Increasing Access and Success in the STEM Disciplines: A Model for Supporting the Transition of High School Students with Disabilities into STEM-Related Postsecondary Education

The University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies, Maine’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), in collaboration with Maine EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research), has developed and evaluated a model for supporting the transition of Maine high school students with disabilities into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-related postsecondary educational opportunities within the University of Maine System.

The model and this publication were developed as part of the Maine EPSCoR: Increasing Access and Success in the STEM Disciplines project (2011-2014), supported by a National Science Foundation EPSCoR award #EPS-0904155 to Maine EPSCoR at the University of Maine. ​The model contains a package of evidenced-based transition supports that can be used  ​by educators or instructors with high school students with disabilities who are interested in pursuing STEM​-related ​postsecondary  ​​education and careers. The publication contains information and instructional activities related to the following: self-advocacy and self-determination; exploring STEM careers; disability disclosure; the accommodations process in college; identifying assistive technology; mentoring relationships and internships; and using student- and family-centered planning to  prepare​ for college.

Note: Links to resources have been updated in 2019.

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Cover Design

Valerie Ireland, University of Maine Division of Marketing and Communications

Copyright Information

Materials may be copied and shared for non-commercial purposes with proper attribution. Materials may not be modified or distributed (i.e., no derivative works) for commercial purposes. A suggested citation follows.

Suggested Citation

Kendrick, M., Bragdon-Morneault, M., May, J. and Kurtz, A. (2014, 2019). Increasing access and success in the STEM disciplines: A model for supporting the transition of high school students with disabilities into STEM-related postsecondary education. Orono: University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies and Maine EPSCoR. Retrieved from the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies website at https://ccids.umaine.edu/resource/increasing-access-success-stem-disciplines-model-supporting-transition-high-school-students-disabilities-stem-related-postsecondary-education/