VOCATIONAL TRANSITION ASSESSMENT free pdf ebook was written by RunnellL on August 05, 2003 consist of 6 page(s). The pdf file is provided by transitioncoalition.org and available on pdfpedia since May 04, 2012.
vocational transition assessment
the transition from school to work and/or community..his or her potential and to view meaningful employment as..employment
(supported included) or other activities associated with adult living, assessments...
VOCATIONAL TRANSITION ASSESSMENT
The transition from school to work and/or community adult living can be difficult for all
students—and uniquely so for those with disabilities. The tasks of choosing a job and
preparing for work, deciding to go to college or trade school, deciding where to live and
with whom and other areas of decision making present youth with disabilities the
challenge of having to make complex decisions. Professionals can assist students in
making these decisions by involving students in meaningful assessments that will assist
in matching the students’ abilities and preferences to appropriate academic, vocational
and functional education programs.
One area of particular challenge to staff working with students with disabilities is
assessing vocational skills and abilities. Obtaining meaningful employment is too
important to leave to chance. It requires “thinking up front” to assist the student in being
motivated to develop his or her potential and to view meaningful employment as a
viable option for
ALL
students with disabilities.
An Operational Definition of Transition Assessment
“Transition assessment is a planned, continuous process of obtaining, organizing, and
using information to assist individuals with disabilities of all ages a nd their families in
making all critical transitions in students’ lives both successful and satisfying.”
–Assessment for Transitions Planning (Clark, 1998)
Purpose of Transition Assessment
A clear understanding of the student’s strengths and needs is critical to developing and
implementing effective transition plans.
The purpose of transition assessment is to help Individualized Education Program (IEP)
teams determine the appropriate courses of study and community/vocational
experiences that the student will need to be successful in postschool goals. Whether a
student is interested to pursue postsecondary education, trade school, employment
(supported included) or other activities associated with adult living, assessments will
provide valuable information about the student’s abilities and deficits.
Transition assessment can assist teams to:
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Determine strengths, abilities, and deficits
Identify interests and preferences
Determine appropriate instructional settings
Determine level of self-determination skills
Determine necessary accommodations, supports, and services
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Vocational Assessment
“Vocational assessment is a systematic, ongoing process designed to help students and
their parents, [and other adults involved in the transition process] understand a young
person’s vocational preferences and potential” (NICHY, 1990)—the primary purpose of
which is to gather “employability” information about the student.
The assessment process can include:
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Observations
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Anecdotal information
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On-the-job tryouts
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Classroom performance examples,
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Tests
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Work samples
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Apprenticeships
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Paid work experiences
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Work student program
These assessments provide valuable information about the student’s interests,
aptitudes, needs for accommodations/modifications, attitude toward work, work habits
and behaviors, tolerance for work, and self-concept. And the assessment process
provides a circle of feedback where the student learns about him/herself and the
parents and professionals learn about the student.
The vocational assessment process can take place at different points in a student’s life.
However, IDEA ’97 requires the IEP team to consider the vocational needs of all
students and to address these needs in IEP development and implementation.
Uses of Vocational Assessment Data
Category
Determination of
Career
Development
Measurement
Description
To find out where the student stands in terms of: career awareness,
orientation, exploration, preparation, placement, or
growth/maintenance. Appropriate for middle school/early junior
high and beyond (Neubeert, 1985).
To identify abilities, interests, capabilities, strengths, needs,
potentials, and behaviors within the areas of personal/social
functional/academic, community/independent, employment and
employability areas. Initial testing appropriate for middle school;
more involved analyses appropriate for high school and beyond
(Neubeert, 1985).
To match an individual’s interests and abilities with appropriate
vocational training, community employment, or postsecondary
traini ng. Appropriate for high school (Neubeert, 1985).
To identify strengths and needs, and to recommend types of
adaptive techniques and/or remedial strategies that will lead to
improved career development and vocational preparation.
Appropriate for high school and young adults and beyond
(Neubeert, 1985).
Prediction
Prescription
Exploration
Intervention
Advocacy
To “try out” different work-related tasks or vocational activities and
to determine how interests match abilities for vocational education
programs, community jobs, postsecondary, or other adult activities.
Appropriate for high school and young adults (Neubeert, 1985).
To implement the techniques or remedial strategies that will help a
student explore vocational or work options. Appropriate for high
school and beyond (Leconte, 1986).
To develop a vocational profile to help students, their families, and
others identify concrete ways to assist students in achieving their
goals. Appropriate for high school and beyond (Leconte, 1986).
-NICHCY, Interstate Research Associates, Washington DC
Assessment Instruments for Transition Planning
The following list of resources is intended to provide a “starting point” for IEP teams to
use when determining what type of vocational assessment tool to choose. (No
endorsement of any instrument is intended or implied.)
Arc’s Self-Determination
Scale
The Arc of the United States
500 E Border St, Suite 300
Arlington TX 76010
BRIGANCE
Life Skills Inventory
Curriculum Associates, Inc.
PO Box 2001
North Billerica MA 01862
Enderle-Severson
Transition Scales
Practical Press
PO Box 455
Moorhead MN 56561
Checklist of Adaptive
Living Skills (CALS)
Riverside Publishing Co.
8420 Bryn Mawr Blvd
Chicago IL 60631
Functional Skills
Assessment and
Programming Catalog
Milligan Catalogs
11212 S Hawk Hwy
Sandy UT 84094
Inventory for Client and
Agency Planning (ICAP)
Riverside Publishing Co.
