Can Research Help Mentally Handicapped Learners Explore Careers?

Overview & Synopsis

The Alliance for Career and Vocational Education is a consortium of school districts that was formed by the National Center for Research in Vocational Education so participating districts could pool resources and address common needs in career and vocational education. Through the Alliance, career exploration, awareness, and planning materials were developed for use at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. Some of these materials have been adapted by the Alliance for use with educable mentally handicapped and bilingual students. A study was conducted in the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Public School System to determine the effect of the use of these materials with approximately 560 exceptional students (mentally handicapped, emotionally impaired, and learning disabled) in junior high/middle schools. Based on in-depth interviews with twenty individuals representing administrators, teachers, and exceptional education students, nine primary effects on involvment in the Alliance and use of the materials were identified. Also, administrators at the Milwaukee site reported the Alliance materials to be a valuable core career education package, and the special edition for mentally handicapped students was valuable as a core exceptional education career education program. The investigation concluded that the use of Alliance materials served as a springboard for more extensive career education programs, helped initiate a career education program for exceptional education students, enhanced credibility of the programs and ability to secure local funds, increased the knowledge of career options and related skills for both teachers and students, and stimulated district and classroom innovation. (KC)