Clinical trial NCT05132491: Benefits of Coding Training on Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities
Official title: Evaluation of a Technology Early Career Preparation Intervention (TECH-Prep) for African American Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Developmental Disability
Keywords: STEM
Career Interest
underserved populations
education
Lead sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Virginia Commonwealth University
First posted: 2021-11-24
Enrollment: 150
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 24
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The purpose of the present study is to develop and evaluate the Technology Early Career Preparation Intervention (TECH-Prep) program with African American high school students with developmental disabilities. Developmental disabilities include conditions such as Autism spectrum disorders, seizure disorders, behavior disorders, brain injury, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and fetal alcohol syndrome/effects. This program is designed to increase technology career interests, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, goal persistence, and increase entrance into post-secondary education or work subsequent to high school completion of African American youth with developmental disabilities.

Detailed description: The investigator's goal is to recruit 30 African American high school students with developmental disabilities to participate in this TECH-Prep study each year for the next five years (2019-2024). The TECH-Prep program integrates many empirically supported strategies identified in the STEM education and the secondary transition research literature. The program will incorporate overview of coding careers, reviewing video testimonials of individuals working in technology fields, and reviewing/responding to training materials intended to facilitate workplace social skills development.

The program will require participants complete three surveys to track their progress. To receive incentives for completing program components, data on program component completion will be tracked of participants in the treatment group. This involves tracking data on when a participant completes review of the final segment of each learning module.

Data collection for this study will consist of three surveys completed at baseline, immediately after completion of the program, and six weeks after completion of the program.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Individuals of diverse racial and cultural backgrounds
* Diagnosed with a developmental disability
* Over 18 but under 24
* Have the capacity to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Persons who are Caucasian
* Do not have a developmental disability
* Older than 24 years of age
* Unable to provide informed consent

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in Outcome Expectation Sub-score on the Tech-Prep Survey
timeFrame: baseline, 2 weeks (immediately after intervention), 8 weeks (6 weeks post intervention)
measure: Change in Goal Persistence Sub-score on the Tech-Prep Survey
timeFrame: baseline, 2 weeks (immediately after intervention), 8 weeks (6 weeks post intervention)
measure: Change in Career Readiness Sub-score on the Tech-Prep Survey
timeFrame: baseline, 2 weeks (immediately after intervention), 8 weeks (6 weeks post intervention)
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Madison
country: United States
facility: University of Wisconsin
state: Wisconsin
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Wisconsin, Madison
name: Timothy Tansey, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: