Resources

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability (NCWD) for Youth

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) is composed of partners with expertise in disability, education, employment and workforce development issues. NCWD/Youth is housed at the Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington, DC. The Collaborative is charged with assisting state and local workforce development systems to integrate youth with disabilities into their service strategies. Issues included:

• Assessment (PDF)
• Benefits Planning (PDF)
• Hidden Disabilities (PDF)
• Universal Access (PDF)
• Workplace Accommodations (PDF)
• Youth Development (PDF)

Institute for Community Inclusion

This is a publication of the Working Solutions project at the Institute for Community Inclusion, funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
Issues included:

• Starting with Me: A Guide to Person Centered Planning for Job Seekers
• Getting the Most from the Public Vocational Rehabilitation System

The Person-Centered Planning Education Site Cornell University’s Employment & Disability Institute

This website of the Employment and Disability Institute at Cornell University helps users enhance their awareness of and appreciation for person-centered planning by providing an overview of the person-centered planning process, self-study courses covering the basic processes involved, a compendium of readings and activities and various downloadable resources and links. 

The Transition Coalition

The Transition Coalition provides online information, support and professional development on topics focusing on the transition from school to adult life for youth.

Disability Tax Credits and Deductions

This U.S. Department of Labor website gives details on the tax credits for small business and tax deductions for barrier removal and certain accommodations. Also, many states have state level tax credits that may be helpful to employers.

The Myths & Realities of Hiring People with Disabilities

Many businesses ask, and are concerned about the cost of hiring someone with a disability to work in their company. There are many misconceptions on this issue and this fact sheet, compiled by Virginia Commonwealth University, provides information about the realities of hiring someone with a disability.

A Guide to Career-Focused Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities

"Paving the Way to Work: A Guide to Career-Focused Mentoring" was developed by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) specifically to address the needs of youth with disabilities during their transition from school to work.

ODEP Fact Sheets on Disclosure of Disability

The U.S. Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has developed three fact sheets on disclosure to assist service providers and youth with disabilities transitioning from high school to a post-secondary setting or the workplace. The fact sheets provide valuable information and resources to help youth make an informed personal decision about the need for disclosing disability.

1. The Why, When, What, and How of Disclosure in an Academic Setting, After High School
2. Youth, Disclosure, and the Workplace: Why, When, What, and How
3. Advising Youth with Disabilities on Disclosure: Tips for Service Providers

Red Book - A Guide to Work Incentives

The Red Book serves as a general reference source about the employment-related provisions of Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income Programs for educators, advocates, rehabilitation professionals and counselors serving people with disabilities.

NICHCY’s All About the IEP Pages

This guide provides links to information about IEPs with suggestions for developing them, the ins-and-outs of IEP meetings, and other resources on the "crown jewel" of special education.

ODEP's Disability Employment Resource for Employers (Reference Guide)

To meet the need for a comprehensive, portable and easy to understand guide for employers who want to recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has released its new Four-Step Reference Guide, covering topics such as Incentives and ROI, Recruiting, Interviewing and Hiring.

Post-School Outcome Data: Making Connections Across Indicators to Improve Post-School Outcomes

The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities, in partnership with the National Post-School Outcomes Center, has created an online guide, "Making Connections Across Indicators to Improve Post-School Outcomes: Early State Efforts." Prepared by Cathy Hammond, Ph.D., and Loujeania Williams Bost, Ph.D., the guide provides information on six states that have begun to display, analyze and apply data across Part B Indicators 1, 2, 13 and 14.

Going to Work: A Guide to Social Security Benefits And Employment for Young People with Disabilities

This booklet from the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI), provides basic information about Social Security disability and health benefit programs, discusses what happens to Social Security disability and health benefits when a young person goes to work and explains how to maximize a young person's options when he or she goes to work.