| Abstract: |
The prevocational program at the School for Contemporary Education (SCE), Springfield, Virginia, for severely handicapped students (4 to 18 years old) aims at mastery of annual work adjustment objectives by the students and involves development of evaluation procedures, development and implementation of vocational modules for work adjustment instruction, and setting vocational objectives for each student's individualized education plan (IEP). The program is based on a K through 12 concept with a six stage vocational development process: identifying with a worker (career awareness), acquiring the basic habits of industry (career exploration), acquiring identity as a worker in the occupational structure (preoccupational), becoming a productive person, maintaining a productive society, and contemplating a productive and responsible life. Among program objectives is to provide each student with entry level vocational skills necessary for advancement to more specific vocational opportunities either in the community or in a sheltered environment. The work adjustment training element provies opportunities to learn skills of a general nature which are directly related to employment. Placements in community or sheltered environments are evaluated at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after initial placement through the vocational followup services. (SBH) |