Employment preparation for high school students with severe handicaps.

Area of Science:

• Special Education
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Ecological Psychology

Background:

• Students with severe disabilities often face challenges in post-school employment.
• Transition planning in high schools needs effective models for job readiness.
• Community-based approaches are crucial for successful vocational outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss an ecological model for high school employment preparation.
• To base the model on successful post-school community job placement for students with severe handicaps.
• To analyze the functions of employment training within this model.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of employment training functions.
• Description of a community-referenced ecological model for high school training.
• Examination of model utility for curriculum and instruction.

Main Results:

• The proposed ecological model integrates community job placement as a core outcome.
• Key functions of employment training were identified and analyzed.
• The model's components for high school programs were detailed.

Conclusions:

• The community-referenced ecological model offers a framework for enhancing high school employment preparation.
• Implications for curriculum and instruction are significant for improving student outcomes.
• This model supports a transition-focused approach for students with severe handicaps.