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A three year initiative supported by the Office for Learning Technologies, this national pilot project will enable IL Canada to build the virtual capacity of our national network and provide free online employment and pre-employment supports, services, resources and tools to persons with disabilities.

The goals of VILRC are twofold: to support our Centers and Center staff in developing the knowledge and resources necessary to support virtual capacity; and to develop and share on-line tools and resources to help persons with disabilities self-direct their employment and pre-employment journeys (i.e. portfolio development, resume writing templates and tutorials, etc.).

Goals of the project:

This project will asses the virtual capacity of the national IL network, implement a pilot addressing the learning and virtual support needs of persons with disabilities (employment etc.), test this model and develop and disseminate a Best Practice model accordingly.

Objectives of the project:

1. Hold a national consultation with persons with disabilities, leaders in the IL network, technology consultants, and service providers to map the capacity and needs of this community of learners;
2. Create a document outlining current virtual capacity and the virtual needs of persons with disabilities with a specific emphasis on the self-directed employment skills training persons with disabilities require;
3. Based on needs identified by learners with disabilities, create on-line training tools for persons with disabilities (i.e. a virtual resume writing course);
4. Support three IL Centers in building VILRCs through the pilot phase;
5. Create a Best Practice model (document and CD-Rom) outlining the successful actions necessary to implement VILRCs and build support for long term sustainability;
6. Create a space within IL Canada web site to virtually disseminate findings, resources, and tools developed.

Key activities of the project:

Gathering feedback from the community of learners and asset mapping; finding, evaluating and choosing pilot ILCenter's; developing VILRC capacity; developing on-line training tools; testing tool; marketing on-line content; third party evaluation; and creating and disseminating a best practice model.

Key outcomes of the project:

Increase the employment skills of at least 150 unemployed persons with disabilities, implement VILRCs for three strategically chosen Centers, and enhance the virtual capacity of the national IL network.

Deliverables:

Inventory of virtual capacity of IL network and needs of learners, documentation of virtual service delivery capacity, 3 VILRC sites, on-line training tools for learners, and VILRC best practice model.

Funding:

This project was made possible with funding support from the Office of Learning Technologies, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.