Augmentative communication employment training and supports (ACETS): some employment-related outcomes.

Recent advances in technology, clinical/educational practices, and public policies, as well as changes in economic and workforce demographics, should be expanding employment opportunities for people with disabilities, including those who have significant physical and speech disabilities. However, this has not been the case. According to the 2000 National Organization on Disability/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities, employment of people with disabilities decreased between the years 1986 to 2000 from 34% to 32%, with more than 11.3 million people with significant disabilities (76%) being unemployed (National Organization on Disabilities, 2000). This is in contrast to 81% of working-age persons without disabilities who are employed full or part-time. Two out of three unemployed people with disabilities (67%) would prefer to be working.

The employment picture is even lower for people with significant physical and speech disabilities who rely on technology for mobility and communication. A survey conducted in 1993 of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) professionals from North America, the United Kingdom, Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Australia suggested that only 14% of the 5,333 AAC users known to these professionals were employed in some way (Blackstone, 1993). This level of joblessness is higher than that of any other disability group (Blackorby & Wagner, 1996) and the implications are profound. As noted by Williams (1995), "having a job may mean you can determine where you live, what you eat, how you spend your leisure time, how you feel about yourself, and how your neighbors and community see you as a person. In short, having a job may mean more control over what you do with your life (p.1)."

Not having a job may mean not only reduced control over your life, it may also lead to a shorter life. The percentage of adults with disabilities living in poverty is almost three times that of the nondisabled population; individuals with disabilities are almost twice as likely as individuals without disabilities to be deprived of needed medical care because of financial reasons (National Organization on Disability, 2000).

While the issue of employment for people who use AAC is compelling, only recently have professionals and advocates started to address it. A 15 year review of publications in the AAC Journal from 1985 through 2000, revealed only five published studies focusing on employment of people who rely on AAC (Balandin & Iacono, 1999; Light, Stoltz, & McNaughton, 1996; Miranda, 1996; and Odom & Upthegrove, 1997). The level of "research" evidence provided in these publications was a combination of authority (Miranda, 1996); case study (Odom & Upthegrove, 1997); survey (Light et al., 1996) and observation (Balandin & Iacono, 1999). Beginning in 1993 and continuing almost annually, the Pittsburgh Employment Conference (PEC) for Augmented Communicators has advanced the importance of employment among researchers, manufacturers, clinicians, and policymakers. At the first PEC in 1993, fewer than 25 individuals who use AAC were identified as having community-based employment in the United States. In the rest of the industrially developed world, there may be only a dozen augmented communicators with community-based employment (Baker, 1993). More recent research supports this negative view of employment of individuals who use AAC (Bryen, Slesaransky & Baker, 1995; McNaughton & Bryen, in press; Slesaransky, 1998)

The high incidence of unemployment for individuals who use AAC may result from a variety of factors, including skill limitations, lack of education and job preparation, attitudinal barriers within society, transportation barriers, architectural barriers, technology limitations, policy barriers, and other factors (Bryen & Moulton, 1998; Light et al., 1996). In recent years, individuals with significant disabilities, and their supporters, have advocated strongly for the right of individuals who use AAC to be full participants in the workplace and society (Bryen & Moulton, 1998; Miranda, 1996).

Recognizing the importance of employment for individuals who have significant physical and speech disabilities, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) established employment as a priority in 1998 when this agency issued a request for proposals to establish a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Communication Enhancement. The purpose of this article is to briefly describe one approach to improving the employment outcomes for adults who use AAC. Augmentative Communication Employment Training and Supports (ACETS) was an attempt to address NIDRR's priority to identify barriers that negatively affect the employment status of individuals with significant communication disorders who use, or could use, AAC and develop and evaluate approaches to overcome barriers in order to improve their employment status. The second purpose of this article was to report on the results of a pilot study designed to evaluate the outcomes of ACETS.

