5/3/06 Contact:
Mitch Emmons, 334/844-5964 (emmonmb@auburn.edu)
David Granger, 334/844-9999 (grangdm@auburn.edu)
AU'S P.O.D.S. SOFTWARE HELPS EDUCATORS IMPROVE TRANSITION OF STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES
AUBURN - Post-School Outcomes Data System, a Web-based data collection
system developed by the Auburn Transition Leadership Institute in Auburn
University's College of Education, offers state education agencies a tool
to track the transition of students with disabilities, collect information
to improve transition programs, and meet new federal reporting mandates.
The transition from high school to post-secondary education or the work
force presents unique challenges to students with disabilities. Educators
across the nation are seeking ways to reduce both the near 30 percent
dropout rate, and the 70 percent unemployment rate of these students.
Karen Rabren, ATLI co-director and associate professor in AU's Department
of Rehabilition and Special Education, began work in 2003 with her ATLI
colleagues, George Hall and Phil Browning, on the Web-based P.O.D.S.
The software was copyrighted in March, and several state departments of
education are expressing interest in purchasing P.O.D.S. to collect data
on their own students with disabilities.
"I congratulate those involved for their innovative work that will
have a significant impact," said AU College of Education Dean Fran
Kochan. "The development of P.O.D.S. exemplifies the goals of our
education research to serve the diverse needs of learners of all ages
and at all levels of ability."
"Beginning this year, the federal government is requiring all state
departments of education to begin collecting post-high school data on
students with disabilities," said Rabren. "Alabama is a leader
in this effort."
Rabren said that Alabama, through a contract with AU's College of Education
and the ATLI, has collected post-high school outcome data on its students
with disabilities for the past ten years.
Alabama is one of the first states to collect this data, and now serves
as one of ten states on the Technical Work Group for the National Post-School
Outcomes Center, which develops data collection protocol for use nationwide.
"The early years of data collection were completely manual,"
Rabren said. "We collected the data by phone with handwritten responses."
"P.O.D.S. provides a secure and paperless method for collecting the
data," said Hall. "It is accurate, cost-effective, user-friendly,
secure and has been thoroughly field-tested."
P.O.D.S. provides other benefits over manual collection, as well. The
process can be monitored by district and state education administrators,
the system is Web-based and password-protected, district data is easily
compared to statewide data, and the system includes written instructions
and graphic displays.
For more information about P.O.D.S., call the ATLI at 334/844-5943, email
Rabren at rabreks@auburn.edu,
or email Hall at hallgeo@auburn.edu.
Auburn University is a preeminent land-grant and comprehensive research
institution with more than 23,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff.
Ranked among the top 50 public universities nationally, Auburn is Alabama's
largest educational institution, offering more than 230 undergraduate,
graduate and doctoral degree programs.
(Contributed by Mitch Emmons.)
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