Vol. 19, No. 24

March 16, 2000

Paid internships offered
for students with disabilities

Paid summer internships for high school and college students with disabilities are available through UD’s Information Access Laboratory. High school and college students with physical, sensory or learning disabilities from any part of Delaware and the surrounding tri-state area are encouraged to apply. High school students have the opportunity to obtain an internship that will provide them with real world work experiences in science, engineering and technology fields. Eight-week positions will be provided at the lab, located in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as in other locations throughout industries and businesses in Delaware. Internships cover a wide range of experiences in many disciplines. College student internships are full- and part-time paid positions that are available in the lab’s research and development work and in its educational outreach programs. Internships may include interdisciplinary work so students in all majors will be considered. Special considerations will be given to students interested in the fields of science, engineering, math, education, psychology, disability and social services. Deadline for high school students to apply is mid-April. Deadline for college students to apply is early May. All applications can be obtained at <www.ee.udel.edu/ InfoAccess>. More information is available via e-mail at <ia-info@ee.udel.edu> or by calling 831-2485. The summer internships are just one of a variety of opportunities sponsored by the Information Access Laboratory in an effort to support students with disabilities in education and help provide an increased awareness for people with disabilities. The laboratory welcomes community involvement in its efforts and invites local business and organizations to cooperate in the effort to provide internships that will help foster rewarding career paths for students with disabilities. Other ways to get involved include participating in an on-line mentoring program for high school students with disabilities interested in exploring science and technology, test driving some newly developed technologies and providing students with necessary technology. Information Access is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. It is affiliated with UD and is an extension of the former SEM (Science, Engineering and Math) Program. Its focus is to encourage students with disabilities to enter science, engineering and math related fields and to promote education and an increased awareness of issues related to disability. For more information, call 831-2485.