Program Description

The purpose of ACETS was to address a small portion of the daunting problems of un/under-employment among people who use AAC: lack of employment-related individual-level skills and experiences. In particular, ACETS focused on skills for career development and maintenance such as identifying and pursuing desired career paths, negotiating workplace culture, handling one's finances and benefits, managing transportation, and communicating in the workplace. Additionally, ACETS attempted to improve information technology skills that are needed in most jobs today.

Drawing upon the Augmentative Communication and Empowerment Supports' (ACES) model of cultural immersion as a method to teach participants about AAC and disability rights (Bryen, Sleseransky, & Baker 1995), ACETS was designed as an intensive employment training and follow-up support program that would immerse participants in the culture of employment. The program was designed to mimic a true work environment. As compared to ACES, fewer direct services for transportation, housing and personal assistants were provided by ACETS. Instead, support was provided online to each applicant in identifying local and accessible transportation, housing and personal assistance services. In addition to the weeklong training, participants committed to treating their search for a job as a full-time job for one year given ongoing support and technical assistance throughout that year from ACETS staff via e-coaching. According to Olson (2001) and Kotelnikov and Ten3 East-West (2002a and b), ecoaching uses web-based technologies to help individuals set personal goals, develop meaningful action plans to achieve those goals, and have access to "just-in-time" knowledge and supports that can be applied immediately.

The process of applying to ACETS intentionally modeled the typical process of applying for a job. Stated in the announcement of ACETS, applicants were required to (a) make an explicit commitment to obtaining employment, (b) have operational competence with their AAC system, (c) make arrangements for their room and board, as well as transportation to and from the program, and (d) cover some of the costs associated with the program (e.g., a minimal fee for program materials). With support from ACETS, each participant was responsible for securing necessary travel funds, either personally or through their local vocational rehabilitation services.

With some coaching from ACETS staff, applicants submitted a cover letter, a resume, and two letters of reference. The project director and coordinator then interviewed eligible applicants, either by phone or in person. Of the eight applicants, six were accepted. The two applicants not accepted were college students nearing graduation and were unable to commit to the requirements of ACETS while completing their studies. Demographic information about the participants is presented in Table 1.

Participants attended five full days of classes at Temple University during the Fall 1999 academic semester. Each day had an organizing theme: "Preparing for the Job," "Getting the Job," "Keeping your Job" "Self Employment," and "Planning for the Future" with multiple sessions focused daily on each theme. The materials for each day were organized into four classes, with at least one class per day focusing on information technology skills taught in a new state-of-the art computer lab (e.g., establishing a reliable connection between your AAC device and computer, advanced word processing skills including Microsoft Word keyboard shortcuts, email and the Internet; web researching and design; and on-line services such as faxing). Instructors came from Philadelphia's business community, Temple University's Small Business Development Center, Temple University's Human Resources Department, and Philadelphia's Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Staff from Temple University provided technical training in the computer lab.

At the end of the week of training, each participant took part in an individualized person-centered employment planning meeting based on the person-centered planning model established by John O'Brien and Beth Mount from the U.S. and Marsha Forest, Judith Snow, and Jack Pearpoint from Canada (Falvey, Forest, Pearpoint, & Rosenberg, 1994). As part of this planning process each participant identified individualized career goals based on his/her skills and interests, short-term objectives that could be accomplished within one year, supports (technical, training, and human) needed to accomplish the objectives, and "first steps" to be taken towards accomplishing their employment goals.

All participants agreed to complete a list of job-related tasks, such as updating one's resume, creating a web page, and writing a job description for a work-related personal assistant. They agreed to adhere to deadlines for completing their goals and to report their progress online to ACETS staff.

In order to support each participant in achieving their individualized employment goals, each received one year of online support framed as "e-coaching" from ACETS. Support also included visits to the participants' homes to help them set up their computer systems, feedback on drafts of resumes and letters, technical support in the creation of web pages, assistance in locating technical training programs, and assistance with connecting to employment resources. Participants remained in contact with ACETS via phone, email, real time computer interaction (chatting), and/or face-to-face contact. Five of the six participants returned to Temple University on two different days for workshops on technical skills and to update their person-centered employment goals.

