Date of Graduation

1993

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if the transition from school programs to sustained employment was made by former mildly mentally handicapped students. The study was designed to determine what variables contributed to successful transition. These independent variables were four types of school programs, availability of work coordinators or job coaches, gender, and opportunity. Briefly, the four types of programs were (A) special classes with supervised work experience, (B) special classes and work experience not related or supervised by school personnel, (C) special classes with no work experience, and (D) special classes in grades 9 and 10. A secondary objective was to determine if the former students had obtained an independent living status. The study focused on students identified as developmentally handicapped in accordance to the State of Ohio's Rules for the Education of Handicapped Children. All potential respondents possessed intelligence quotients, as measured by the Stanford Binet or the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children Revised, between 50 and 80. The subjects were 1988 graduates from special programs operated by twenty-seven school districts located in East Central Ohio. Each of the school districts was contacted. The purpose of the study was explained and information leading to the former students' most recent address and telephone listing was requested. An interview guide was implemented leading to school program information, employment, information, and living status. Each former student was contacted by phone when possible, others were sent a copy of the interview guide with instructions to return the completed form in the stamped addressed envelope provided. The statistic used to clarify and assist in analyzing the data was Chi-square. The MYSTAT system, a version of SYSTAT, was used to compute the combinations of the independent variables (school program type, gender, availability of work coordinators or job coaches, and opportunity) to each dependent variable (successful transition and independent living status). Of sixty-eight respondents, fifty-one reported to be gainfully employed and thirty were reported to be living independently. All participants having completed Program Types A or B were reported as having achieved successful transition. In conclusion, it would appear that work experience enhances the opportunity to obtain and sustain gainful employment. School programs need to coordinate basic academic, life, and fundamental employability skills during the secondary years, and extend the support until the transition is complete.

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