Piloting an Assessment of Foundational Workplace Competencies for Students With Disabilities and Competitive Employment Aspirations

Abstract

It is critical students with disabilities be adequately prepared with the foundational competencies necessary for entry-level employment. However, the field needs a research-based, structurally sound assessment to assist teachers in assessing such competencies and then writing appropriate transition goals. The purpose of this pilot study is to determine whether modifications can be made to the Employer Identified Trait Assessment (EITA) for use in school settings without altering its underlying structure. Data were collected from 402 transition-age students, professionals, and family members. Three versions of the EITA were modified for use in this pilot study. Results show modifications did not influence the underlying assessment structure. Implications for practice are discussed.

Keywords

transition assessment or planning transition area

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alwell

Cobb

(2006). A map of the intervention literature in secondary special education transition. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 29(1), 3–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/08857288060290010301

Bentler

P. M.

(1990). Comparative fit indices in structural models. Psychological Bulletin, 107(2), 238–246. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.107.2.238

Black

Rojewski

(1998). The role of social awareness in the employment success of adolescents with mental retardation. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 33(2), 144–161. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23879162

Bovaird

J. A.

Koziol

N. A.

(2012). Measurement models for ordered-categorical indicators. In Hoyle

R. H.

(Ed.), Handbook of structural equation modeling (pp. 495–511). The Guilford Press.

Cappelli

P. H.

(2015). Skills gap, skill shortages, and skill mismatch: Evidence and arguments for the United States. ILR Review, 68(2), 251–290. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019793914564961

Carter

E. W.

Trainor

A. A.

Cakiroglu

Cole

Swedeen

Ditchman

Owens

(2009). Exploring school-employer partnerships to expand career development and early work experiences for youth with disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 32(3), 145–159. https://doi.org/10.1177/0885728809344590

Chang

(1994). A psychometric evaluation of 4-point and 6-point Likert-type scales in relation to reliability and validity. Applied Psychological Measurement, 18(3), 205–215. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662169401800302

Clark

G. M.

Patton

J. R.

(2006). Transition Planning Inventory–Updated version: Administration and resource guide. PRO-ED.

Deardorff

Pulos

Suk

Williams-Diehm

McConnell

(2020). What do transition assessments look like for students with a significant cognitive disability? A multistate survey of educational stakeholders. Inclusion, 8(1), 74–85. https://doi.org/10.1352/2326-6988-8.1.74

10.

Deloitte Access Economics. (2017, May). Soft skills for business success. https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/economics/articles/soft-skills-business-success.html

11.

Dumenci

Achenbach

T. M.

(2008). Effects of estimation methods on making trait-level inferences from ordered categorical items for assessing psychopathology. Psychological Assessment, 20(1), 55–62. https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.20.1.55

12.

Eckstein

Sevak

Wright

(2017). Personal characteristics of vocational rehabilitation applicants: Findings from the Survey on Disability and Employment. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 46(2), 177–185. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-160853

13.

Elksnin

L. K.

(2001). Adolescents with disabilities: The need for occupational social skills training. Exceptionality, 9(1–2), 91–105. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327035EX091&2_7

14.

Erickson

Lee

von Schrader

(2020). 2018 disability status report: United States. Cornell University Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability. https://www.disabilitystatistics.org/StatusReports/2018-PDF/2018-StatusReport_US.pdf

15.

Fultz

Kinsey

(2004). Assessment for transition from school to work. In Levinson

E. M.

(Ed.), Transition from school to post-school life for individuals with disabilities: Assessment from an educational and school psychological perspective (pp. 250–274). Charles C. Thomas.

16.

Gilson

C. B.

Carter

E. W.

(2018). Video-based instruction to promote employment-related social behaviors for high school students with intellectual disability. Inclusion, 6(3), 175–193. https://doi.org/10.1352/2326-6988-6.32.175

17.

Grugulis

Vincent

(2009). Whose skill is it anyway? “Soft” skills and polarization. Work, Employment and Society, 23(4), 597–615. https://doi.org/10.1177/0950017009344862

18.

Halpern

A. S.

(1994). The transition of youth with disabilities to adult life: A position statement of the division on career development and transition, the council for exceptional children. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 17(2), 115–124. https://doi.org/10.1177/088572889401700201

19.

