Information about Vocational Training for disabled persons.

There are so many options for anyone graduating from high school, looking for a career change or initial job, even just wanting to expand their resume to open new doors. Vocational training is one of those great options, especially for individuals with disabilities. This offers a chance outside of the four year college education, or the acceptance of just any job available out of High school. It provides training above and beyond to specialize what you can offer an employer, and also what you can offer yourself. Employment should be something you enjoy, you can feel your are giving a significant contribution to, and above all needs to be rewarding for both the employer AND you!

I have included resources to both locate the many schools and institutes that offer these services, but also information on what this is and the people that can help you make sure you get placed correctly. Vocational training is a wonderful opportunity to fulfill your dreams and accomplish goals you have set at many steps of your life.

Resources:

http://www.rwm.org/rwm/
- RWM is a vocational school database with only State approved/accredited schools. The search allows you to choose your State, your interest, and then finds the school that appropriately fits your needs/wants! They provide private, online, public education in all 50 states. Included are private schools that offer certificates, diplomas, associate (junior college) degrees, and bachelor (college) degrees in various Business, Trade and Technical disciplines.

http://www.communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=129

- Institute for Community Inclusion offers information pertaining to what Vocational Rehabilitation is and what it can do for you! After you have decided if this is right for you they also give tips on meeting with your counselor, your role, payment, and many other helpful tips and suggestions. Following is Florida's link to Vocational Rehabilitation services if you feel this will benefit you: http://www.rehabworks.org/ .

http://www.gettinghired.com/?gclid=CNedhfmyzZkCFQE0xgodmC6RtQ

- Getting hired is a free service to finding a job that suites you and the employer. I felt this link was important because once you have gone through and found your vocational school, successfully completed, and even received some helpful services. YOU can be at the fore front to your job search and fitting your abilities to a company, and the company to you. This can be a very fulfilling activity to increase your own self-determination and independence.
http://books.google.com/books?id=frRs7ni3zhUC&pg=PA149&lpg=PA149&dq=vocational+training+and+coordinated+services&source=bl&ots=as1EUM8GTM&sig=OUxEDcGU2uTMoDoWQQ-6MjPr5MY&hl=en&ei=JijSSY7YItjJtgfxn8TmBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPP1,M1

- This link is to a "preview" of a great book on current and long term services for individuals with disabilities. However, I believe a good portion of the book is on here and offers GREAT information pertaining to vocational training and statistics to back it up. Good read :).

http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-921/role.htm

- This is a great article on the role of vocational training in transition services. Also, they provide several resources available in assistance to receiving vocational training.

What if it gets tough? Help is available!

Although the goal is as much autonomy as possible for individuals with disabilities, they may struggle and need tools for success just like anyone else does. From physical accommodations like ramps, larger door frames, even wall colors to a wake up service to be sure they remember to go to work and appointments. These, and so many more, help these individuals accomplish their goals successfully and still create a great a great amount of self-determination.

Mostly throughout school with IEP's these individuals have received some sort of accommodation and/or assistance. These accommodations continue throughout life, in employment, living, transportation, school, social activities, etc. I would like to quote on the show Little People Big World when Matt Roloff says, "We can do what everyone else does, just in a different way". This is at the core of what these accommodations mean. It is critical that these individuals truly need extra services and are not becoming dependent upon, and ultimately cutting themselves short and depriving themselves of the satisfaction of achieving goals completely on their own. For example, I can only image the amount of dependence we have all come to with the use of the computer and Internet. Do any of use still obtain the ability to write in clear legible handwriting and in a letter!? That gets mailed with the United Postal Service, not Yahoo?

Because of the mass confusion that we all(including these individuals) must face when it comes to these decisions I have provided some resources to understand further the purpose of accommodations and some examples of what is available.

Resources

http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=5064

- This website provides information on several different workplace accommodations in many different areas. Also answered are frequently asked questions from employers and employees.

http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm

- The complete guide from the ADA (American Disability Act) and Disability Right Laws. A great reference for many issues individuals with disabilities may face throughout their life. It is extremely important for their self-advocacy to know their rights!

http://www.osepideasthatwork.org/toolkit/accommodations_manual.asp

- The U.S. Department of Education has put together an amazing tool kit for educators on teaching and assessing students with disabilities in the classroom and gives assessments, instructional practices, behavior, and accommodations. In addition they provide information on technical assistance products, and models for large scale assessments.

Self-Determination for all!

What made you go to college, get a job, buy a house, or vote? I can only imagine the varying answers to this question, but it most likely comes to a center focus of mastering the challenges set up for us in our environment. And with each challenge you develop experiences that build confidence and your self-concept.

With individuals with disabilities often they are over protected, guarded from some of these challenges, and therefore not able to master them either. I think it is important to recognize this inborn desire to grow and develop into adulthood and this means having experiences. As much as we would like to believe setting up a "mock" experience really gives a person a taste of the real life, I can say for myself the Sim's computer program did not really show me how to pay bills or build a house. Yes, it helped lay groundwork but the true gratification came later when I balanced my own checkbook and used real money to pay for real services. Real world experiences are key. However, we all know that things do not always go as planned. Credit companies are raising rates without prior notice or consent, robbers may vandalize, hurt, and steal our possessions. And we may fall ill due to not eating proper nutrients causing missed work, more bills, transportation issues, and many more serous problems. But after a major case like these, do we learn? Of course! Next time we go to the grocery store we may check on that credit card to be sure of the APR, and buy more oranges, and lock the door more carefully.

