Abstract
Statement of Problem
Currently, the national average of unemployed individuals with disabilities is 79%. This high rate of unemployment can be attributed to the lack of functional vocational programs that serve youth with severe challenging conditions. In addition to the high unemployment rate, a number of teachers enter into special education each year without the appropriate credentials. Teachers who have not received all of the necessary education, may not be aware that vocational education is a mandatory component of a student’s right to a free and appropriate education.
Sources of Data
The SCOE curriculum committee and interviews with administrators from SCOE were large contributors to the information that is used within the curriculum procedures. Curriculum manuals that were written with students with severe challenges that dealt exclusively with vocational programs were reviewed, as well as the Syracuse Curriculum which SCOE utilized in developing the curriculum standards. Several other curriculum manuals were also reviewed.
Conclusions Reached
Curriculum manuals that provide educators with a starting point to putting together a vocational program for students with severe challenging conditions do not exist. In the review of literature, seven manuals were reviewed and it was found that the manuals do not include suggested goals and objectives, modifications to activities to enable all students to participate or task analyses do not exist. In the review that was conducted for this project, seven manuals were located that were written exclusively for students with moderate to severe challenges are in existence and of those seven, only two contained suggested goals and objectives.