PAVTEC Special Populations Task Force

The PAVTEC Special Populations Task Force is composed of high school and Portland Community College educators who work with special populations / needs students.  This includes representatives of the PCC Office for Students with Disabilities and high school Transition Coordinators / Specialists / Administrators within the PCC district.

Over the years, this group has developed materials and professional development activities that educators who work with special needs students can use to assist students in their career development, making transitions to postsecondary education, especially PCC, and/or to the world of work.
 

Transition Resources for Educators of Students with Disabilities document:

In the mid-1990’s, the PAVTEC Special Populations Task Force created a “Tool Box” which was a collection of file folders that contained notes and transparencies that educators could use to address a variety of audiences – including employers - about topics related to working with special needs students.  The Tool Kit was designed so that an educator could customize a presentation directed specifically to potential employers, general faculty groups, parents, etc., depending upon the audience and the topic(s) to be discussed.

This Tool Kit has gone through several revisions since its original development.  Its current version is an integrated list of website resources that members of the Task Force have identified to be useful to them.  They believe that these resources could also be useful to others – especially educators who are new to the profession.  The group has spent many combined hours in identifying the resources.  It is presented electronically so that a user can click on the URL of the resource without typing it into an internet browser.

The resources are categorized according to the following topics:

Note: Many of the resources listed in the document contain pertinent information related to more than one of the topics listed below.  Attempts were made to categorize each resource in its primary topic area.

1. General Resources: resources that contain pertinent information about several of the topics listed below, i.e., was too difficult to connect with only one topic

2. Employers, Parents and General Population: understanding, advocating and working with special needs students

3. Community agencies and services related to special populations: VR, brokerages, DDMH, Commission for the Blind, etc.

4. Labor market information: job readiness skills, wages, outlook, training opportunities, etc.

5. Finding a job: search strategies and resources, networking, resume writing, interviewing skills, etc.

6. ADA and Child Labor laws: accommodations on the job, differences between secondary and postsecondary requirements.

7. Setting up a job site for special need students.

8. Postsecondary opportunities and transition strategies and resources.

9. Transition educator resources: instructional materials.

1.      This is the first version of this document.  Any comments, suggestions or additional resources that you have found to be helpful would be appreciated.  Please e-mail them to Bill Manley, PAVTEC, at bmanley@pcc.edu or contact him at 503-614-7735.