Hamzah

M. S.

Abdullah

S. K.

(2009). Generic skills in personnel development. European Journal of Social Sciences, 11(4), 684–689.

20.

Hayes

A. F.

Coutts

J. J.

(2020). Use omega rather than Cronbach’s alpha for estimating reliability. But. . .. Communications Methods and Measures, 14(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/19312458.2020.1718629

21.

L.-t.

Bentler

P. M.

(1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indices in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6(1), 1–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118

22.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. § (1400[d][1][A]). (2004a).

23.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. § (1416[a][3][B]). (2004b).

24.

Jepsen

M. I.

Gray

K. M.

Taffe

J. R.

(2012). Agreement in multi-informant assessment of behaviour and emotional problems and social functioning in adolescents with Autistic and Asperger’s Disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6(3), 1091–1098. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2012.02.008

25.

Pacha

Moore

Zhang

(2014). Employability skills for entry-level employees with and without disabilities: A comparison between the perspectives of educators and employers. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 40(3), 203–212. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-140685

26.

Zhang

Pacha

(2012). Employability skills valued by employers as important for entry-level employees with and without disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 35(1), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/0885728811419167

27.

Kocman

Fischer

Weber

(2018). The employers’ perspective on barriers and facilitators to employment of people with intellectual disability: A differential mixed-method approach. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disability, 31(1), 120–131. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12375

28.

Kopple

C. E.

Kane

Matheson

N. S.

Meltzer

A. S.

Packer

White

T. G.

(1993). Teaching the SCANS competencies. U.S. Department of Labor. https://wdr.doleta.gov/SCANS/teaching/teaching.pdf

29.

Landis

R. S.

Edwards

B. D.

Cortina

J. M.

(2009). On the practice of allowing correlated residuals among indicators in Structural Equation Models. In Lance

C. E.

Vanderberg

R. J.

(Eds.), Statistical and methodological myths and urban legends: Doctrine, verity, and fable in organizational and social sciences (pp. 195–214). Routledge.

30.

Lee

G. K.

Carter

E. W.

(2012). Preparing transition-age students with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders for meaningful work. Psychology in the Schools, 49(10), 988–1000. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21651

31.

C.-H.

(2016). Confirmatory factor analysis with ordinal data: Comparing robust maximum likelihood and diagonally weighted least squares. Behavioral Research, 48(3), 936–949. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-015-0619-7

32.

Lindsay

Adams

Sanford

McDougall

Kingsnorth

Menna-Dack

(2014). Employers’ and employment counselors’ perceptions of desirable skills for entry-level positions for adolescents: How does it differ for youth with disabilities? Disability & Society, 29(6), 953–967. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2013.874330

33.

Lindsay

Cagliostro

Leck

Shen

Stinson

(2019). Disability disclosure and workplace accommodations among youth with disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation, 41(16), 1914–1924. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2018.1451926

34.

MacCallum

R. C.

Browne

M. W.

Sugawara

H. M.

(1996). Power analysis and determination of sample size for covariance structure modeling. Psychological Methods, 1(2), 130–149. https://doi.org/10.1037/1082-989x.1.2.130

35.

Madaus

Lyman

Carter

(2013). Introduction to the special issue: Reflecting on the past, present, and future of CDTEI. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 36(1), 4–5. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143413485225

36.

Martin

J. E.

Hennessey

M. N.

McConnell

A. E.

Terry

R. A.

Willis

D. M.

(2015). Technical specifications for the transition assessment and goal generator. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma.

37.

Mazzotti

V. L.

Rowe

D. A.

Kwiatek

Voggt

Chang

W. H.

Fowler

C. H.

Poppen

Sincalri

Test

D. W.

(2021). Secondary transition predictors of postschool success: An update to the research base. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 44(1), 47–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143420959793

38.

Mulaik

S. A.

(2009). Foundations of factor analysis (2nd ed.). Taylor and Francis.

39.

Murray

Doren

(2013). The effects of working at gaining employment skills on the social and vocational skills of adolescents with disabilities: A school-based intervention. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 56(2), 96–107. https://doi.org/10.1177/0034355212452614

40.

