Correspondence between Video-Based

Preference Assessment and Subsequent Community Job Performance

Horrocks, E.L. & Morgan, R.L. (2011). Correspondence between Video-Based Preference Assessment and Subsequent Community Job Performance. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 46 (1), 52-61

Article Review

Research Question

Do jobs identified as high and low preference in a video

assessment correspond with high levels of performance on

the jobs identified?

Subjects

Three individuals participating in a post-high school special education program on a university campus

Diego, Kyle, and Tasha

Selected by nomination from their post-high school teacher

Subject - Diego

18-year old Hispanic male

Diagnosed with Downs Syndrome

Performance range of intellectual disability is in the moderate range

Subject - Kyle

18-year old male

Diagnosed with Williams Syndrome

Intellectual and adaptive behavior scale scores indicate performance in the moderate range of intellectual disability

Subject - Tasha

19-year old female

Diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy

Intelligence and adaptive behavior scale scores indicate performance in the mild-to-moderate range of intellectual disability

Settings

Video Preference Assessment› Individual participant and researcher› 5 meter by 4 meter office on university

campus

Job Locations and tasks All in integrated community settings

Settings – Job Locations and Tasks

Stocking candy at a supermarket Cutting 22-gauge phone wires at an AT lab

on campus Restocking DVD’s at a video rental center Sorting bolts, screws, nuts, washers and

other items at an agricultural systems technology center

Feeding chickens and other animals, brushing horses and cleaning facilities at a farm

Dusting/sweeping shelves and recreational vehicles at a repair facility.

Methodology

Research Design: Alternating Treatments Design› Effects of high and low preference video

selections vs. job performance and choice of job

Independent Variable: › preference of jobs

Dependent Variable: › on-task performance at jobs

Methodology - Procedures

Began with a video preference assessment session with each participant

Then participants performed high and low preference job tasks in community locations

Video Preference Assessment

Program presented four screens› Each with an icon representing types of work and

job tasks Participants selected individual icons

representing types of preferred work tasks Participants watched 2-4 minute videos on

jobs determined by computer Selection screen gave participants

opportunity to retain or discard a job For low preference jobs participants did the

same thing except they identified jobs they did not like

Job Performance Assessment

One high preference job site and one low preference job site was established for each participant

2 Data Collectors› Unaware of participants’ preferences recorded performance

at job sites Primary data collector

› Recorded participant performance, wrote narrative notes, and organized files

Secondary data collector› Drove the vehicle to community jobs, developed the job

tasks, and served as inter-observer agreement recorder First author

› Checked procedural fidelity Second author

› Scheduled work sessions at each site

Daily Schedule

Three 25 minute sessions at job sites› High preference› Low preference› Participants choice

Job sites randomly assigned to first, second, and third sessions› To avoid sequence effects

Results - Diego High preference job was stocking candy in a

supermarket In all 10 choice sessions, Diego selected the high

preference job

Job Preference Low performance

High Performance

Performance Mean

High Preference Job 72% 96% 87.4%

Low Preference Job 29% 90% 63.9%

Choice Session Job 80% 98% 88.9%

On-task performance at jobs

Results - Kyle High preference job was stocking videos in a video

rental center. Four choice sessions were at the high preference

site and four were at the low preference site.

Job Preference Low performance

High Performance

Performance Mean

High Preference Job 96% 100% 98.8%

Low Preference Job 45% 100% 73.4%

Choice Session – High 80% 100% 94.5%

Choice Session - Low 62% 98% 89%

On-task performance at jobs

Results - Tasha High preference job was feeding animals at a farm. In 5 choice sessions, Tasha selected the high preference

job. Tasha only completed one session at the low preference

job.

Job Preference Low performance

High Performance

Performance Mean

High Preference Job 92% 98% 95%

Low Preference Job 38% N/A N/A

Choice Session Job 86% 92% 90%

On-task performance at jobs

Discussion

Results of this study indicate that video preference assessment correlates with high and low job performance respectively.

Job performance relative to job preference varied across participants.

Results were variable and limited to three participants .

Findings suggest that further research on video preference assessment should be conducted

Limitations

Measure of actual productivity on jobs was not recorded.› Only on-task behavior

Pre-assessment in this study needed to be more extensive and provide a comprehensive measurement of all tasks without prompts

Did not consider a large sample of situations that may occur in the work place that may affect the participants experience and productivity

Analysis

Video preference assessment is worth looking into further, but still needs more evidence to be a standard practice in classrooms.

This could be beneficial to teachers who are working toward transition goals and vocational skills for students.

Although they had three students they took data on, only two of them actually completed all three job preferences to give them accurate data.

Related Article #1Doren, B., Lindstrom, L. & Miesch, J. (2011). Waging a Living:

Career Development and Long-Term Employment Outcomes for Young Adults With Disabilities. Council for Exceptional Children, 77(4), 423-434.

Using case study methodology, researchers examined the career development process for a sample of individuals with disabilities. These students were also studied for their post school employment outcomes. The individuals that they used were working in living wage occupations seven to ten years after exiting high school. The article addresses factors that supported ongoing career advancement that was evident across all participants. Specific experiences and outcomes varied by gender.

Related Article #2Fisher, T.L., Harrison, E.M., Kleinhart, H.L. & Kleinhart, J.O. (2010). “I

Can” and “I Did” – Self Advocacy for Young Students with Developmental Disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 43 (2), 16-26.

This article discusses self-advocacy and self-determination for young students with significant intellectual disabilities. The different abilities discussed are selecting personal goals, planning steps toward goals, assessing one’s progress, making choices and self-monitoring and self evaluating one’s behavior. In the article the questions of how self-advocacy skills can be strengthened and what teachers can do to support this growth was addressed. This article describes the step-by-step procedures used by the Kentucky Youth Advocacy Project team to train students with disabilities and the personnel to increase self-advocacy and self-determination.