from the AP wire...

As I am want to do, I was searching the Net for news
specific to autism, and guess what popped up on the AP
wire? Here for your edification, is the text of the
article. Please pass this along to any you feel would
also have an interest in this topic.

A Disabled Teenager Is Getting Work Experience from the
School-to-Work Program

By Jeri S. Bowles for the Associated Press

Beckley, W.Va. – Don’t pass judgement too quickly –
you might miss out on a good thing.

This is what some area businesses are finding as they
integrate their work force with students with special needs.
Barbara Spangler, a senior at Woodrow Wilson High
School, is deaf and autistic, but that doesn’t keep
her from making a contribution to society.

“I was very surprised,” said Lynn Plumley, manager of
Dunkin’ Donuts. “When you meet her, you would think
that she would be very limited. But she’s really not.”
In conjunction with the School-to-work program,
Spangler goes to work at Dunkin’ Donuts on Wednesday
mornings and to the Sleep Inn on Thursdays.
Able to work extremely well with repetitive, routine
tasks, she excels at powdering donut holes and
preparing them for the display case.

“She does very well when she is there,” said her
teacher, Kim White. “And they have been very good to her.” Donning her company visor and apron, Spangler – who loves wearing white – sorts, fills and powders with a smile. “This gives her something to look forward to and lets
her fell a part of things,” White said. “She really looks forward to going.”

With graduation around the corner, it is the desire of
those who work closely with Spangler that she will be
able to secure employment after graduation.
“We hope that after graduation she will be able to do
something and have something to look forward to in her
days. That’s our goal,” White said.

A job coach taught her how to do the job. But she
does all the work independently. The job coach stays
on with her mostly as an interpreter.
According to Mark Kodack, transition facilitator for
Raleigh County Schools, there are two types of employment for the disabled. Supportive employment provides aid for someone with a disability and is often specific to the type of
disability. Competitive employment works for those
who, although disabled, can independently perform on their own.

“By starting this in the schools, by the time they
graduate, the career exploration has been done. Then
we can make suggestions to the Dept. of Rehabilitative
Services as to where they can be employed,” Kodack said.
According to Kodack, not only are there incentives and
tax breaks for hiring someone with a disability, it
can be very rewarding as well. “This is a great
lesson in tolerance. It is a lesson in celebrating
the individual’s abilities. If you have never been
around someone with a significant disability, you
might think they can’t do anything. Until you’ve been
around someone and see the difference.”

Finding businesses willing to give those with
disabilities a chance is essential to the success of
the program and its students.