As a particularly innovative feature, ACETS utilized a range of technology to provide "e-coaching", online support, coaching, and tracking. Participants were required to submit online monthly progress reports so that ACETS staff was updated on their progress towards achieving their personal work-related objectives.

ACETS staff, in turn, posted participants" progress on a web page so that each participant could see a graphic chart of personal progress, as well as the progress of other participants. ACETS also used this reporting mechanism as a means by which participants could document their difficulties and request needed supports. Much of the advice and technical assistance was delivered using Internet technology. The participants also used email and a listserv to contact each other, share their experiences, and offer each other support and assistance.

Method

Participants

Data presented on the outcomes of ACETS is based on all participants from year one of ACETS. As shown in Table 1, six subjects comprised the sample. Participants ranged in age from 24 through 37 years, with an average age of 30.6. Five of the six participants were male. Participants were concentrated in Pennsylvania and New Jersey areas with one participant from California. Five of the six participants used a Liberator with Words Strategy software, and five accessed their AAC device through direct selection using their hands. All had some skill in using a computer for either Internet use or word processing. Two participants walked independently, with the remaining four using either powered or manual wheelchairs for mobility. All had high school degrees and two had some postsecondary education. None of the participants worked full-time prior to ACETS. Only one participant who could walk independently had worked part-time doing manual labor prior to participating in ACETS. As such, all but one participant had no employment history prior to attending ACETS.

Instrumentation and Procedures

Two different data collection procedures were used to assess the progress of participants and their outcomes after one year. The first was a questionnaire designed to collect data about each participant's perceived employment skills and perceived barriers regarding employment. This instrument was given to the participants prior to their participation in ACETS and then again at the conclusion of the one-year of training and support provided by ACETS. Researchers from the Institute on Disabilities, not otherwise associated with ACETS, administered the surveys to increase participant's comfort in providing unbiased answers.

For the second approach, participants reported their progress throughout the year by submitting monthly on-line progress reports. In these reports, participants reported their progress on the objectives and tasks articulated in their person-centered employment plan, the time spent working on each task, the barriers they encountered, and the technical supports they needed. The report was a simple online form designed to be used in conjunction with a website that charted participant's progress towards meeting their individual goals. In addition, participants were asked on the monthly timesheet, "Did you increase your monthly income this month? If so describe the activity." The data collected each month was then used to update the on-line chart.

The first instrument, ACETS Employment Survey, was developed based on the ACES questionnaire (Bryen et al, 1995) and employment-related "hard" and "soft" skills identified from the general employment field especially related to information technology (e.g., Futureworks, Department of Labor, 1999) and from research on employment-related skills relevant to people who use AAC (e.g., Light et al, 1996; Moss & Tilly, 1996; Mullins, Roessler, & Bellini, 1997; Peterson, 1997). The survey consisted of three different parts. In Part one, participants were asked to rate their familiarity and skill level (1= totally unfamiliar and without skill to 5= know a lot and quite skillful) with 41 different employment-related skills. These skills were divided into four different topic areas: (a) "affording and managing work," such as managing personal assistants and managing one's finances and benefits; (b) "job-hunting," such as translating interests into a job and developing an effective resume; (c) "communication" such as note-taking and work related vocabulary; and (d) "computer skills" such as web page design and use of data bases. Part 2 of the survey dealt with perceived barriers to employment. Part 3 addressed the participant's employment and education history, financial status, and health insurance status and asked five open-ended questions related to their employment goals. ACETS Employment Survey can be obtained by contacting the authors.

To analyze the data, all quantitative data was entered into Microsoft EXCEL and means were calculated. Because of the small sample size, no inferential statistical analysis was conducted. ACETS participants were given the opportunity to comment on initial findings and to review a draft of this manuscript.

Results

The findings of this study are organized around several different outcomes and possible impacts of ACETS: (a) the degree to which ACETS improved employment-related skills in four areas (Job Hunting, Managing Work with a Disability, Communication Skills, and Information Technology Skills) and (b) online employment development and job search outcomes. All findings are based on the data obtained from the six ACETS participants.

