program can benefit both employees and employers."

For the students themselves the rewards of finding a work position through the college are a long needed service, but the program requirements put special emphasis on the students' own abilities.

A high achievement level is expected from every one registered in Co-operative Education, and if a person's grade point average drops below an excellent standard, they will be asked to leave the program.

"There's no point in going halfway," says Gilgan. "This program is de- signed to put the best students we have out into the workforce and we’! going to ensure that that is what happens." Upon graduation, the students receive a Douglas College diploma or certi- ficate, with a special designation pointing out their studies in Co-operative Education. By the time the program reaches its second year, Gilgan is hopeful over 200 students will find jobs through their studies at Douglas college. | |

"This is an entirely new direction for Douglas College, and a very much

needed one," he says. x

' technology is opening new doors for ' special needs people.

Computers and Disabled People

Don Allen speaks with obvious relish when the subject of computers canes | up. Over the past year he has done special research with the Ministry of Education compiling a textbook on micro-computers and their use by people with special needs.

} | \

"For someone with a physical or mental disability, a computer can really change their life around," Allen says.

Starting in February, Allen will

‘to help special needs people use

‘have students leave with the know- ledge to start bringing disabled

' can use a computer.

'can speed communications for a persm

| and other input devices controlled

Mad Hatter Page 2

begin teaching a course for parents, ,; friends and educators of the disabled

computers.

The Use of Micro-C omputers With Mentally and Physically Disabled People, a four part course sponsored | by Douglas College, will introduce students to the growing world of computer-assisted instruction.

"This is a hands-on course, not just theory," Allen says. "We give every7 one a chance to learn how to use new) devices, software and hardware."

The end goal of this program is to

people and computers together.

And the possiblities are enormous, Allen says. A new computer language, BLISS, invented in Canada, is one way a person with slow motor movement

Using a series of symbols, picto- graphs and ideographs, the language

who would normally find their inter- action with other people heavily impaired.

There are also computers that can speak for non-verbal people, Allen says. Speech synthesis is a fairly new concept and is another way

The workshop will also introduce students to the use of mouse contro} lers (a device that can be used by someone unable to use a keyboard),

by the head or otherwise.

The first session of The Use of Micro-computers With Mentally and Physically Disabled People will be held at Douglas College and the final three sessions are at Select Micro World in Vancouver.

Instruction in the types of computer