Working with Students with Disabilities in Vocational-Technical Settings. PRO-ED Series on Transition.

Overview & Synopsis

Part of a series designed to provide practical resources for transition personnel on topics essential to the process of preparing individuals with disabilities for adulthood, this guide focuses on working with students with disabilities in vocational education settings. Chapter 1, "Why Vocational Education?," provides a rationale for vocational education being the program of choice for most students with mild disabilities. Enabling legislation is reviewed, along with current school reform efforts. Chapter 2, "What Is Vocational Education?," discusses the history of vocational education in the United States, the range of program options and training settings, characteristics of vocational settings and instructors that may be limiting for individuals with disabilities, vocational curricula, and recent vocational education reform and the implications of the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS). Chapter 3, "Special Education Involvement in Vocational Education," discusses planning for vocational education during Individualized Education Program and Individualized Transition Plan development, assessment prior to placement in vocational courses, and programming options other than occupation-specific courses. The final chapter, "Collaborating with Vocational Educators," provides specific strategies for facilitating successful students, including modifications and accommodations to the environment, materials, and performance components. An appendix lists additional vocational resources. (Contains 64 references.) (CR)