Outcomes based on the ACETS Employment Survey

As shown in Table 2, all of the "job-hunting skills" showed a positive increase. Translating interests into a job and job-searching/developing were the two skills with the greatest increase; Negotiating an employment package and effective interviewing changed least, seeing a small increase in self-assessment. Overall, the domain of "job hunting" went from a summed score of 19.9 prior to ACETS to a summed score of 30.8 one year later (possible range of scores was between 9 and 45).

Similarly, skills related to "managing work with a disability" improved slightly from 17.8 prior to ACETS to 20.6 upon completion of the program (possible range of scores was between 6 and 30). Three of the six skills increased: skills in understanding the effects of employment income on their various benefits including working and SSI eligibility, working and 1619 a and b and working and medical assistance. There was little change in knowing one's rights and responsibilities. Small decreases were noted in managing personal finances and managing the challenges of working with a disability. These three skills, however, were rated high prior to ACETS (4.8, 4.4, and 4.4 respectively out of a possible 5).

Direct instruction in the use of participants' communication device did not occur during ACETS because a prerequisite for participation in the program was mastery of one's communication system. Participants did, however, receive instruction in appropriate workplace communication and vocabulary, and received feedback on their communication effectiveness throughout the program. Additionally, communication demands during ACETS were high. Participants were required to engage in dialogue during classroom sessions, participate in team meetings, and stay in contact with ACETS staff via telephone, email, and through online chats. This may have accounted for the small overall increase in communication-related skills (33.6 prior to ACETS to 36.5 at year-end; possible range of scores was between 5 and 50). As shown in Table 4, seven of the 10 communication skills improved, with slight decreases in two communication skills (i.e., talking on the telephone and communicating in a group of familiar people). Given the increased demands placed on each of these two skills during ACETS, it is likely that upon completion of the program participants were more realistic in assessing these skills in the context of the workplace.

Overall, the broad domain of information technology/computer skills improved during ACETS--from 41.6 to 51.6 (possible range of scores was between 16 and 80). As shown in Table 5 and Figure 1, 11 of 16 "computer skills" increased, including marketing and promoting yourself on-line, web design, using spread sheets, advanced features of email, using presentation software, customizing software for efficiency, using integrated software packages, internet researching, solving computer problems, power use of the web, and using advanced features of software. Basic computer skills, word processing and e-mail showed no improvement, because they were high at the start of ACETS.

Monthly Online Reports: Employment and Employment-Related Outcomes

All six participants remained active in the program throughout the year of ACETS, working to expand their job opportunities and job-related skills. As shown in Table 6, the number of participants who held part-time jobs increased from one to three. All jobs were in competitive settings. Hours worked ranged from five to 15 hours per week. All were paid at least minimal wage.

In addition, four of the six participants reported increasing their monthly earned incomes. The increase in income was often irregular, derived from speaking engagements or short term jobs in their desired line of work (e.g., designing a web page for a local business); however, such work increased not only their income but their work experience and resume as well. The number of participants volunteering increased from two to four during the year. None held full time jobs at any point during the program year.

Participants completed monthly time sheets in order to track their job development and searching activities. Typically, participants worked most consistently on their computer and job development skills. All participants worked on learning new features of software, updating their resumes, writing a job description for a personal assistant, and creating a personal business-related Web page. Five participants worked on developing a business plan often in consultation with staff at Temple University's Small Business Development Center. Lastly, three participants calculated how much income they could earn without jeopardizing their SSI eligibility and subsequent medical assistance benefits.

Tasks focused on searching for an actual job were completed somewhat less often. Four of six participants read the classified ads and searched for jobs online, four participants sent letters and/or resumes to potential employers, and three of these four participants also spoke, either informally or in a formal interview, with potential employers. Perhaps the tasks most under-utilized were those involving job networking with people who were in a position to offer employment-related assistance. Five participants contacted job counseling or placement organizations, four participants went to conferences, three found mentors, two joined professional organizations, and two visited work sites to observe and/or interview those who worked there.

