working with students with disabilities in vocational-technical settings (book review)
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This article was downloaded by: [University of Illinois Chicago]On: 27 November 2014, At: 08:50Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number:1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street,London W1T 3JH, UK
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Working With StudentsWith Disabilities inVocational-TechnicalSettings (Book Review)Jane M. WilliamsPublished online: 08 Jun 2010.
To cite this article: Jane M. Williams (1999) Working With Students WithDisabilities in Vocational-Technical Settings (Book Review), Journal ofEducational and Psychological Consultation, 10:1, 101-106, DOI: 10.1207/s1532768xjepc1001_6
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JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSULTATION, 10(1), 101-106 Copyright O 1999, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
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Working With Students With Disabilities in Vocational-Technical Settings, by R. B. Evers and N. Elksnin, Austin, TX. Pro-Ed, 1998,46 pp.
Review by Jane M. Williams Arizona State University West
Working With Students With Disabilities in Vocational-Technical Settings is one of Pro-Ed's books in its new Transition Series. The authors address the topic in four chapters, "Why Vocational Education?" "What is Vocational Education?" "Special Education Involvement in Vocational Education," and "Collaborating with Vocational Educators." The authors propose that the text will "provide a rationale for vocational education being the pro- gram of choice for most students with mild disabilities . . . with emphasis . . . on how to work effectively with vocational educators" (p. ix).
Evers and Elksnin have identified an extremely critical issue in their book-namely, how to ensure that students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education that includes vocational education as part of their individualized education program. Chapter 1 sets the stage for an- swering the question, "Why vocational education?" However, readers are encouraged to supplement the information in this chapter. For example, readers are encouraged to use the most current statutory and regulatory provisions of PL 101-476 and PL 98-524 relative to the provision of voca-
NOTE: Kathleen C. Harris of Arizona State University West is column editor for BOOK AND MATERIAL REVIEWS.
Correspondence should be addressed to Jane M. Williams, Assistant Professor, Arizona State University West, College of Education, FAB S237,4701 West Thunderbird Road, Phoe- nix, AZ 85069-7100. E-mail: [email protected]
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tional education to students with disabilities. The Individuals with Dis- abilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 (PL 105-17), for example, states that special education "includes vocational education if it consists of specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability" (US. Department of Education, 1997, p. 55073). Further, specially designed instruction means "adapting the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction" (p. 55033) to address the needs of a student and ensure the student's access to the general curriculum. More- over, IDEA adds a definition of supplementary aids and services, defining them as "aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular ed- ucation classes or education-related settings" (p. 55033). Additionally, the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act Amendments of 1990 (PL 101-392) also requires vocational educators to meet the needs of students with disabilities. It stipulates that recipients of Perkins dollars must ensure that students with disabilities are (a) assisted with entering vocational education programs and fulfilling the transition services re- quirements of IDEA, (b) assessed to ensure successful completion of the vocational education program in the most integrated setting possible, and (c) provided supplementary services including modifications to curricu- lum, equipment, and classroom settings, supportive personnel, and in- structional aids and devices (Carl D. Perkins vocational and Applied Technology Act of 1990, Section 118c).
Readers may also wish to supplement the material in this chapter with Raising the Educational Achievement of Seconda y School Students: Volume 1 S u m m a y of Promising Practices, (U.S. Department of Education, 1995). This report, issued by the U.S. Department of Education, suggesting ave- nues for using Title I funds to improve achievement of disadvantaged youth at the high school level, reinforces the need for including students in vocational education programs. Similarly, the results of the National Assessment of Vocational Education: Final Report to Congress (US. Depart- ment of Education, 1994) indicates that (a) the employment rates of stu- dents with disabilities who took vocational educational courses in high school are higher than the employment rates of students with disabilities who did not take vocational education courses, and @) the combination of work experience with vocational education courses results in gradu- ates securing employment at a higher rate and a higher wage level. Also, the work of Benz and Halpem (1993) and Lombard, Hazelkom, and Miller (1995) will assist readers in arguing for vocational education, es- pecially for students with disabilities.
In chapter 2, "What is Vocational Education?," the authors present a brief history of vocational education, describe the range of program op-
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BOOK AND MATERIAL REVIEWS 103
tionsl and training settings for vocational education, identifying compre- hensive senior high schools, vocational technical centers, career academies, and on-the-job training, co-op, and apprenticeship programs as the most widely used instructional settings. They conclude the chapter with the statement that, because of current legislation and the recornrnen- dations of the U.S. Secretary of Labor's Commission on Achieving Neces- sary Skills, which specifies the most critical workplace competencies needed by all workers, we are "now, potentially, in a position to develop programs for individuals with disabilities that will benefit the estimated 80% who will not be baccalaureate completers" (p. 13).
The authors address "Planning for vocational education during IEP [individualized education program] and ITP [individualized transition plan] development" (p. 16) in chapter 3, "Special Education Involvement in Vocational Education." In my opinion, this section would have been strengthened by presenting the transition services requirements of IDEA, noting that (a) for each student, beginning at age 14 and younger, if ap- propriate, a statement of the transition service needs of the student that focuses on the student's courses of study (e.g., participation in a voca- tional education program) is required; and (b) beginning at age 16 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), a statement of needed transition services for the student including, instruction-related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other postschool adult living objectives, and, if appropriate, a statement of interagency responsibilities or linkages, and acquisition of daily living skills and a functional vocational evaluation. The authors would have enhanced the reader's understanding of the critical role of vocational ed- ucation in the transition planning for a student by providing the follow- ing: (a) an example of vocational education courses in the statement of transition services needs of a student, (b) a listing of the supplementary aids and services to be provided to the student in vocational education course(s) in which the student is enrolled, and (c) the results of a voca- tional evaluation as one of the sources of data used for program plan- ning. An illustration with these components would have provided a concrete example of the relationship between of vocational education and special education. I also caution the reader that although individual states may have named the portion of the IEP that addresses the state- ment of needed transition services and the student's transition services
he seven occupational concentrations of vocational education arre the following: agricul- ture, business and office, health occupations, marketing, family and consumer sciences, trade and industry, and technology and technical education.
