Technology's Impact on Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities

This book examines the importance of social media and other information technologies in connecting people to job opportunities. Not surprisingly, digital barriers to our networked economy can reinforce rather than break down disproportionately low employment among people with disabilities. Delivering on the commitment to improve the performance of America's students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through the 'Educate to Innovate' program, requires that all Americans, including people with disabilities, have the necessary digital tools to pursue careers in STEM. The ongoing transition to an economy based largely on the manipulation of information has sweeping implications for job creation for people with disabilities. New technologies create opportunities for people with disabilities to work alongside our non-disabled colleagues. However, the employment rate of people with disabilities still remains disproportionately low and we have yet to see evidence of real progress in increasing employment of people with disabilities.