Discussion

Several limitations of this study should be noted prior to discussion of the results. First, the study used a small sample, and this decision precluded meaningful statistical pre-post comparisons. Second, because the authors did not employ a controlled experimental design, it was difficult to truly sort out the "natural" acquisition of skills over time versus the direct impact of ACETS on skill improvement. Replication studies are needed to confirm the findings of this preliminary study. Third, the measures developed relied primarily on self-report data. Such data may have several potential problems: persons may not have much knowledge by which to assess their skills, persons may have very different ideas about what it means to call oneself skilled, and persons may want to answer in socially appropriate ways (although the direction of this bias is not necessarily clear). We accepted participants' self-reports as provided and did not collect "objective" measures of skill for comparison. Despite these potential shortcomings, self-reports were considered a valid measure for this study because the authors were looking at change in self-report over time. As such, any individual bias would be present at both time periods, and any changes found would still be meaningful.

Based on the findings of this study with its recognized limitations, one can cautiously conclude that when efforts are focused on employment-related skill development and the culture of work, modest gains in employment outcomes can be expected among people with significant physical and speech disabilities. At the start of ACETS, participants generally lacked crucial job-related skills and experiences. As seen from the mean scores on the ACETS Employment Survey, prior to coming to ACETS participants saw themselves as having limited skills in areas that we know are crucial for employment. With only a week of intensive training, a commitment to making their job search a "full-time job," and a year of online follow-up support, ACETS assisted participants in establishing employment goals, taught participants how to pursue these goals, and generally increased participants' skills related to developing and pursuing their desired career path. Participants gained marketable technology skills important for searching for and maintaining a job such as promoting oneself online, using email, and conducting research via the Internet. Also, participants gained work-related skills needed by a person with significant physical and speech disability for almost any job, such as realistically assessing the impact of employment on disability benefits and managing one's personal assistant.

Moreover, by framing the pursuit of a job as a full-time job, participants gained experience in work ethic and culture. For example, participants had to be interviewed and accepted into ACETS. They had deadlines to meet for their tasks, and they were provided feedback on their work. With some support from ACETS staff, they were expected to arrange their own transportation for meetings and to hire their own personal assistants. Several participants attended work-related conferences, spoke with potential employers, and found mentors.

With only one week of intense training and a year of follow-up online supports, there were increases in several skills. Clearly participants would have benefited from longer, more intensive training. Some areas in particular suffered from the short duration of training, such as managing personal finances, work-place communication skills, and advanced features of computer technology.

Increasing the amount of training and follow-up support would likely further enhance the success of ACETS' participants. Nonetheless, based on the findings of this study, the use of intense face-to-face training combined with "online or e-coaching" employment supports appears quite promising. Online follow-up provided a way to support and provide needed technical assistance to participants who were geographically dispersed. Additionally, it provided an effective platform for learning and practicing information technology skills needed for most jobs today. Lastly, via e-coaching and online follow-up support, ACETS was able to build a community of people who use AAC across the nation who could support and offer technical assistance to each other in their employment efforts.

Even with more intense training and supports than was provided through ACETS, a year may be too short a time to develop both the "hard" and "soft" skills needed for successful employment. Any employment training program for people who use AAC must address the significant lack of skills and life experiences combined with daunting environmental and social barriers. Given that most non-disabled adults gain years of formal and informal job experience and training during their adolescence and young adulthood, it is difficult to provide similarly adequate experiences and training within one year to individuals who have generally experienced a lifetime of low expectations, limited work experiences, small job-related social networks, and marginal marketable skills!

Based on the findings of this study and the authors' direct experiences with ACETS, several recommendations for needed changes in policy and practice have emerged. First, and foremost, the expectation for employment must begin early--both at home and in school. Despite far-reaching civil rights legislation (i.e., IDEA, Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the ADA), individuals with significant disabilities continue to face low expectations, lack of access to the digital highway along with other marketable "hard skills," and limited opportunities for career exploration and work experience while in school. In fact, when asked, "When did someone first ask you what you wanted to be when you grew up," all six ACETS participants replied that "no one ever asked me" Schools must do a much better job in providing the education, training, experiences and expectation needed for school to work success.

