Pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) are designed to build upon school-based transition services to support students with disabilities in developing skills to meet their post-school goals around competitive integrated employment.
OBJECTIVE:
This study examines Pre-ETS providers’ experiences assisting students with disabilities in developing skills for transition through Pre-ETS activities.
METHOD:
Through an electronic survey, the insights of 96 providers of Pre-ETS were examined in relation to the planning, delivery, and impact of different activities.
RESULTS:
A lack of consistency in the process of planning Pre-ETS instruction exists across providers, though most report individualizing at the student or group level. Additionally, providers report using multiple methods to plan Pre-ETS delivery focused largely on Pre-ETS curriculum and transition websites. The types of services and activities implemented and the reported impact of each varies across providers.
CONCLUSION:
We offer recommendations focused on policy and practice for Pre-ETS providers to support students with disabilities as they transition into competitive integrated employment.
Awsumb,J. M., Carter,E. W., Schutz,M. A., McMillan,E. D. (2020). Perspectives of pre-employment transition services providers on preparing youth with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 53(2), 205–218. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-201097
2.
Awsumb,J. M., Schutz,M. A., Carter,E. W., Schwartzman,B., Burgess,L., Taylor,J. L. (2022). Pursuing paid employment for youth with severe disabilities: Multiple perspectives on persistent challenges. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 47(1), 22–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/15407969221075629
3.
Bouck,E. C,., Long,H. M., Costello,M. P. (2021). Parent and youth post-school expectations: Students with intellectual disability in rural schools. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 40(1), 13–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/8756870520945572
4.
Carlson,S. R., Thompson,J. R., Monahan,J. (2020). An analysis of state pre-employment transition services policies. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 52(1), 43–59. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-191059
5.
Frentzel,E., Geyman,Z., Rasmussen,J., Nye,C., Murphy,K. M. (2021). Pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities: A scoping review. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 54(2), 103–116. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-201123
6.
Harris,P., Taylor,R., Thielke,R., Payne,J., Gonzalez,J., Conde,G. (2009). Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap): A metadata-driven methodology and workflow process for providing translational research informatics support. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 42,, 377–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbi.2008.08.010
7.
Lund,E. M. (2020). Post-school employment and education outcomes of young adults reporting deafblindness on the high school longitudinal study of 2009. Rehabilitation Association, 53(3), 11–22.
8.
Mazzotti,V. L., Plotner,A. J. (2014). Implementing secondary transition evidence-based practices: A multi-state survey of transition service providers. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 39(1), 12–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143414544360
9.
McDonnall,M. C., Cmar,J. L., McKnight,Z. S.(2022). The impact of the workforce innovation and opportunity act on agency-level vocational rehabilitation outcomes for adults and youth with blindness and low vision. Journal of Disability Policy Studies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207322113581
10.
Miller,R., Sevak,P., Honeycutt,T.(2018). State vocational rehabilitation agencies’ early implementation experiences with pre-employment transition services. Retrieved from https://vrpracticesandyouth.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/04/Early Experiences with Pre-ETS.pdf
11.
Neubert,D. A., Luecking,R. G., Fabian,E. S. (2018). Transition practices of vocational rehabilitation counselors serving students and youth with disabilities. Rehabilitation, Research, Policy, and Education, 32(1), 54–65. https://doi.org/10.1891/2168-6653.32.1.54
12.
Pacheco,T. L., Morgan,R., L, McKnight-Lizotte,M. C. (2022). Collaboration between secondary special education teachers and community rehabilitation service providers: A focus group analysis. Developmental Disabilities Network Journal, 2(2), 65–82.
13.
Plotner,A. J., Trach,J. S., Oertle,K. M., Fleming,A. R. (2014). Differences in service delivery between transition VR counselors and general VR counselors. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 57(2), 109–115. https://doi.org/10.1177/0034355213499075
14.
Prince,A. M. T., Hodge,J., Bridges,W. C., Katsiyannis,A. (2018). Predictors of postschool education/training and employment outcomes for youth with disabilities. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 41(2), 77–87. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143417698122
15.
Sherman,S. G., Sanders,M. P., Schuster,R., Bloomberg,M., Eischens,P., Bethune Scroggs,L., Limbrunner,L. (2019). Perceptions of vocational rehabilitation professionals regarding workforce innovation and opportunity act policy changes and employment outcomes. Journal of Rehabilitation, 85(4), 50–61.
16.
Shogren,K. A., Wehmeyer,M. L.(2020). Handbook of adolescent transition education for youth with disabilities (2nd ed.). Routledge.
17.
Smith,M. J., Sherwood,K., Blajeski,S., Ross,B., Smith,J. D., Jordan,N., Dawalt,L., Bishop,L., Atkins,M. S. (2021). Job interview and vocational outcomes among transition-age youth receiving special education pre-employment transition services. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 59(5), 405–421. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-59.5.405
18.
Taylor,J. P., Whittenburg,H. N., Rooney-Kron,M., Gokita,T., Lau,S. J., Thoma,C. A., Scott,L. A. (2022). Implementation of pre-employment transition services: A content analysis of workforce innovation and opportunity act state plans. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 45(2), 60–70. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143421993027
19.
Test,D. W.(2012). Evidence-based instructional strategies for transition. Brookes.
20.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, 29 U.S.C. §3101 et seq. (2014)
21.
Wu,Y., Thurlow,M., Johnson,D. (2021). A national view of transition planning participation and post-school goals for English learners with disabilities. Exceptionality, 31(1), 18–35. https://doi/full/10.1080/09362835.2021.1938060
22.
Yamamoto,S. H. (2022). Post-high school outcomes of adolescents with learning disabilities: Using annual state administrative data and predictive analytics. Journal of Applied Social Science, 17(1), 21–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/19367244221133481
