Host Organizations' Perceptions to Providing Safe and Inclusive Work-Integrated Learning Programs for Students with Disability

New Zealand Association for Cooperative Education. University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand. Tel: +64-7-838-4892; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://www.ijwil.org/

Y

13

Students with Disabilities; Work Experience Programs; Inclusion; Partnerships in Education; Organizations (Groups); Universities; College Students; Foreign Countries; Internship Programs; Job Placement; Supervisors; Health Occupations; Allied Health Occupations Education; Academic Accommodations (Disabilities); Administrator Attitudes; Accessibility (for Disabled); Supervisor Supervisee Relationship; Attitudes toward Disabilities

2538-1032

Inclusive work-integrated learning (WIL) requires collaboration between universities, host organizations and students, particularly, when designing and delivering WIL for students with disabilities. Host organizations, however, are not often included in the collaborations. This study explored host organization knowledge, capacity and challenges to providing WIL experiences for students with disability. A case study multi-method approach comprising an online survey and focus groups was undertaken. Host organizations, represented by supervisors, providing WIL to students enrolled in health courses at two Australian higher education institutions participated. The perceived need for student disclosure, office building limitations, and host organization limited knowledge of WIL expectations, training and student needs impeded the development and provision of optimal WIL experiences for students with disability. A strengths-based approach is proposed to improve the inclusion of host organizations in stakeholder collaborations, their capacity and confidence to support students with disability on WIL and to provide relatable student WIL experiences.

As Provided

2024

EJ1432707