job.
 * [|Job Accommodation Network's Searchable Online Accommodation Resource (SOAR)]:The SOAR system is designed to let users explore various accommodation options for people with disabilities in work and educational settings. These accommodation ideas are not all inclusive.

[|CareerConnect] A free resource for people who want to learn about the range and diversity of jobs performed by adults who are blind or visually impaired. In addition to Tips for Exploring Careers, this site also includes Multimedia CareerConnect with graphics, audio and video clips for users, incuding mentors demonstrating assistive technology in office settings for employees who are blind or have low vision.

Independent Living[[image:pil_j.jpg width="140" height="123" align="right"]]
[|Pennsylvania Council on Independent Living] **(PCIL)** A private, non-profit, 501 (C) (3) association representing all CILs in the Commonwealth. Dedicated to the independence and empowerment of persons with disabilities, the PCIL promotes the development and expansion of a statewide network of consumer-directed CILs. CILs, whose staff are 51% or more of persons with disabilities, offer a variety of services over and above their four core services.
 * Advocacy
 * Peer Mentoring
 * Peer helpers
 * Independent Living Skills Training

Post-Secondary Education and Training
[|Transition and Post-School Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities: Closing the Gaps to Post-Secondary Education and Employment] This report of the National Council on Disability of the Social Security Administration presents an analysis of research on the status of transition, post-secondary education, and employment outcomes for primarily 14 to 22 year old youth and young adults with disabilities over the past 25 years. Next it identifies what has worked, and what should work in light of unmet needs and unserved populations. Finally, the report presents recommendations for national, state, and local community action.

[|Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technolog]y (DO-IT) DO-IT serves to increase the participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers. It promotes the use of computer and networking technologies to increase independence, productivity, and participation in education and employment. Includes these, and many other, resources.
 * [|The Student Lounge] : Resources to help students with disabilities prepare for college, succeed in college, and successfully transition from two-year to four-year postsecondary institutions.
 * [|Access Careers]: Provides information and resources and shares promising practices for the purpose of increasing access to careers for individuals with disabilities

[|Post-ITT] Post-ITT is an acronym for Postsecondary Innovative Transition Technology. It provides information and resources to high school students with disabilities considering college and to those who support them.See the downloadable [|Guidance Activities] for all grades in high school and a terrific [|Senior Checklist] designed especially for future college students who have a disability and think they may need support services in college. [|Use of Technology to Support Learning]is one of the items on the list.

A Focus on AT //and// Transition
The [|Family Center on Technology and Disabilit]y is a resource designed to support organizations and programs that work with families of children and youth with disabilities. We offer a range of information and services on the subject of assistive technologies.
 * Click on Online Discussions and scroll down to "archived discussions" for an excellent discussion of AT and Transition complete with transcript and resources. (Scroll down; it's the second archived discussion listed.)

[|The Alliance for Technology Access: Access Transition] If you are teenager with a disability or receiving Special Education services, Access Transition was created to help you plan for what you will do after high school. The information here may help students and families understand your rights and how to begin planning for a very important and exciting time in your life. It is intended to give you a basic understanding of the process and your rights and options. More detailed information on many topics may be found by following the links provided. These take you to other places in this document, other resources on our ATA site and to other valuable web sites.  EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information) is provides of online training on accessible information technology for persons with disabilities re: [|http://www.rit.edu/~easi/] Barrier free accessible vodcasts.

[|Building Success Through Effective Selection and Use of Assistive Technology Systems] Article from LD Online: Setting the Stage for Success: Building Success Through Effective Selection and Use of Assistive Technology Systems. Joy Zabala talks about the SETT framework, a best practice in AT decision-making.

[|AT KansasTransitions Manual] A comprehensive explanation of the transition process addressing how to obtain the Assistive Technology devices and services (AT) a student needs to be successful in a career or educational pursuits after high school. The manual provides information on resources and considerations for transition planning. It is written for students and parents but is helpful for educators and others who help in the transition process.

[|Procedure Guide for Assistive Technology and Transition Planning] from the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI) This form lays out the sequence of steps involved in using each of the forms. It includes a time line that begins at age 14 or before and ends with graduation.

//Disclaimer: This site and information, links, and resources contained herein, are intended as a forum for information and communication only and should not be interpreted to mean endorsement by PATTAN or any of its transition partners. Unless otherwise stated, information on this website is not intended to represent the policies, positions, or intentions of PaTTAN or any state agency. //