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Experiential Learning for Veterans in Assistive Technology and Engineering, or ELeVATE, is a program to assist wounded, injured, and ill Veterans in transitioning into university science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs, with a special emphasis on assistive technology and engineering. This paper examines whether the ELeVATE model, by addressing academic preparation, professional development, rehabilitation counselling, and community reintegration, increases the academic success (defined as enrolling and excelling in a plan of study through a post-secondary institution) of transitioning Veterans with disabilities. Post-program surveys completed by seven participants indicated that they were satisfied with the efficacy of the program. Students rated the research paper and oral presentation of research, the networking seminar, and the resume writing workshop as "very helpful." They found the group meetings with the vocational coordinator, the introduction to adaptive sports seminar, and the poster presentation to be "moderately helpful." Seventy-one percent of the students indicated that being part of ELeVATE's supportive cohort of Veterans was "very" or "extremely" valuable. They rated the effectiveness of the support they provided to their peers higher than the support they received from their peers. Over time, ELeVATE participants demonstrated increased self-efficacy (via General Self-Efficacy instrument scores) to succeed in STEM and increased engagement in campus life (via National Survey of Student Engagement scores), and ELeVATE's impact even went beyond helping Veterans achieve their academic and personal goals.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine how selected environmental factors affect transfers and to compare our results to the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). Background: Few data are available to support standards development related to transfers in the built environment. Method: Participants were 120 wheeled mobility device (WMD) users who transferred to and from a modular transfer station that consisted of a height-adjustable platform with a lateral grab bar, optional obstacle to the transfer, and an optional height-adjustable front grab bar. Maximum and minimum vertical heights of the transfer surface, maximum gap distance between the WMD and transfer surface, grab bar use, and WMD space needs were recorded. Results: The 95th percentile lowest and highest heights attained were similar to the median WMD seat-to-floor height (56 cm). We found that 42% (47/113) could not perform a transfer with the obstacle present. Participants transferred higher when the front grab bar was added to the setup ( p = .005) and higher and lower with the front grab bar than without it when the obstacle was present in the setup ( p = .003 and p = .005, respectively). We found that 95% of participants performed a transfer across an 8.9-cm gap. ADAAG recommendations fall short for the height and clear-space needs of the 50th-percentile WMD users. Conclusion: Revisions concerning transfer heights, gaps, clear spaces, and grab bar heights are necessary to make transfers more accessible to WMD users. Application: The data will be used to revise the guidelines related to transfers and to enable designers and engineers to create an environment that is more accessible.