Project STEPS offers a comprehensive approach for university students who have accommodation needs to become professionally employed. It bridges the gap between school and work, providing students with skills, knowledge, and techniques to make this transition successfully. Program activities focus on a variety approaches, as outlined below.

The project will guide students through a set of activities, work experience, research and coursework designed to improve their leadership skills, enhance their resumes, and empower them through acquisition of both knowledge and experiences (objectives 1 through 4).

Each student will have an individualized contract and accommodation plan, with the goal of meeting the student's unique needs in the following areas:

• identification of the most appropriate accommodations in the college environment;
• determination of how these accommodations might apply to potential or chosen work settings;
• adaptation of accommodation strategies based on analysis of job requirements and physical setting;
• knowledge of the ADA and other legal requirements regarding accommodations, hiring practices, interviewing, etc., and
• improvement of skills in the areas of leadership, resume, interview, study, organizational, work, research/information-gathering, and communication.

Students will take a new course titled "Equal Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities," which will be offered both in regular lecture format and in a computer software version. They will also receive individual counseling from grant and Counseling & CAreer Planning staff, and attend workshops designed to achieve these goals.

The project will facilitate smooth transition from high school to college, and also support for students during college through providing information to prospective students, current students and family members about program services, advocacy, self-advocacy, and strategies for success (Objectives 6 and 7). Emphasis will be placed on improving enrollment and services for members of other minorities (or other high-risk groups) who have disabilities through coordination of activities with Talent Search and Upward Bound programs (objectives 1 amd 7).. Further emphasis will be the incorporation of techniques and accommodations for diverse learning needs into the regular classroom environment (objectives 4 and 5).

The project will achieve systems change through:

• training faculty/staff to improve services and learning experiences for students with accommodation needs;
• teaching a new course titled "Disability in Peoples' Lives" and computerizings ("Equal Employment"..."--see #1, above);
• training service providers in secondary programs;
• training employers; and
• disseminating grant materials, services and strategies (objectives 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9).

This comprehensive approach to career planning and placement for students with disabilities will have a significant impact on the successful employment of UALR graduates, and will help pave the way for the increasingly diversified work force of the future. Project STEPS will also have a significant impact nationally as an exemplary model program that is replicable at other colleges and universities.