College students interested in working directly with persons with disabilities may choose to train as direct support professionals. A direct support professional assists persons with disabilities in daily life. The duties include cooking, eating, personal hygiene, dressing and leaving the house on outings. Direct support professionals work with people of all ages. The College of Direct Support has information online.
Several universities across the country offer undergraduate courses in disability studies.Colleges such as Ohio State, Miami University, and Washington State offer minor programs; other schools such as the University of Washington offer possibilities for major programs. Courses related to disability studies are often found in the arts and humanities departments, and a full list can be found on the Syracuse University website.
Several universities offer a graduate-level program in disability studies, leading to an advanced degree. Master's options include critical disability studies and deaf studies. The University of Illinois at Chicago, Syracuse University, University of Manitoba and York University offer doctorates related to disability studies in addition to undergraduate and master's degree programs. Chapman University offers a doctorate in education, with a concentration in disability studies.
For people who wish to work with children with special needs, becoming a special education teacher is a possibility. Courses at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels exist in several post-secondary institutions across the country. Special education teachers require the same basic training as mainstream teachers and, in some states, additional training such as a year of master's level education.