I realize this in its self is a real challenge for those who care, love, and often look after individuals with disabilities, to understand why it is better to give independence even if some hurt goes along with this. But they deserve to have these gratifying experiences of growth, and potential for their own self-determination! With these they will be able to better cope with all challenges that come their way and direct their own lives with confidence.

To help understand how these individuals can successfully accomplish theses goals I have laid our a few helpful resources.

Resources:

http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=962
-Provides general information on what Self-determination is, how it is achieved, and research to back it all up. Also, NCSET gives well organized tips for families and professionals to help promote self-determination in youth with disabilities.

http://thechp.syr.edu/Sheri.pdf
- This is one families true life experience with Self-determination. This is a story of Sheri, a 30 year old (at the time of publishing) who accomplishes living on her own and contributing to her community. This is a great story, and guide to follow.

http://selfdetermination.wordpress.com/
- Fellow bloggers have put together a Self-determination blog. Here individuals with disabilities get the chance to share their own stories, with their words, about their Self-determination experiences. This is a truly inspirational site, that will most likely bring you to tears of happiness. These individuals pour their hearts out discussing why this is such a critical thing to them, and gives people who work with them the courage to support them in accomplishing this.

Book:
"Learning Outside the Lines: Two Ivy League Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD Give you the tools for Academic Success Educational Revolution"
By: Jonathan Mooney, David Cole, Edward, M., M.D. Hallowell
- This book provides both individuals with disabilities, but also their parents, and other mentors reasons to persevere through academic work and face the challenges ahead of them. I believe the advice they offer can be applied through many parts of life, even outside of education. There is a light at the end of every tunnel. It highlights personal empowerment, Self-determination!!!

Health & Safety

When you do a health evaluation think of the things they would ask.  How many times a week do you exercise, how many glasses of water do you drink a day, do you smoke, and many other similar questions may be asked.  What about safety, think of the regular routine you have on campus. Do you think about the people and things in your surroundings, what about transportation on the shuttle, or even what time of day it is that you are walking on campus.  It is obvious when you think about these questions that health and safety are a part of all of our lives.

Now think about the questions and thoughts you may have in health and safety if you were disabled in some way.  What about if you had to think about if you remember where you are and where you are going, or if you remember the traffic laws when crossing the street.  If you were handicap, how would you get your cardiovascular exercise in when you are not able to leave a wheelchair? 

There are many more elements to these topics when you have disabilities.  Consider when you live alone who you would call or what you would do when you are sick.  Most likely you would go to the store and get medicine, or call the doctor and let him know your symptoms and possibly get a subscription.  Individuals with disabilities may have trouble knowing what to do, who to call, or even have trouble with transportation to get the help they need.  It is concerns like this that cause health and safety to be a major concern for these students.

Web resources:

http://www.kidpower.org/SERVICES/Special-Needs.html

-  This website provides information on safety for those individuals with disabilities.  They help identify the strengths and then practice the strengths to increase their safety practices.  In addition, they have several workshops available to persons with disabilities.

http://www.soflduval.org/

-  Special Olympics offer a chance to build confidence, develop friendships, socialize, and to get exercise and demonstrate their abilities.  This website provides information to Florida (Duval) residents.  This is a great way to help these individuals increase their physical fitness, and participate in friendly competition.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/guidance.htm

-  This is a great resource to have as both an employee with disabilities or an employer of a disabled person.  It provides a list of responsibilities to keep safe in the work place, and also information on "risk assessment".  Also, how you can advocate about adjustments that can made and resources to make use of.

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/disab.htm

-  Center for Disease Control (CDC) provides general information and facts about individuals with disabilities and physical activity.  They also have recommendations for communities to promote and get involved in increasing their activity.  Also, they provide a list of benefits of being active for these individuals.  

The goal of Independent Living!

Independent living can offer anyone a great sense of accomplishment and strength as an individual.  This is critical to be able to offer this opportunity to individual's with disabilities.  Having disabilities can often leave a person relying greatly upon others for so many things and really need to have their independence reinforced, and what better way to gain this than to be responsible for their own living.  There is a lot involved with this transition for anyone, but can often become very challenging to insure the safety, and individual integrity.  There are many resources available with valuable information, and tools to help these individuals excel at this goal.  

http://www.fdoa.org/resources.htm

-  It is very important to stay clear of isolation, and keep involved in the community.  This website provides several recreation and leisure programs to join and participate in to stay active and social, a critical piece to maintaining mental and physical health.

http://www.ilusa.com/index.htm

-  This website is a great newsletter to keep in touch with the current issues, government blogs providing information, and news updates relating to disabilities.  It is critical to stay in touch with your community and individuals with similar issues you may be struggling with.  Power in numbers can be applied when you join together and can learn from others mistakes and/or accomplishments.  

http://www.cilj.com/

-  Local (Northeast Florida) information about services, contacts, links to disability related sites and calendar of events.  Offers programs, job placement, and other important resource information that may be useful such as sign language interpreting services and advocacy.