What Special Needs Students Need to be Taught Before They Leave High School

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What Special Needs Students Need to be Taught
Before They Leave High School

• Denise North
• Metro Technology Centers

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• The student with a disability wakes up and goes
  to bed EVERY day with the knowledge that they are
  different and they often believe that they are
  some how less than their peers.

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Learning About Themselves

• They also all have strengths that they often have
  not tapped or are even aware of.
• To show them that they have much in common with
  their peers and that they have strengths is the
  job of parents, counselors and teachers.

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The Laws that Effect Persons with Disabilities

• Without knowledge of the laws that effect them,
  persons with disabilities are at the mercy of
  those who do know the law or who dont know the
  law and dont care.

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The Laws that Effect Persons with Disabilities

• The three laws are
• Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA),
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)

• Known as the special ed law, it outlines how
  children from birth through graduation will be
  educated and what services will be provided to
  the student.
• The school has the responsibility to find and
  fund whatever is determined to be needed to
  educate the student to his/her fullest potential.
  
• Enforcement of this law is with the state
  departments of education and the federal office
  of education

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

• This law covers all persons with disabilities but
  is not as protective as IDEA.
• It is the individuals responsibility to self
  declare their disability and provide
  documentation about the disability
• The Office of Civil Rights oversees the
  enforcement of this law

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Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

• This law was written before ADA but was not as
  broad reaching. It also covers all persons with
  disabilities.
• Like ADA it is the individuals responsibility to
  declare his/her disability and provide
  documentation
• The Office of Civil Rights also oversees the
  enforcement of this law.

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Primary Difference between IDEA and ADA/504

• IDEA is an entitlement law in that persons
  receiving services under this law get more than
  their peers.
• ADA/504 are access laws that seek to level the
  playing field and are considered civil rights
  laws.

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Career Planning for the Student with Disabilities

• The same process applies to these students as
  their peers. They need to explore different
  occupations in elementary school and deepen their
  exploration in middle school.
• The process may need to be modified for these
  students to include more direct instruction and
  to insert career planning into academics as much
  as possible.

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Career Planning in Elementary School

• Professional day where parents come to class and
  talk about their job. It is best to provide an
  outline of topics to cover for the parent.
• Interviews by students of parents and
  grandparents regarding occupations.
• Computer research on occupations. This can be
  done in the upper grades and turned into a
  writing assignment.

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Career Planning for Middle School

• Computer research to compare and contrast
  occupations.
• Group presentations covering occupations or
  companies.
• On parent night, have the students tell parents
  what classes they plan to take in high school to
  work toward their chosen occupation.
• Have students research persons with disabilities
  that have become famous or important.

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Plans of Study

• After the student has chosen an occupation to
  pursue they will need to develop a plan of study
  to outline how to achieve this goal.
• Plans of study are guidelines and are not written
  in stone or written one time and forgotten.
• The document should be revisited at least
  annually to see if the student still wants to
  work toward this occupation and to monitor
  progress.

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ACT test

• If there is any possibility of the individual
  ever attending a technology center, college or
  university he/she need to take the ACT test
• Accommodations can be made for the test based on
  the IEP
• The best time to take the test is during the
  senior year of high school

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Other Information That Can Help

• Assemblies that focus on occupations
• Leadership training
• Peer interaction with a focus such as civic
  groups, student organizations, service activities
• Time to interact with a trusted adult to provide
  feedback on progress toward obtaining skills
  needed to go to work.

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Soft Skills also known as Social Skills

• Industry has said that lack of soft skills such
  as time management, conflict resolution, customer
  service and getting along with co-workers is the
  leading reason for firing employees
• These skills can be taught indirectly but may
  need direct instruction for students with special
  needs.

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The Facts about Postsecondary Education

• College or a technology center are options after
  graduation, even with a disability.
• NO IEP in Postsecondary education.
• Accommodations can be made, but no modifications.
• Major Difference, no one will ask if help is
  needed the student must ask for it.

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Career Tech vs. College

• This is no longer an either/or choice
• Students at technology centers can earn college
  credit while in high school.
• College credit earned at a technology center can
  transfer to most colleges in OK at a greatly
  reduced cost.
• Not every occupation requires a college degree,
  but most require some training beyond high school.

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Differences Between Secondary and Postsecondary
Education

• Secondary
• High school staff direct all activities
• Assistance is automatic
• Rarely have homework
• Parents directly involved
• Transportation provided

• Postsecondary
• Student must manage time and schedule
• Student must seek assistance
• Homework is expected
• Parents are involved only if student requests
• Transportation is students responsibility

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CareerTech vs. College

• If the students career goal requires a college
  degree then he/she must go to college but they
  may be able to get some of the training at a
  technology center while in high school.
• All Oklahoma Technology centers have alliance
  agreements with Oklahoma colleges and in some
  career majors, college credit can be earned at a
  technology center while in high school at a
  greatly reduced cost.

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The Facts about Postsecondary Education

• Adult students (anyone out of high school) need
  to know that not many people care if someone has
  a disability, just whether they can do the job.
• The student is responsible for providing
  documentation of disability.
• Curriculum will not be modified only how the
  information is given to or received from the
  student.

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Going to Work

• Students need to be made aware that they will
  need to interact with adults in the workplace in
  effective ways. Role play and advise from
  experts are good ways to teach this concept.
• They also need to become informed on proper work
  attire. Video fashion shows, and expert guest
  are good to introduce this concept.

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Information About Obtaining a Job

• The student will need to be told to take a clean,
  unwrinkled, unfolded and correctly written
  resume to apply for a job.
• They should have a copy of their resume and
  references when they go to apply for jobs to
  refer to when filling out the application.

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Hints for the Interview

• The students should make a test run to locate
  where the interview will take place. This could
  even include finding the room. They should plan
  to arrive 5 to10 minutes early.
• Anyone could be on the interview team even the
  receptionist.
• Handshakes and eye contact are very important and
  often need to be taught.

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How to Keep a Job

• Be on time to work! Student say they will be on
  time for work, but the truth is they usually
  revert to the same habits that they have in high
  school. This is the 1 reason that people get
  fired!
• Company culture is very important and this
  concept needs to be taught to students.

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More on Keeping a Job

• Students need to know that their word is
  important and if they say they will do something
  they should do it.
• They will have to work with people that they do
  not like, this is part of the world of work
• At the workplace people are expected to be
  productive, no standing around doing nothing.

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Review

• High school and postsecondary are very different
  for students with disabilities
• People with disabilities can be productive
  citizens
• Getting and keeping a job is tough and students
  need skills to help them with this task.

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Questions and/or Discussion

• Denise North
• Metro Technology Centers
• 405-640-4418
• Denise.north_at_metrotech.org