Murray

D. S.

Ruble

L. A.

Willis

Molloy

C. A.

(2009). Parent and teacher report of social skills in children with autism spectrum disorders. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 40(2), 109–115. https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2008/7-0089)

41.

Neubert

D. A.

Leconte

P. J.

(2013). Age-appropriate transition assessments: The position of the division on career development and transition. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 36(2), 72–83. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143413487768

42.

Newman

Wagner

Knokey

A. M.

Marder

Nagle

Shaver

Schwarting

(2011). The post-high school outcomes of young adults with disabilities up to 8 years after high school. A report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS-2) (NCSER 2011-3005). http://www.nlts2.org/reports/2011_09_02/index.html

43.

Nochajski

S. M.

Schweitzer

J. A.

(2014). Promoting school to work transition for students with emotional/behavioral disorders. Work, 48(3), 413–422. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-131790

44.

Prince

A. M. T.

Gothberg

Still

C. J.

(2020). Toward a systematic review of legal cases: Secondary transition and students with disabilities over the last 5 years. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 31(2), 119–127. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207319870427

45.

Prince

A. M. T.

Plotner

A. J.

Yell

M. L.

(2014). Postsecondary transition and the courts: An update. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 25(1), 41–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207314530469

46.

Rogers

Lavin

Tran

Gantenbein

Sharpe

(2008). Customized employment: Changing what it means to be qualified in the workforce for transition-aged youth and young adults. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 28(3), 191–207.

47.

Succi

Canovi

(2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: Comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834–1847. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.20191585420

48.

Suk

A. L.

Martin

J. E.

McConnell

A. E.

Biles

T. B.

(2020). States decrease their required secondary transition planning age: Federal policy must change. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 31(2), 112–118. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207320915157

49.

Sundar

O’Neill

Houtenville

A. J.

Phillips

K. G.

Keirns

Smith

Katz

E. E.

(2017). Striving to work and overcoming barriers: Employment strategies and successes of people with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 48(1), 93–109. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-170918

50.

Tassé

M. J.

Lecavalier

(2000). Comparing parent and teacher ratings of social competence and problem behaviors. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 105(4), 252–259. https://doi.org/10.1352/0895/8017(2000)105<0252:CPATRO>2.0.CO;2

51.

Test

D. W.

Mazzotti

V. L.

Mustian

A. L.

Fowler

C. H.

Kortering

Kohler

(2009). Evidence-based secondary transition predictors for improving postschool outcomes for students with disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 32(3), 160–181. https://doi.org/10.1177/0885728809346960

52.

Tucker

L. R.

Lewis

(1973). A reliability coefficient for maximum likelihood factor analysis. Psychometrika, 38(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02291170

53.

United States Department of Labor. (1992, April). Learning for living: A blueprint for high performance. http://wdr.doleta.gov/SCANS/lal/lal.pdf

54.

Wagner

M. M.

Newman

L. A.

Javitz

H. S.

(2017). Vocational education course taking and post-high school employment of youth with emotional disturbances. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 40(3), 132–143. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143415626399

55.

Welch

Abulhab

Bowles Therriault

(2017, April 15). College and career readiness in Boston: Understanding and tracking competencies and indicators. American Institutes for Research. https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/Boston-CCR-AIR-Lit-Rev-FINAL-2017APRIL.pdf

56.

Williams-Diehm

K. L.

Cantley

Lyons

Deardorff

Lynch

(2021). A comparison of adolescents’ goals for one and five years after high school graduation. Special Education Research, Policy & Practice, 5, 141–162. https://issu.com/hofstra/docs/2021-special-education-research-policy-practice?fr=sNWFhOTM2NTE0ODU

57.

Wolman

Campeau

Dubois

Mithaug

Stolarski

(1994). AIR Self-Determination Scale and user guide. American Institutes for Research. https://www.ou.edu/education/centers-and-partnerships/zarrow/self-determination-assessment-tools/air-self-determination-assessment

58.

World Economic Forum. (2016, March). New vision for education: Fostering social and emotional learning through technology. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_New_Vision_for_Education.pdf

Supplementary Material

Please find the following supplemental material available below.

For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.

For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.

0.00 MB

0.02 MB