This interactive CD-ROM is an unprecedented tool for youth with disabilities to use for career exploration!

This product is part of the Open Futures Employment Package - an interrelated set of materials that we consider to possibly be the best audio/visual tools that have ever been available for advancing the employment of people with disabilities .

In essence, it features a series of lively, passionate and engaging videotaped interviews with adult Role Models with disabilities who represent a wide range of educational backgrounds, occupations, and disability types. It is engaging, eye-opening, and inspiring.

The career/occupational areas that are explored include:

• Building, inventing and designing 

• Helping our communities 

• Doing business 

• Exploring science, technology and nature

• Communicating through art, music and language 

• Keeping people healthy and safe

In each of those career streams, six or more Role Models have been selected who have jobs that fit within that general area. In short video clips, each Role Model responds to six questions related to their job:

• What is your work?

• How did you decide on it?

• What was your path? 

• What challenges did you overcome? 

• Why is working important to you? 

• Any advice for young people? 

Audience

Primarily, this CD-ROM was developed for young people with disabilities - to give them Role Models, to expand their horizons and to help them make informed career choices.

It is also certain to be an invaluable tool for many other people involved in employment, career development and/or disability services. It is rich with real-life information, insights, inspiration and examples that are simply not readily available anywhere else. In a delightful and engaging manner it teaches invaluable lessons about the variety of disabling conditions, the practicality and value of accommodations, the talents of people with disabilities and the value that they can bring to their workplaces.

• Employers - Recruiters, Hiring Managers, Supervisors, Coworkers

• Job Developers and Employment Specialists

• Rehabilitation Counselors

• Career & Guidance Counselors

• Educators

Training Format

While this CD-ROM is primarily designed as an individualized learning tool to be used on a personal computer, it could readily be hooked into a digital projector and selected Role Model interviews could become part of a presentation to a larger audience.

Accessibility Features

All options available to a mouse-user are accessible by the keyboard. All on-screen text uses large, easily read fonts. All screen text can be read aloud by your computer's built-in text-to-speech capability. When using the keyboard, all button names are also read aloud. All videos are open captioned.

System Requirements

Macintosh: Power Mac G3, OS 8.6, 12X CD-ROM

Windows: Pentium 4, Windows 98, Sound Card, 12X CD-ROM

 

Diversity World Comment: We highly recommend this CD-ROM and the other products in the Open Futures series. The quality of the production, the enthusiasm of the folks interviewed, the insights that they offer and the variety of occupations that they represent all contribute to making this an excellent educational tool! (Note: For the most part, this CD-ROM should also be very well-received by Canadian audiences.)