Students with disabilities have an added resource to match them up with internships and potential employers.

The government program was designed to fulfill President George W. Bush’s New Freedom Initiative pledge, said Elaine L. Chao, U.S. Secretary of Labor. The pledge is to promote employment opportunities for people with disabilities throughout the country.

“Bush’s gesture to establish a database is nothing new or groundbreaking,” said Sheila Milan, NIU’s Center for Access-Ability Resources coordinator. Databases that provide employers with contact information on students with disabilities already are established, she said.

Each year, recruiters from the federal Office of Disability Employment Policy conduct personal interviews with interested students on college and university campuses. From these interviews, a database is compiled. The database is available to employers on a free CD-ROM, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Web site.

Employers can search the database by state or job category to identify qualified applicants for their job openings.

The searches generate candidate profiles, academic and demographic data and contact information from 1,500 applicants at more than 180 colleges and universities across the United States.

“Although we want to steer away from segregation, it is crucial for employers and students alike,” Milan said. Placing student information in databases serves more than one purpose, she said.

Databases that list students with disabilities enhance disability education and help students keep a competitive edge, Milan said.

“Just because there is an American Disability Act doesn’t mean that every employer is on board,” Milan said. The reality is that employers sometimes need to make special accommodations and take additional responsibilities in employees with disabilities, she said.

“Insurance and medical benefits for employees with disabilities are something that some employers don’t want to take on,” Milan said.

NIU offers opportunities for students with disabilities for internship and job placement through the Cooperative Education Internship Program.

“We welcome and serve students alike, regardless of a disabling condition,” said Carl Gorman, coordinator in the Cooperative Education/Internship Program.

College coordinators can enlist students, or eligible students can work in conjunction with the Center for Access-Ability Resources to become enlisted. For more information, visit the Workforce Recruitment Program Web site at www.dol.gov/odep.