square pegs and round holes? vocational evaluation, career assessment and assistive technology

Square Pegs and Round Holes? Vocational Evaluation, Career Assessment and Assistive Technology

Louisiana Rehabilitation Association Pre-conference Training

Janelle Ellis Anthony Langton Erika Peterson Shawn Zimmerman

2010 National Issues Forum 2

Humor slides I will drop in a few humor slides here

and there that we can make use of


Introductions

Presenters Sponsors Goals and Objectives


Do you need a technology specialist to use assistive technology in evaluation/assessment activities?

Yes No It depends


Assistive Technology: Leveling the Playing Field

“For Americans without disabilities, technology makes things easier.For Americans with disabilities, technology makes things possible.”

Mary Pat Radabaugh, 1990


Technology is often literally the interface between person and environment. The ability to access and use technology is likely to play a pivotal role in functionally redefining disability, and in bridging the wide gulf between what “significant disability” means to the disability community, and what it means today in the business/employer community.

Alexandra Enders, 2004


Work in progress . . .

For over twenty years efforts have been underway to integrate assistive technology (AT) in vocational evaluation


Our Shared Vision - AT and VE

Strengthen the field of vocational evaluation

Contribute to improved rehabilitation outcomes

Concept of disability is changing Desire to maximize potential of

persons served AT should be an integral part Impact of Universal Design


Assistive Technology (AT) and Vocational Evaluation:

In order to remain relevant and to address the barriers to employment faced by people with significant disabilities, vocational evaluation and career assessment practitioners must integrate assistive technology into the evaluation and assessment process to increase employment opportunities; to aid in the removal of barriers; and, to enhance the capability of individuals to accomplish essential skills and functions.


To accomplish this, vocational evaluation and career assessment professionals must work to ensure that participants have appropriate technology available and have a level of proficiency with the devices to ensure maximum performance within the assessment and evaluation process.


Technology-Related Services:Technology-Related Services: What VE Programs Could OfferWhat VE Programs Could Offer

AT Information Preliminary

Technology Assessment

Specialized Technology Assessment

Technical Assistance

Comprehensive Evaluation Services

Rehabilitation Engineering/Job Accommodation Services

1991


AT and Vocational Evaluation

Expands choices and vocational options

Essential for persons with most severe disabilities

Not a Panacea - but AT is a key resource to have available for many persons

AT can integrate and fit well within comprehensive VE process


VE and AT: Which comes first?


Background

Vocational Evaluation

Assistive Technology

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

General AT Assessment Specialized Assessments Rehabilitation Engineering Multi-disciplinary


“Tech Points” in Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation/Assessments

Pre-Evaluation Preparation Initial Interview Evaluation Planning Administering assessment

tasks and activities Conducting career exploration Developing Recommendations


OPTION I have a set of slides that show AT

being inserted in the VE process. We can toggle and use this if we

want


VE and AT: Options Available

1. Maintain traditional service delivery boundaries

2. VE programs can infuse AT into existing service delivery

3. AT programs could add vocational assessment into existing service delivery

4. VE and AT can be combined to form fully integrated, hybrid service delivery option

5. Other options?


VE/AT Programs: Profile and Analysis

Career Assessment Program – Fairfax County Schools

Intensive Evaluation – Stout Virginia DRS

VE - Northern Region RE – Northern Region WWRC – Statewide Center


BREAK - Part 2 Probably need a break here before we get

into the three approaches? Would be good to spend 10-12 minutes

presenting overview on each of these We can use a flip chart to make

notes/observations as each present It would be good if we can try and hold

questions until the three have been covered


Assistive Technology Services

Fairfax County Public Schools Janelle Ellis


Intensive Vocational Evaluation

Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute Erika Peterson


Vocational Evaluation Services

Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services Shawn Zimmerman


VE/AT Programs: Analysis and Discussion

Career Assessment Program – Fairfax County Schools

Intensive Evaluation – Stout Virginia DRS

VE - Northern Region RE – Northern Region WWRC – Statewide Center


VE and AT Services: Survey Findings

Awareness Issues Cost/Funding

Concerns Access to

information and Resources

Logistical Issues Impact on

Standardization

Limited Time for AT

Need for Technical Support

Training Needs VE Process

Restraints


BREAK


NOTE The actual survey material is

something that we can use if needed but I’d rather not make it an automatic

We can remove these slides and have them, along with others to toggle to if we need to


Length of Evaluation

Less than 1 day (19%) 1-2 days (33%) 3-5 days (24%) 1-2 weeks (10%) More the 2 weeks (5%)


AT Specialist immediately available

yes (34%) no (43%)


Program/School offers AT services

yes (57%) no (26%)


Number of cases where AT specialist was used - 24%


Part 3: Practices, Strategies and Resources This is the wrap-up segment We can use the challenges barriers

that have been identified We can also add to these with

anything from the part 2 segment If we can make this interactive

between the four of us we should able to draw in the audience


Challenges and Barriers

Perceptions/Limited Awareness Lack of Knowledge of AT Time Available Cost/Funding Staff/Training Issues Logistics and Coordination Lack of Clear Directives Connections to outcomes unclear

Challenges, Issues and Strategies

Issue/Challenge Approaches/Strategies

Lack of AT Knowledge

AT specialist allied with or assigned to VE program Ongoing in-service training such as monthly “lunch and learn”



Time constraints: Limited time available

Option to extend eval for persons w/AT needs



Limited availability AT resources/services

Establish cooperative agreements w/programs that have AT



Impact of Standardization: Are we assessing ability to use AT or work aptitudes?



Staff training



VE staff fail to consider AT possibilities



Attitudes of employers/ educators: Reluctance to consider AT or accommodation options



Logistical Issues/Multiple Locations



Budget and Cost Considerations

Create line item in budget for AT (annually) Develop list of needed AT to have ready



Impact on standardization: Use of AT invalidates assessment instruments?



Staff Training on AT



VE staff fail to consider AT



Where to go for info on AT?



Reluctance to consider AT or accommodationsAttitudes of Employers/ Educators



Logistics in providing AT to multiple locations


Technology in the VE Process

All VE programs should incorporate AT information

Comprehensive VE should include opportunity to use/tryout AT

Programs the market AT services need staff with specialized expertise

1991


Strategic Partnerships and Alliances

Implementing assistive technology services requires resources and technical expertise

Establishing partnerships and cooperative agreements should be one consideration


Role for Professional Associations and Organizations

National Rehabilitation Association Louisiana Rehabilitation Association VEWAA VECAP RESNA LATAN Other professional organizations or

associations?


Questions or follow-up:

Pathfinder AssociatesSuite 301712 Woodcreek Ct.Columbia, SC 29212803.767.8043Info@pathfinderassociates.netwww.pathfinderassociates.net

square pegs and round holes? vocational evaluation, career assessment and assistive technology

Documents

national issues forum

technology specialist

evaluation process

vocational optionsessential

significant disability

disability community

significant disabilities

ve programs