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The Sea of Dreams
is a 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Organization.))))))))))))))) Improving education and inclusion of students with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are imperative to the diversification of our future STEM professionals. To attain this goal we must also understand that economically disadvantaged students with disabilities are much less likely to have access to STEM resources because of social and often geographic circumstances. Further,many of these students' families have incurred the financial burden of transportation, adaptive technologies, support personnel, personal care, and architectural adaptations. The Ocean of Potentiality Program, in cooperation with scientific, multiple nonprofit and state education organizations, provides a Hawaii-wide experiential and accessible, guidance-instruction network to facilitate individuals who are disabled to attain interest, education and careers in STEM. The strategy uses a camp initiated approach to change attitudes and educational opportunities on a student, educator/family, and state policy level. Role models and mentors, many with disabilities themselves, interact with students to advance access and inclusion of all students in the fields of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Assistive Technology is utilized in concert with the Internet to insure that students will be fully included and empowered in STEM activities. Electronic technology (including the Internet) is used to encourage networking and information dissemination among student teams, educational organizations, administrators, and members of the community. At present the Ocean of Potentiality Program (oceanofpotentiality.org) is made up of four projects: OP Science Camps, OP Cyber Clubs, the Dolphin Interaction Project, and Videography. Science camps provide students with disabilities an experience of science first hand. These camps are centered around an experiential science curricula and design as well as introducing career education and disability awareness. Cyber Clubs are used to spread ideas and maintain student contact. Students who participate in the program can interact through the cyber clubs and create their own web sites and projects. Dolphin Interaction teaches science through observations and interactions with dolphins. Participants are in the water and enjoy hands on learning with the dolphins at Sea Life Park Hawaii. The program facilitates growth in education and communication. The Ocean of Potentiality Program supports a participant led television show, Through the Viewfinder. Participants produce and film documentaries about OP projects. These shows are broadcast via the public access station, ‘Olelo. Students with disabilities are provided experience and career education in the field of television, and film. We are working to continue and expand this program that involves an amalgam of students, families, scientists, educators, and university-level science teacher trainers to enhance the opportunities for acquiring STEM education for students with disabilities throughout the United States. Future activities will include heightened efforts to identify students with disabilities who will benefit from the program, especially students from economically challenged areas; an emphasis on integration of students with disabilities in traditional settings; and involvement of role models and mentors-many with disabilities themselves- with heterogeneous student groups conducting hands-on, field-based science. OP efforts will be extended to: 1) increase the accessibility of STEM programs to our target population, and increase outreach efforts to these students; 2) identify factors leading to employment in STEM, and provide job shadowing experiences; 3) engage and support students with disabilities in gaining STEM training and employment; 4) increase dissemination activities; and 5) activities to ensure continuation of the program. The Ocean of Potentiality program provides tangible support for youth with disabilities in Hawaii as they envision and prepare for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Through this interactive program the participants have a chance to identify and overcome barriers, and to prepare for careers in science, and technology. A Review of Outcomes of Ocean of Potentiality Program Activities An Ocean of Potentiality: Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Results: Education, research and activities to increase the number of people with disabilities in STEM, resulting in the 1999 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring and the 2000 Easter Seals of Hawaii Humanitarian Award. Programs involve students, families, scientists and educators throughout Alaska, Hawaii and other areas of the Pacific. 17 publications to date. .Selected publications: Klemm et al 2000; Klemm et al. 2001; Radtke 2000; Radtke & Skouge 2001; Radtke & Skouge In press; Skouge et al. 2000; Skouge et al. 2000; Skouge et al. 2001. The Ocean of Potentiality Program has engaged in the following activities and outcomes: 1) "Youth empowerment" based upon the concepts of role modeling, mentoring, selfmodeling and advocacy. We have developed our "narrative voice" through professional writing, workshop training and public speaking. We have refined our concept of "cyber clubs" and "participant action research" to include diverse youth and family- centered telecommunication applications including video, television, teleconferencing, e- mail, multimedia and the Internet; 2) Integration of a broad range of "empowerment technologies" into the expanding OP curriculum such as sponsoring a model-demonstration of a youth science and technology club called "Through the Viewfinder" on Public Access Television, which produced monthly community TV programs, focused on science, technology, culture and the arts. For this demonstration, we produced mini-documentaries on OP program and Assistive Technology (AT) which were broadcast statewide allowing the identification of proper AT supports for independent living and academic success while building a support system to make AT available for youth participants. Producing mini-documentaries developed "portfolio" and video techniques to promote role modeling and self-modeling for OP participants; 3) Co-production of a teacher training "courseware" in AT, including a 12-part TV series entitled "Hands On Assistive Technology." We have continued partnerships post- production with the Hawaii Department of Education and the State Tech Act Project to provide teacher workshops, televised courseware, and internet supports; 4) Initiation, organization and sponsorship, with the University of Washington and Easter Seals - Hawaii, of a successful annual workshop called ‘Life After High School’ for students transitioning to college; 5) Implementation of safe and rigorous outdoor education and camping schedule for youth and families, including cross-cultural visits to American Samoa, Alaska and a "high adventure" camp on the Big Island. These camps initiated a growing web of science, service and "outdoor education" activities, including a one-of-a-kind "Dolphins Interaction" program, with activities spanning the Pacific from Alaska to Hawaii to American Samoa; 6) Initiation of projects in Telecommunications, Trans-Pacific Partnerships, and a technology vehicle. The groundwork was developed to expand the net of cyber clubs to include Neighbor Islands and American Samoa and a visionary multi-year plan for project outreach across Hawaii and the Pacific Rim, including hands-on activities, face-to-face camps, retreats and workshops, and a broad range of cyber supports; 7) Engagement in ongoing "professional" activities, including publications, teacher training in AT, public testimony at the Hawaii State Legislature, presentations at national conferences, television shows, and other dissemination activities to promote public awareness and systems change. At the same time we developed an AT assessment tool to support teachers and therapists in American Samoa and Neighbor Islands in Hawaii; and 8) Development of "mediated" models to promote role modeling using print, multimedia, video and the internet to explore biographical and autobiographical vignettes identifying and building a network of consumers with disabilities to act as mentors to OP participants. While pursuing these activities we have acquired an appropriate equipment base to support growth of the cyber clubs – including a media van and non-linear digital editing capacity. Ocean of Potentiality: http://www.oceanofpotentiality.org/
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