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needs the ITP, IDEA requires that these components be part of the stu- dent's IEP, not separate from it, and neither the statute nor the regula- tions reference an ITP.
Chapter 3 also includes a good list of several programming options other than vocational education settings for students to achieve work- place competencies. However, I encourage readers to incorporate litera- ture on contextual learning (Charner, Fraser, Hubbard, Rogers, & Home, 1995; Clark, Field, Patton, Brolin, & Sitlington, 1994; "Contextual leam- ing," 1997; Kohler, 1994; Mooney, 1997) for students and the provisions of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 (STWOA). Linking the three components of the STWOA-school-based, work-based, and con- necting activities that include career guidance and counseling, a planned program of job training and work experiences, workplace mentoring, job shadowing, school-sponsored activities, on-the-job training, and assist- ing schools and employers integrate school-based and work-based leam- ing-will augment this section and demonstrate the relation of another initiative for ensuring the all students are prepared with key workplace competencies.
Finally, chapter 4, "Collaborating with Vocational Educators," suggests numerous activities that the special education teacher may perform to as- sist the student with disabilities achieve in vocational education classes (e.g., completing a task analysis of required activities and labeling tools to assist with their location and filing). However, there were very few sug- gestions that indicated that the vocational educator should assume re- sponsibility for modifying the curriculum, equipment, classroom setting or provide the instructional aids and services, as required by Perkins. Col- laboration, by definition, requires all parties to engage in the problem solv- ing required to identify and provide the necessary accommodations and adaptations. It would be helpful to identify activities that illustrate a part- nership in this endeavor.
In summary, this book tackles an extremely important concern for all individuals committed to ensuring that all students, including those with disabilities, are prepared with the needed competencies for succeeding in the workplace. Its premise is well grounded in legislation and re- search. The authors, however, could have significantly increased its util- ity by expanding the legislative and empirical base on which it is predicated to answer the question, "Why vocational education?" In fact, utilizing additional resources would have resulted in a compelling argu- ment for vocational education to be considered as a valid programming option for students with disabilities as well as those who are nondisabled. Moreover, illustrating the collaborative partnership and re-
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sponsibility of all educators-whatever their area of specialty (e.g., gen- eral, vocational, special)-as well as job coaches, transition specialists, counselors, business and community representatives, and the student and his or her family, will result in improved teaching, leaming, and ed- ucational outcomes for all students, including those with disabilities. The demonstration of this collaborative relationship will surely result in meaningful occupationally-related educational opportunities for all stu- dents based on their particular skills, needs, preferences, and interests. To do otherwise will result in the loss of a golden opportunity to provide the current population of students, with and without disabilities, with the necessary workplace competencies to engage in the profession of their choice.
REFERENCES
Benz, M. R., &Halpern, A. S. (1993). Vocational and transition servicesneeded and received by students with disabilities during their last year of high school. Career Developmentfor Excep- tional Individuals, 16(2), 197-212.
Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-392,20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.
Chamer, I . , Fraser, B. S., Hubbard, S., Rogers, A., & Home, R. (1995). Reforms of the school-to-work transition: Findings, implications, and challenges. Phi Delta Knppan, 40, 58-59.
Clark, G. M., Field, S., Patton, J. R., Brolin, D. E., &Sitlington, P. L. (1994). Life skills instruction: A necessary component for all students with disabilities. A position statement of the Divi- sion on Career Development and Transition. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 17,125-1 34.
Contextual learning. (1997). Alliance, 2(1), 1,3-4,9. Champaign, IL: National Transition Alli- ance for Youth With Bsabilities.
Kohler, P. D. (1994). On-the-job training: A curricular approach to employment. Career Devel- opmentfor Exceptional Individuals, 17(1), 29-40.
Lombard, R. C., Hazelkorn, M. N., & Miller, R. J. (1995, Fall). Special populations and tech-prep: A national study of state policies and practices. Career Development for Excep- tional Individuals, 28(2), 145-156.
Mooney, M. (1997). Career pathways. Alliance, 2(1), 7-8. Champaign, IL: National Transition Alliance for Youth With Disabilities.
U.S. Department of Education. (1995). Raising the educntionalachievemrnt ofseconda yschool stu- dents: Volume 7. Summa y of promising practices. Washington, DC: Author.
U.S. Department of Education. (1997). Assistance to states for the education of children with disabilities, preschool grants for children with disabilities, and early intervention program for infants and toddlers with disabilities; proposed rule. Federal Register, 62(204). Washing- ton, DC: Author.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Office of Re- search. (1994). National assessment ofvocational education. Final report to Congress: Volume I . Summary and recommendations. Washington, DC: Author.
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Prospective reviewers as well as authors who are interested in having their books and other materials reviewed should contact Kathleen C. Harris, Col- lege of Education, Arizona State University West, P.O. Box 37100, Phoenix, AZ 85069-7100; Phone: (602) 543-6339; Fax: (602) 543-6350; E-mail: [email protected]
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