Similarly, results of this study have much to offer vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselors who are charged with enhancing the employment outcomes of persons with the most significant disabilities. Counselors should make note of the innovative use of information technologies, such as email, online charting of progress, and teleconferencing used during ACETS. These types of technologies appeared to be effective for maintaining the participants' motivation, keeping participants focused on their goals, providing feedback, and remaining in contact with ACETS staff despite large geographical distance. It is interesting to note that all participants completed the entire year of the program and remained diligent in their efforts to obtain employment and report on their progress throughout the program. In addition to the positive outcomes reported by this program, vocational rehabilitation professionals might consider using these technologies as an effective and cost efficient method of providing services to people who use AAC as well as other clients who might live in rural areas of the country. Furthermore, successful employment strategies used with other populations, such as job carving, job coaching and supported employment strategies have much to offer people who rely on AAC. Lastly, VR counselors would benefit from better training in AAC, related assistive technologies, and marketable information technologies if they are to focus employment efforts on skills required for jobs of the future.

Many questions emerged from this study that might guide future research efforts. What strategies are most helpful in preparing and supporting people who rely on AAC for employment? Does an immersion approach increase the attainment of skills and/or the likelihood of employment as compared to other approaches to employment training? Does use of person-centered planning for employment increase self-determination in and satisfaction with one's career choices and therefore employment outcomes? How advanced do computer technology skills need to be to ensure the marketability of a person with a significant disability? What are the technology demands of the workplace of today and perhaps those needed for the workplace of tomorrow? As suggested by Granovetter (1994), should parents, teachers and counselors be more proactive in teaching individuals who rely on AAC technologies to increase their "social capital" by increasing the size and scope of their social networks and then better utilizing these networks to obtain jobs?

How can the use of online learning and distance education be used to provide training and supports necessary for effective job attainment and retention? What factors influence the effectiveness of online strategies such as the "e-coaching" used as part of ACETS? When is e-coaching appropriate as a supplement to face-to-face supports?

Finally we must continue to examine and pursue ways that vocational rehabilitation services, employment services, schools, families, and people who use AAC can collaborate to create a seamless set of services and supports that encourage career development that lead to affordable and satisfying employment outcomes. ACETS has provided one such approach and some promising findings that can aid in constructing and implementing an effective means of improving the employment outcomes of people who use AAC.

Table 1
Characteristics of the Participants Prior to ACETS

   Age   Gender   State   AAC System   Access        Education

1. 37    M        NJ      Liberator    Direct with   High School,
                                       hands         some college
2. 36    M        PA      Liberator    Direct with   HS
                                       hands
3. 26    F        NJ      Dynavox      Direct with   HS
                                       hands
4. 24    M        NJ      Liberator    Direct with   HS
                                       hands
5. 25    M        CA      Liberator    Direct with   HS
                                       hands
6. 36    M        PA      Liberator    Direct with   Masters in
                                       headstick     Education

   Age   Moblity (1)   Employment Status (2)

1. 37    W             U
2. 36    W             E-PT
3. 26    PWC           U
4. 24    PWC           U
5. 25    PWC           U
6. 36    MWC           U

(1) Mobility = W Walks independently; PWC Powered Wheelchair; MWC
Manual Wheelchair

(2) Employment Status = U Unemployed; E-PT Employed, Part-time

Table 2
Pre-post Scores Job Hunting Skills: ACETS Employment Survey

Skill                              Mean Score   Mean Score
                                   Pre-ACETS    Post- ACETS

Translating Interests to Job          2.2          4.0
Job Searching and Job                 2.5          4.2
Development
Developing a Career Plan              1.8          3.3
Communicating Work                    2.0          3.3
Interests
Determining Supports                  2.2          3.5
Effective Resume Development          2.7          3.7
and Circulating
Developing a Business Plan            2.0          3.3
Negotiating an Employment             1.7          2.2
Package
Effective Interviewing for a Job      2.8          3.3
Total Job Hunting Skills *           19.9         30.8

