How can High School Students with Disabilities be Enticed

to Pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

(STEM) Careers in a Virtual Environment?
Dr. Kathy B. Ewoldt
Thursday, June 23, 2022
2:30pm – 3:20pm MDT
 What is Explore STEM @ UTSA?
UTSA Texas Workforce Commission
Student success & research Vocational Rehabilitation
excellence Pre-employment transition skills
One of 19 Hispanic Serving
Institutions & R1 Preparation and training
Carnegie Community-Engaged Develop work, social, and
Institution independent living skills
Post-high school success
https://www.utsa.edu/strategicplan/de https://www.twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/
stinations/#_ga=2.186867112.125393 vocational-rehabilitation-youth-student
1469.1655996986-1607890786.16488 s
32268

UTSA Mission: The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of
knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community
engagement and public service. 
 What is Explore STEM @ UTSA?
UTSA College of Education & Human
Development
Agents of Change:
• Culturally Efficacious
• Knowledgeable
• Community-based
• Professional
 What is Explore STEM @ UTSA?
One week summer camps across state of Texas
Community partnership:
Funding: Texas Workforce Commission
Curriculum & Meeting Space: Local IHEs
High School students with disabilities
VR Counselor
 Iterations
Year 1 Year 2
Summer 2020 Summer 2020 Summer 2021
Face-to-Face Virtual Virtual
MS TEAMS Zoom
Weekly Structure

Year 1 Year 2
Summer 2020 Summer 2020 Summer 2021
One week Two weeks One week
9a – 3p 9a - 12pm 9a – 3p
M, W, F New am New
content content
T, Th Tutoring pm Tutoring
Daily Structure Year 1

M, W, F T, TH
Welcome/set up Open tutoring
Block 1 Student self-selected
Break
Block 2
Guest Speaker
Daily Structure Year 2

Mornings Afternoons
Welcome/set up Lunch Break
Block 1 Block 3
Break Break
Block 2 Block 4
Guest Speaker Open tutoring
Platform
Google Collab
Web-based
Real-time file sharing
Jupytor
Coding Curriculum

Python “Hello World”

Word Cloud
Python: Basic programming tasks
Autonomous Driving: Lane detection
Autonomous Driving: Vehicle Detection

Add Text
Lane
Detection
Video Example:
https://colab.research.google.com/
drive/
1aQF1WNnO5kcku1DljQ24EHbr3bUDJ0I6
?authuser=1#scrollTo=sgtGqPK8SCwQ
(Scroll to bottom)
Vehicle Detection
 Video example
• https://colab.research.google.com/drive/12-
JkIOh8SlpjXjqpPr6hSp_DCUC2ixjs#scrollTo=CYUYDX
asniZy
• (Scroll to bottom of code)
Supports
Evidence-based practices (Cook & Cook, 2011)
UDL – assume diversity is the norm
CAST
University of Washington
Supports
1 counselor/professor to 2 - 3 participating students
Counselor pre-camp training
Disabilities
Accommodations
Real-time file sharing
Afforded immediate error correction
Dr. Wang website access
 Participants
• 5 – 9 High-school students
• Disability
• Austism, blindness/lowvision, learning disabilities
• 14 y,o. +
• Read 6th grade with support
• Copy & Paste skills
• Computer or Laptop (no mobile devices)
 Participants
• 1 – 3 University-student “Camp Counselors”
• Computer science majors
• Undergrad/grad students
• Pre-camp training “Working with students with
disabilities”
• Stipend
 Participants
• CS Professor(s)
• Special Education professor
 Participants
• Daily Guest Speakers
• STEM Careers
• Path/journey
• Education requirements
• Interactive Q & A
 Participants (Y2)
• Panel
• Recent university graduates
• Early in STEM Career
• Navigated higher education / employment transition
with a disability.
Student Response
KENS5: UTSA camp expands STEM opportunities for teens with
disabilities
https://www.kens5.com/article/news/education/coding-classes-utsa/
273-ff650357-fc44-4724-b01a-69a36db4a5ae
Counselor Response
"It was really nice to help students learn about coding. I think it is
important to introduce younger folks to this wonderful field early on,
because they have so much potential. I hope that the students who
attended this camp seriously consider entering the field, and that
they do amazing things in it. I learned that it is important to take my
time when explaining things and make sure everyone understands.
Lessons Learned
Changes mentioned above in italics
Parent/guardian available for remote support to resolve tech
difficulties
Require pre-camp operations check
Access, screen sharing, OS familiarity
Gmail account set up
Small coding steps, frequent outputs, less punctuations/special symbols, and
less upper-case characters should be used for coding activities
Statements available for students to copy & paste
Lessons Learned
More technical pre/post assessment
Student performance exceeded expectations
Able to find and correct own code errors by day 3
Cloud computing (real-time file sharing) helpful
Breakout rooms for 1 on 1
Full day is too long for coding
Guest speakers with disabilities provide unique perspective
Obstacles

Remote troubleshoot technology issues

Screen reader functionality
Statements: Limit 2-4
Internet speed/dependability
Recruitment
Contact Info
Kathy.Ewoldt@utsa.edu
Wei.Wang@utsa.edu