Transcript Challenges & Opportunities for Success in Education and

Challenges & Opportunities
for Success in Education and
Employment for Individuals
Who Are LFD or At Risk
by
Tammy Adams
Janis Friend
High School’s Over…What Now?
 I have a reading level of 3.2
 I have a math level of 2.5
 I have no work experience
or training
 I have never managed my
own money or lived
independently
 I do not have a high school
diploma but rather a
Certificate of Completion
High School’s Over…What Now?
I went to a mainstream school and didn’t
really have the opportunity to develop good
ASL skills as my “interpreter” was not
skilled in ASL.
 Because I don’t have good communication
skills, they say I am “intellectually
challenged”.
 My family thinks I should sit at home and
draw SSI and not work…they
don’t think I can do anything.
 I don’t have any deaf friends
with whom to socialize.
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Desirable Characteristics of a
Service Provider
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Someone who believes in me and can make
others aware of what I CAN do.
Someone who can make others realize I have
much to contribute to the work-force,
community & society.
Someone who can communicate effectively
with me.
Someone who understands my situation and
challenges.
Someone who respects me and gives me
dignity.
Desirable Characteristics of a
Service Provider
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As an administrator looking to hire
someone to work with individuals who
are LFD or at risk, I look for the
following:
– Communication skills…either a native
communicator or someone who can easily
adapt their communication style to fit the
consumer.
– Desire to serve this population.
– Flexible & adaptable.
Desirable Characteristics of a
Service Provider
– Ability to look at the whole person.
– Strong background in deafness &
experience with different levels of
functioning.
– Knowledgeable about learning styles and
cognitive disabilities.
– Knowledge of other disabilities
– A mentor and/or someone who
can model appropriate dress
and behavior.
Desirable Characteristics of a
Job Coach, Counselor, Etc.
Good communications skills and the
willingness to use alternate
communication strategies (CDI,
communication coach, etc.) when
necessary to help the individual
communicate with him/her and with
others in their environment.
 Belief in the ability of the individual with
whom they work to contribute to the
employer.
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Desirable Characteristics of a
Job Coach, Counselor, Etc.
The ability to convey their belief in the
ability of the individual to employers and coworkers.
 Adaptability combined with the ability to
easily manage a relationship with both the
employer and the consumer.
 Good communication skills to enable
him/her to establish a relationship with
employers & co-workers.
 Creativity is essential
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Desirable Characteristics of a
Job Coach, Counselor, Etc.
- Good sign and/or non-verbal communication
skills
– Attention to detail and non-verbal cues by
the employer, co-workers and consumer.
– Ability to see the big picture of what the
goals are for the consumer and capability to
negotiate resources to assist
in achieving his/her goals.
– Team player
– Knowledge about technology/AT
Non-Negotiable Skills
• Communication…direct communication is
always to be desired.
– “Heart” or desire for serving individuals
who are LFD or at risk.
– Patience to hang in for the “long haul”
– Adaptability…willingness to
be flexible and creative
and able to adapt to
different strategies and
situations.
If a person has these
characteristics, then the rest
can be taught.
Training for Service Providers
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Where can I find training for staff who
work with individuals who are LFD or
at risk?
– The needs of individuals who are LFD or at
risk are very diverse and complex and it
requires specialized skills…where do we
learn those skills?
– There is no formalized training program
for serving this population…each
administrator has to put together
whatever resources he/she can to enable
the person to develop the needed skills.
Training for Service Providers
– In 2004 The National Task Force on Serving
Persons who are Deaf and Low Functioning
developed a Nationwide Model of Service
containing 4 areas of emphasis:
Standards of Service
Cohesive Programming
Trained Personnel
Research
Due to lack of funding this model has not been
implemented but it is vital to do so before we
can even begin to say we are meeting the
unique needs of this population.
Training for Service Providers
– Training that previously existed (e.g.
annual LFD conference in Houston) is no
longer available due to either lack of
funding or the failure of administrators
to recognize the need or benefit of such
training.
– 2008 Model State Plan provides training
and information on service provision to
this population.
Training for Service Providers
– More effort to get the educational and
rehabilitation worlds to work together…
more joint training & collaborative efforts
– Strategies to work with individuals with
cognitive issues are sometimes successful
with individuals who are LFD or at risk.
– Training for job coaches is available and a
component for serving individuals who
are LFD or at risk could be added to
existing training.
Cross-Training for Service
Providers
All those involved in service provision
to an individual who is LFD or at risk
should participate in training
together… this helps to get everyone
“on the same page”.
 Provides the opportunity to determine
what each agency can contribute to
the overall well being of the
individual.
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Cross-Training for Service
Providers
Teachers and rehabilitation
professionals need to be cross-trained
and that relationship cultivated.
 Should also be incorporated into
training for interpreters
and evaluators.
 Working as a team across
all disciplines
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How Do I Identify Someone Who
Is LFD or At Risk?
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The 25th Institute on Rehabilitation
Issues in 1999
– Contains a listing of common
characteristics of this population
– Intake interview form
Assessment tool developed by the
NIDRR Project at the University of
Arkansas
 Experience
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How Can I Provide Effective
Services?
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If no funding is available for a special
program or staff, focus on “pooling”
resources to develop a team
approach, e.g. take a LD specialist,
teacher, evaluator, a “deaf specialist”,
interpreter, etc. and create a LFD or
deaf at risk team that could develop a
system of service delivery that could
then be replicated in other areas of
the state.
How Can I Provide Effective
Services?
Establish regional teams to problemsolve and identify resources.
 Keep a checklist of what resources are
needed to serve this population and
where they are located within the
state.
– This will vary from one individual to
the other due to the diversity of the
population
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How Can I Provide Effective
Services?
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Ensure that job coaches understand
their relationship and responsibility
with the consumer but also with the
employer. Understanding the work
culture of the business and the
expectations of the employer will be
an important factor in a successful
placement.
How Can I Provide Effective
Services?
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Person-Centered Planning is a valuable
tool to use to develop services for
those for whom it is appropriate.
– Focuses on the individual’s
abilities (not their deficits)
– Identifies barriers and
opportunities
– Uses teamwork to successfully
overcome barriers and build on
opportunities
And Then What???
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If all tools at our disposal are
successfully used, the individual will
achieve:
– Independence
– A job
– A place in the community
– Opportunities to socialize
and make friends
- In other words….have a life!