* Possible range of scores from 9 and 45

Table 3
Pre-post Managing Disability and Work Scores: ACETS Employment Survey

                                           Mean Score   Mean Score
                                           Pre-ACETS    Post-ACETS

Working and SSI Eligibility                   1.8          3.3
Working and 1619 a and b                      1.0          2.8
Affording to Work and Medical Assistance      1.4          2.7
Knowing Rights and Responsibilities           4.8          4.7
Managing Personal Finances                    4.4          3.3
Managing Challenges of Working with           4.4          3.8
a Disability
Total Managing Disability & Work *           17.8         20.6

* Possible range of scores from 6 and 30

Table 4
Pre-Post Communication Skills Measured by ACETS Employment Survey

Communication Skill               Mean Score   Mean Score
                                  Pre-ACETS    Post- ACETS

Creative Writing                     1.8          2.8
Note Taking                          1.7          2.0
Communicating with One               4.3          5.0
Familiar Person
Communicating with One               3.5          4.2
Stranger
Communicating with a Group           2.8          3.2
of Strangers
Conducting Formal Presentations      3.3          4.0
Communicating With Co-Workers        4.7          4.8
Communication with Work-Related      3.2          3.2
Memos
Communicating with a Group of        4.5          4.3
Familiar People
Communicating by Phone               3.8          3.0
Total Communication Score *         33.6         36.5

* Possible range of scores from 5 and 50

Table 5
Pre- post Information Technology Skills as Measured by ACETS Employment
Survey

Information Technology Skill               Mean Score   Mean Score
                                           Pre-ACETS    Post- ACETS

A. Marketing & Promoting Yourself Online      1.3           2.8
B. Web Design                                 1.2           2.5
C. Using Spread Sheets                        2.3           3.5
D. Advanced Features of E-mail: sorting,      1.5           2.7
filing, etc.
E. Using PowerPoint                           1.5           2.6
F. Customizing Software to make it more       2.0           3.0
efficient
G. Using Integrated Packages-                 3.0           3.7
(i.e. Microsoft Office)
H. Internet Researching                       2.7           3.3
I. Solving Problems on the Computer           2.5           3.2
J. Using the Internet                         2.0           4.0
K. Power User of the Web                      2.8           3.2
L. Using Advanced Features of Software        3.0           3.0
M. Basic Computer Skills                      4.7           4.6
N. Using Word Processing                      4.0           3.8
O. Using E-mail                               4.4           4.2
P. Using Databases                            2.7           2.5
Total Information Technology Score *         41.6          51.6

* Possible range of score between 16 and 80

Table 6
ACETS Activities and Number of Participants who Reported
Working on Activity

ACETS ACTIVITY                                  # of participants

Affording to Work
Calculate SSI benefits                                  3

Job Development and Hunting
Store intro of yourself in AAC device                   4
Update resume                                           6
Find mentor                                             3
Read job ads                                            4
Observe/interview someone about desired work            2
Connect with job development/ search agencies           5
Work on business plan/ goals                            4

Computer-related
Learn new features of software                          6
Increase web and e-mail skills                          6
Create personal web-site                                6

Communication/ Networking
Join organizations related to work                      2
Attend / speak at conference                            4
Contact potential employers by writing                  4
Speak with potential employers                          3

Increase monthly income                                 4
Work part-time                                          3
Work full-time                                          0

Acknowledgements

The Institute on Disabilities is Pennsylvania's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service and is authorized under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, 2000. ACETS was developed through a partnership between the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University and the Communication Enhancement Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center and was funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The authors wish to thank all of the participants of ACETS for their commitment to the principal that "finding a job is a full time job".

Authors Note

This study was funded by the RERC on Communication Enhancement under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Grant # H 133E980026

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Diane Nelson Bryen

Temple University

Kevin J. Cohen

Temple University

Allison Carey

Temple University

Diane Nelson Bryen, Ph.D., Institute on Disabilities, Ritter Hall Annex 423, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122.