STEM Workforce Stories for Adolescents Who Are Deaf or Hard…

WHY STEM CAREER STORIES ARE NEEDED There is undeniable need for a diverse talent pool of STEM-lit- erate Americans prepared for the jobs of the future. STEM ca- reers make up a large majority of the fastest-growing careers in the USA (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023). This increase is being driven by the growing worldwide demand for workers in lines of work that historically did not require STEM knowledge. This sit- uation is expected to become more urgent. By 2026, STEM jobs are predicted to grow by 13% compared with 7% growth in the overall U.S. workforce (National Science Board, National Science Foundation, 2021). While progress has been made in broadening participation of underrepresented groups in STEM, data show that persons with disabilities continue to remain underrepresented in STEM education and employment compared to their representation in the U.S. population (NCSES 2023). Regarding participation of persons who are Deaf or hard of hearing in the STEM workforce, they make up only about 2.8% of all STEM workers (NCSES 2021). Key factors that are believed to contribute to this are that per- sons who are Deaf or hard of hearing very often have little or lim- ited awareness of the range of STEM career opportunities avail- able or of examples of persons who are Deaf or hard of hearing and have pursued and succeeded in STEM careers (Gallaudet 2012). Studies reveal that seeing other people with disabilities having success in STEM boosts self-confidence (Jenson et al., 2011) and that having exposure to examples of STEM profes- sionals who are Deaf or hard of hearing is an important factor in inspiring students’ interest in a STEM career, the belief that they could be successful were they to pursue STEM, and willingness to self-advocate and persevere toward this goal (Vesel, Nave, & Robillard 2023). Of the STEM career resources that are available for the pur- pose of informing and inspiring Deaf and hard of hearing stu- dents to pursue a STEM career, only a small number exist. They include a set of text profiles with limited information of men and women who are Deaf or hard of hearing and who have made significant contributions to STEM and a few online resources of- fered from the DeafTEC and CSD Learns Web sites. None of these are designed for classroom use. Teachers of students who are Deaf or hard of hearing also report that attention to STEM ca- reers is not included in their science curriculum and that beyond a few sidebars in their science textbooks, they lack the resources they need to effectively provide their students with information about STEM careers (Vesel, Robillard, & Nave 2021). Given this absence of resources, there was a significant need for research and development of a beginning set of STEM career stories told by STEM professionals who are themselves Deaf or hard-of-hear- ing. HOW THE STORIES WERE CREATED A new and unique multi-step process for recording the vid- eos was developed and implemented. It allowed for the STEM

professional, Bridge Multimedia (our organizational partner and content service provider), and the TERC team to be in graphically separate locations. • Step 1 - Professionals were given a list of questions to help them shape what they would like to share. • Step 2 - Pre-recording— The production team from Bridge Multimedia conducted a technical rehearsal to verify that the interviewee’s computer (in Location A), Internet connection, the video recording environment, and lighting were record- ing-ready. Two sign language interpreters, the interviewer (in Location B) and the interviewee’s back-translator (in Location C) were part of the process. • Step 3 - Interview Recording—A Moderator/Interviewer who was ASL proficient was in Location A, the Interviewee was in Location B, the Interviewee’s ASL back-translator/interpreter were in Location C, a Virtual videographer was in Location D, and individuals from Bridge Multimedia, located in New York City, were available for technical support. The interview pro- cess involved making video and audio recordings with the in- terviewee and interviewer (along with ASL interpreters) in ASL and spoken English on multiple computers over Zoom. • Step 4 - Merging, Transcription and Creation of a Rough-Cut Version— The Bridge team merged the video and spoken re- cordings into a single Preliminary Version that included the video and a paper transcript of the English text. • Step 5 - Review, Editing, and Creation of the Final Version— The interviewee and TERC team reviewed the Rough-Cut Ver- sion. A Final Version was created and reviewed for content, accuracy, and length. • Step 6 - Division into Chapters and Integration of Introduc- tory & Summary Information—The text was organized into chapters such as Beginnings, Reflections of the Professional, Challenges Encountered, and Advice for the Next Generation. An introductory piece about the STEM professional by a com- mentator who is ASL proficient and short summaries of what the professional shared were added. • Step 7 - Image Integration—The professionals provided im- ages of them at work, the types of data they use or collect, equipment they use, interactions with colleagues, places they have studied, and of their family, pets, interests, and travels. • Step 8 - Integration of Closed Captions—Closed captions to enable reading while viewing material presented in ASL, spo- ken English, or both were incorporated. • Step 9 - Final Mastering—Video and audio components were balanced to optimize playback across systems and media for- mats. HOW THE STORIES ENABLE PERSONALIZED USE Universal Design for Learning (UDL) features are incorporat- ed into the stories (CAST 2018). Integration of this feature allows viewers to individualize their story experience. They can view a story in sign with captions, listen to it in English with or without

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