8420 Bryn Mawr Blvd.
Chicago IL 60631
Life-Centered Career
Education (LCCE)
Knowledge and
Performance Batteries
Council for Exceptional
Children
1110 N Glebe Rd
Arlington VA 22201-5704
Self-Determination
Knowledge Scale
Wayne State University
Office of the Dean
441 Education Bldg.
Detroit MI 48202
Independent Living
Behavior Checklist
West Virginia Research and
Training Ctr
One Dunbar Plaza, Suite E
Dunbar WV 25064
Tests for Everyday Living
CTB/McGraw-Hill
20 Ryan Ranch Rd
Monterey CA 93940
Transition Behavior Scale
Hawthorne Educational
Services, Inc.
PO Box 7570
Columbia MO 65205
Transition Planning
Inventory
PRO-ED, Inc.
8700 Shoal Creek Blvd
Austin TX 78757
Transition Skills Inventory
PRO-ED, Inc.
8700 Shoal Creek Blvd
Austin TX 78757
Work Adjustment Rating
Form
Educational Testing Service
Princeton NJ 08541
Work Adjustment Scale
Hawthorne Educational
Services, Inc.
PO Box 7570
Columbia MO 65205
Taken in part from Assessment
for Transitions Planning, Clark,
1998, PRO-ED.
Professionals in the Vocational Assessment Process
It is important for professionals to collaborate in the assessment process. There are
many professionals, with various areas of expertise, who can contribute at some level.
These professionals may include:
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Parents
Special education teacher
Guidance counselors
Vocational educators
Vocational evaluators (also referred to as Vocational Assessment Specialists)
Rehabilitation professionals
School psychologists
Social workers
Employers
Each of these professionals will play a different role in the assessment process. For
example:
Special education teacher
- She/he will work closely with the student and family in
identifying an individual’s needs and areas of interest and in collaboration with the
family and other IEP team members, and will work to develop IEP goals for the student.
The special education teacher will likely be responsible for planning what vocational
assessments are needed, and will collect information formally and anecdotally about the
student’s academic strengths, employability skills, interpersonal skills and other skills
related to career awareness and aptitude.
Guidance Counselor
– In some schools this is the person responsible for working with
students to plan their future, including students with disabilities. A counselor may assist
students by giving the assessment, or by helping students explore college/trade school
or employment options through programs available on computer, e.g., Career
Information Systems (CIS). The counselor may also be the case manager responsible
for collecting and coordinating assessment information from teacher, parents and
others.
Vocational educators
– Vocational educators are those teachers who teach such
classes as auto repair or data entry. They can assist by working with vocational
evaluators, special education teachers and counselors to assess students in the
vocational classroom or work site. They may also monitor student progress in
vocational programs through curriculum-based vocational assessments.
Vocational Evaluators/Vocational Assessment Specialists
– These are the
professionals most likely to do vocational assessments of a student. They may also
serve as consultants to others, or they may coordinate the assessment activities of
others. These are professionals who frequently work within secondary or vocational
school settings, within community-based programs, in industry, adult rehabilitative
services, adult job training services, and community colleges or other postsecondary
educational settings.
Parents
– Parents play a vital role in assisting their students to achieve their desired
postschool outcomes that include finding and maintaining employment. Parents are the
foremost advocate and advisor for their student and they can provide valuable support
and resources during the assessment process. Parents know their child! One simple
example of how a parent can support the process is by providing transportation to a
work site when other means of transportation are unavailable or limited.
Transition Assessment Sources
The Individuals with Disability Education Act of 1997 (IDEA ’97) permits all available
evaluation data to be considered when determining assessment needs for eligibility
and/or IEP development. Frequently standardized assessments are viewed as
providing the more “valued” data for defining a student’s strengths and deficits.
However, other sources of assessment have relevance to the process and should be
considered by the team in proportion to standardized assessments.
Some sources of non-standardized assessments include:
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Informal interviews with student and parents
Vocational assessments
Interest inventories
Teacher observations
Information from guidance counselors
Formal assessments
Previous IEP’s and diagnostic summaries
Permanent record
Results of Student-Centered Assessments
Student-centered assessment assists teams to develop and implement quality transition
programs and experiences. The results of student-centered assessment are:
Individualized ongoing process for success
Defines goals
Drives curriculum and instruction
Areas of assessments may include:
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Work/job skills
Basic skills
Communication skills
Ability to follow directions
Personal hygiene and grooming
Ability to work with others
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Work habits
Preferred learning style
All of this information can then inform and be articulated in the Present Level of
Educational Performance (PLEP) that is a required content area of the Individualized
Education Program (IEP).
Present Levels of Educational Performance (PLEP)
Oregon Administrative Rule 581-015-0068 states:
(1) The individualized education program shall include:
(a) A statement of the child’s present levels of educational performance,
including how the child’s disability affects the child’s involvement and
progress in the general curriculum.
A good portion of the information contained in the PLEP is derived from the
assessments given. The PLEP must include how the student is currently functioning
and is based on information derived from assessments such as classroom tests and
assignments, standardized tests, observations, feedback from parents, students,
teachers, related service providers, outside agency participants and other involved
parties. This statement must also include how the child’s disability affects his or her
ability to participate and progress in the general curriculum and how the disability affects
the student’s ability to learn.
A clear understanding of the student’s present level of performance is critical to
developing an effective special education program that includes the appropriate
accommodations and modifications necessary for the student to learn. The PLEP
should be consistent with the information derived from assessments conducted and/or
observations made of the student.
Conclusion
Early vocational skill building and ongoing vocational assessment can and will support
students to make a successful transition from school to the world of work. Vocational
assessment can assist parents, professionals and the student to think strategically and
plan thoughtfully and carefully about the future.
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