Students with Disabilities

Job and Career Information
Education and Financial Aid
Online Magazines

The Career Development Center understands the particular challenges facing students with disabilities. A student may have a physical, developmental, or a learning disability among many others. Students with disabilities will likely have many questions involving internships, jobs or even graduate school. Do I disclose my disability to my future employer? How do I get answers I want without revealing my disability in an interview? What is the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and how does that affect me? What are considered reasonable accommodations? What are my rights? How can I find a place that will accept me for who I am? We have collected a number of resources that may help answer critical questions in your career development process.

We have assembled a list of resources that may be helpful in providing support and opportunities for students with disabilities.  This list is not meant to be comprehensive nor is it a substitute for using the CDC services; rather it is a resource to supplement your research efforts regarding career exploration and planning.

The CDC strongly encourages you to take advantage of our workshops and counseling services, as well as our library collection. The Multicultural and FP Resources section in the library includes books, notebooks, and magazines. Some books of note include Job Search Handbook for People with Disabilities, by Dr. Daniel J. Ryan, Six Steps to Employment for People with Disabilities, by Wayne Forster, and I’d Rather be Working: A Step-by-Step Guide to Financial Self-Support for People with Chronic Illness, by Gayle Backstrom. You will also find helpful information in the magazine, "Careers and the Disabled," published by Equal Opportunity Publications, Inc.

Also, be aware that The Ableism and Disability Awareness Planning Team (A.D.A.P.T) at Mount Holyoke College seeks to raise awareness of and promote advocacy for issues concerning disability within the Mount Holyoke community and beyond. Our definition of disability includes, but is not limited to, physical, auditory, visual and learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder/ADHD, psychiatric disorders, substance abuse and chronic medical conditions. For further information about A.D.A.P.T. contact Elisabeth Hogan, the Associate Dean of Students/Disability Services at ehogan@mtholyoke.edu or ext. 2550.

Job and Career Information

ADA Information Center
A regional site with good general information, as well as a list of additional links relating to issues concerning accessibility and rights

Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD)
A consortium composed of universities, national employers and US Government agencies focused on the career employment of college graduates with disabilities. The site contains a membership directory, Annual National Meeting information, news items and corporate and university profiles of success stories

Disabled Women on the Web
Provides support, resources, and information for women with disabilities including special sections for women of color and lesbians

Disability Information For Students and Professionals
A multi-featured news, jobs, and discussion resource for students from around the world studying to support and work for individuals with disabilities

DisabilityInfo.gov
A comprehensive online resource designed to provide people with disabilities with the information and programs available across the government on numerous subjects, including civil rights, education, employment, and technology

DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology)
Careers section contains information for employers as well as students successful participation of people with disabilities in college and careers. The section also includes helpful information regarding transition from college to work.

Entry Point.org
Program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to place students with disabilities in research and development throughout the U.S. in organizations that provide assistive technology and other reasonable accommodations.

Equal Opportunity Publications Inc.
[http://www.eop.com/exporegistration.html]
Click on the Career Fairs/Events tab for a list of the dates and locations of various Diversity Recruitment Career Fairs

Hidden Disabilities at Work
Addresses the pros and cons of disclosing a hidden disability in the workforce

Job Accommodations Network (JAN) 
JAN's mission is to facilitate the employment and retention of workers with disabilities by providing employers, employment providers, people with disabilities and their family members with information on job accommodations, self-employment and small business opportunities and related subjects

Job Applicants and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Informs individuals how the Americans with Disabilities Act protects job applicants from discrimination based on disability

National Women’s Health Information Center
Offers information that is geared specifically for women with disabilities. Includes information on parenting, financial assistance, and reproductive health among many other issues that affect women

New England ADA & Accessible IT Center
Answers commonly asked questions about how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) affects employment and housing

Proyecto Vision: A Bilingual Web Site for Latinos with Disabilities
Provides resources on employment, Hispanic/Latino community, and disability issues

Students With Disabilities: Acing the Interview
Offers suggestions and tips on how or when to talk about a disability during a job interview

U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
The workforce recruitment program for college students with disabilities (WRP) is designed to connect public and private sector employers nationwide with postsecondary students and recent graduates with disabilities.  Employers seek to fill both temporary and permanent positions in a variety of fields

WebABLE
Supports education, research, and development of technologies that will ensure accessibility for people with disabilities to advanced information systems and emerging technologies

Youth With Disabilities
Includes personal experience articles, resources, policies, programs and projects that are geared towards teens and young adults with disabilities

Education and Financial Aid

The Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)
AHEAD dynamically addresses current and emerging issues with respect to disability, education, and accessibility to achieve universal access

FinAid.org:  Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities
Provides scholarships and fellowships for students with disabilities.

Higher Education and Adult Training for People with Disabilities (HEATH)
HEATH serves as an information exchange about educational support services, policies, procedures, adaptations, and opportunities at American campuses, vocational-technical schools, and other postsecondary training entities.

Online Magazines

ABILITY Magazine
An online magazine that is devoted to empowering individuals with disabilities

Ragged Edge Magazine
An online magazine that has the most up-to-date stories and information about people with disabilities

Send comments to Georgiana Chevry or Elisabeth Hogan, Associate Dean of Students/Disability Services