DOCUMENT RESUME ED 332 456 EC 300 319 AUTHOR Perin, Dolores; Plugman, Bert TITLE The TotaA Impact Model: A Community College/Trade School Collaboration for Learning Disabled Young Adults. Final Report. INSTITUTION City Univ. of New York, N.Y. Inst. for Research and Development in Occupational Education. SPONS AGENCY Special Education Programs (ED/OSERS), Washington, DC. REPORT NO CASE-13-90 PUB DATE Dec 90 CONTRACT G00673105 NOTE 229p. PUB TYPE Reports - Descriptive (141) EDRS PRICE IF01/PC10 plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adult Students; Basic Skills; Cooperative Programs; Demonstration Programs; Higher Education; *Institutional Cooperation; Integrated Activities; Interpersonal Competence; Job Placement; *Learning Disabilities: Literacy Education; Postsecondary Education; *Program Effectiveness; Slow Learners; Vocational Education; *Vocational Rehabilitation; Young Adults IDENTIFIERS New York (New York) ABSTRACT The report describes a federally funded 3-year demonstration program for the vocational training of urban young adults with severe learning diasbilities who have left high school special education programs. The program, "The Integrated Skills Vocational Training Program," involved the collaboration of a not-for-profit trade school, the City University of New York (CUNY) community college, the CVNY graduate school, and a rehabilitation agency. Training in eight vocational areas (building maintenance, mailroom/reprographics, jewelry manufacturing, upholstery, furniture finishing, custodial services, food services, and data entry) was provided to 47 young adults (out of 276 who expressed initial interest). Students also received training in basic literacy and interpersonal skills. Participants had been out of school a mean of 3 years. Positive change was found using both pre-post tests and periodic competency ratings. Seventy-eight percent of program completers (49% of entrant(,) obtained competitive skilled jobs, with most earning less than $6 an hour. Issues in providing services to this population are raised concerning recruitment, selection, classroom-based training, and transfer of training. Thirteen appendices provide a sample calendar, lesson plan forms, other program forms, and publicity and dissemination information. Includes 57 references. (DB) **************************************************************z******** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** I I I I 1 1 THE TOTAL IMPACT MODEL: A COMMUNITY I COLLEGE/TRAM SCHOOL COLLABORATION FOR LEARNING DISABLED YOUNG ADULTS 1 I Final Reort I Dolores Perth, Ph.D., Project Director and I Bert Flugman, Ph.D., Prindpal Investigator I I Institute for Research and Development in Occupational Education I Center for Advanced Study in Education in- The Graduate School and University Center Lk_ of the City University of New Ytork 1 Funding Provided By: United States Department of Education I Office of Special Education Programs Project ii: 078CH70033 I Grant 0: G00873105 CASE 013-90 I. December 1990 1 , 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS FLatge. ...a I Acknowledgments . i Executive Surfunary . iii I CHAPTER 1 NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES I Literature Review 2 Need for Postsecondary Vocational Trairdng 19 I CHAPTER 2BACKGROUND TO DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRANSITION MODEL: THE FIRST PROGRAM 23 I CHAPTER 3THE TRANSITION PROGRAM MODEL 27 Collaborating Organizations 27 , Training Com ponents 28 Staf f ing Pa ttern 36 I Training Objectives 43 CHAPTER 4RECRUITMENT OF STUDENTS 45 I Recruitment Methods 45 - _ I Recruitment Outcom es 46 -1 I Issues in Recruitment 43 CHAPTER 5SELECTION PROCEDURES 53 Eligibility Criteria 53 I Issues in Selection 56 CHAPTER 6CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGRAM ENTAANTS 59 I CHAPTER 7EXAMPLES OF STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES IN THE PROGRAM OS Experiences in Interpersonal Skills Training 73 Work-S tudy Experiences 79 I Individual Counseling Experiences S4 Experiences of Non-Completers 99 Behavioral Difficulties in Two Completers 103 I Summary and Comments 104 CHAPTER 8ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT PROGRESS IN THE PROGRAM 107 I Description of Instruments 10' Findings 109 1 CHAPTER 9EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES 115 CHAPTER 10 SELECTED CASE STUDIES 121 Example of Successful Completer: Tom 121 I Example of Unsuccessful Completer: Rick 128 Example of Non-Completer: Sam 136 I CONCLUSION .. 