Providing Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students with Developmental Disabilities
Explore how to offer vocational services for students with developmental disabilities in a school setting. Learn about building exploration and exposure activities, determining appropriate work-based tasks, and using tiered approaches for skill development. Consider age-appropriateness when planning vocational services and conducting initial assessments to guide job assignments and placements. Discover various levels of work-based learning, from in-class skill training to community work and internships.
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Vocation The basics of providing work-based learning opportunities for students with developmental disabilities within the school setting. Shawn Scibetta MS. Ed., BCBA Dineen Harvey MS. Ed.
How can you build exploration & exposure activities within the school setting for upper elementary and middle school students? How to determine what work-based activities and placements are appropriate for students. Objectives Describe different levels of work-based learning based on students skill level and age.
You always have to consider age-appropriateness when planning vocational services, but many independent living skills that you want to start at an early age end up being jobs later in life. When do we start thinking about work? Some of our students start in our Home & Careers room at age 8 (not in the kitchen) practicing domestic-type skills. This gives students a chance to explore skills and interests in various life skills and vocational areas.
Before we assign any job tasks to a student, we conduct some initial assessment(s) alongside some job exploration/observation. Exploration and Assessment: Process Ultimate goal is to have students be able to have short shadowing experiences to gain interests. Each student gets an initial assessment to gain a placement in a vocational tier . Meetings are set-up to discuss student progress and potential movement between tiers. Student goals and skill assessments on-the-job are individual and customized per student.
Exploration and Assessment: Tiers 1. In-Class Pre-Vocation and Adaptive Skill Training Time-on-task, social and behavioral skill training, following activity schedules, etc. Teachers collaborate with Transition Department to target skills. Services Provided by Transition Department: Transition Coordinators and Specialists 2. Within-school jobs 3. Within-School Vocational Preparation 4. Community Work 5. Internships
Snack Store/Inventory Collecting shredding/recycling Within-School Work- Start at Age 13 Creating classroom materials Bottle sorting New Hire Orientation Materials (assembling binders) Activities can vary and are always changing, but some examples include: Making Bulletin Board Materials Office Supply orders and deliveries Mail Delivery Lunch Delivery Shredding
Within-School Vocational Preparation- Next Level Work set-up Right now, we work on packaging and selling silverware to local businesses. Material Prep Authentic work- environment (in a vocational classroom). Assembly line work Some students have solicited product in the community. Focus on Independence!!
Community Work and Placements When students show a high level of independence in-school with vocational tasks and also display a high level of motivation for work, they may be considered for a community work placement and/or internship. Our students have worked in a wide-variety of settings over the years including: Grocery Stores Craft Stores Local Pizza Places Local Banquet Hall Library Local Pre-Vocational Placement Chain Restaurants
Questions?? Questions?? Thank you for attending! Shawn Scibetta- sscibetta@thesummitcenter.org Dineen Harvey dharvey@thesummitcenter.org
