This study evaluates the efficacy of a technology-focused early career preparation program developed in partnership with Chicago tech companies and Chicago Public Schools.

The IPARRT team is collaborating with Virginia Commonwealth University to develop and evaluate the Technology Early Career Preparation Intervention (TECH-Prep) for African American Youth with IDD: A Random Control Trial Study. This project serves as Research Study 3 within the broader Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment of Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (VCU-RRTC-IDD). The center is funded FFY2019-2024 by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), grant #90RTEM0003. NIDILRR is an institute within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

This project will develop a manualized TECH-Prep intervention to improve technology career interest, competence, and post-school technology outcomes of racially and/or culturally diverse high school students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD).

The second phase of the study will test the efficacy of the manualized TECH-Prep intervention. Participants are racially and/or culturally diverse youth with IDD aged 16-24 years who live in Chicago and/or Cook County, Illinois. Eligible youth are recruited in partnership with the Chicago Public Schools and randomized into intervention and control groups. Intervention group participants receive access to a 10-week online Soft Skills and Behavioral Activation Training. Mentoring is provided to support participants and introduce these concepts in the context of coding and technology-focused career pathways. A paid 4-week summer internship with a Chicago-based technology firm follows completion of the online training program.

Tech-PREP Study Phases:

Phase I: RCT intervention development phase (Years 1-2)

Phase II: Efficacy study (Years 2-5)

Learn More

Project Website