143 - I 4 REFERENCES t49 APPENDICES 155 AppendixASample Calendar Appendix Lesson Plan Forms and Tutor Log Appendix Student Attendance Sign-In Form Appendix Interview of Work-Study Supervisor Form AppendixIiCareer Maturity Interview Appendix Sample Announcement and Agenda of Parent Workshops Appendix Vocational Trainipg Croservation Appendix Certificate of Completion Appendix Recruitment Flier Appendix Preliminary Screening Interview Form Appendix Forms used for Interviews and Follow-Up Appendix Competency Rating Scales Appendix Disseinination of the Project 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people generously contributed time and effort to the project and we would like to offer our warm thanks to them all.While there are too many to name personally,justafewpeople whom wewouldliketothankinclude: Dr. 3oseph Rosenstein Office of Special Education Programs U.S. Depart.nent of Education; Dean Fern Khan, formerly of LaGuardia Community College and now of Bank Street College, New York; Dean Judy McGaughey of LaGuardia Community College; Marge Tierney and the New York City District Office Managers of Vocational and Educational ServiCesfor Individuals with Disabilities (VESID); Sonia Braniff of the New York City Board of Education Hie School Special Education Transition Services; Virginia Cruickshank of Federation Employment and -Guidance Services (FEGS); and Maureen Bentley of Federation of the Handicapped (FOH). We would also like to exprets our deep appreciation to Meianie Bentley and - .Eileen Romano, who provided administrative assistance to the project and who did the word processing -I- , 6 THE TOTAL IMPACT MODEL: A COMMUNITY COLLEGE/TRADE SCHOOL COLLABORATION FOR LEARNING DISABLED YOUNG ADULTS Executive Summary This report describes a federally-funded demonstration program1 for the vocational training of urban young adults with severe learning disabilities who have lefthighschoolspecialeducationprograms. Thispopulation,inwhich underdeveloped literacy and_ social skills are reflections of a "hidden disabilityP has often been overlooked in postsecondary education and training. A model program was set up to provide vocational training leading to competitive, skilled employment for this group. Information pertaining to the operation and outcomes of the program arereported. The intended audienceforthisreportincludesvocational rehabilitation personnel, community college argo propietary school pvogram directors and administrators, transition researchers, and individuals with learning disabilities and their advocates. This report could serve as a manual for program replication. Research relevant to the demonstration program is reviewbd. Approximately 4% of all American students aged six to 21 years have learning disabilities. _ _ Characteristics of learning disabilities persist to adulthood and include reading, spelling, expressive writing and-math deficits, along with the emotional effect of years of academic failure.Defining learning disabilities has proved to be more difficult on the theoretical than the operational level.Operationally, learning disabilities have of ten been diagnosed on the basis of a discrepancy between intellectual abilitOaverage or above average) and academic performance (below average). However, joining the group receiving a diagnosis of learning disabilities are individuals whose intellectual and academic abilities are uniformly low rather than discrepant. Previously described as mildly retarded or as slow learners, these individuals are sometimes refe red to as "severely learning disabled."It was this group that received services ii the current project. 1"The Total Impact Mcdel: A Community College/Trade School Collaboration for Learning Disabled Young Adults."Grant # G008730105 awarded by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services of the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education, 1937-1990. C Individuals with learning disabilitiesofvar. s A severity show impairments in self-concept, especially concerning aca..iemic skills.Social skills deficiencies are also manifested that negatively affect the transition to work. Inclividuals with severe learning disabilities may have. unrealistic aspirations, which may at times be fueled by high school teachers or family members who naturally want them to succeed. High school dropout rates are hagher for learning disabled students than for their nondisabled peers. While high schoois are offering transition services, they may be starting too late; the dropout rate is highest during ninth grade. Research has shown that learning disabled individuals who graduate from high school have better employment outcomes than those who do not graduate, which has been attributed to persistence rather than to skill levels. It must be expected -that any problem associated with learning disabilities would be intensified for urban students attending public schools. By and large, such individuals are of low socioeconomic status. Horne environments may be extremely unstable as a result of poverty, substance abuse, or untreated emotional disturbance. This background constrasts strongly with that of the middle-class learning disabled