Identifying and Developing Employability Skills Training Curricula to
Address Barriers to Job Entry and Maintenance (R-3)

Abstract
Full Project Description
        National Need and Statement of the Problem
        Objectives
        Methodology
        Samples

Abstract

With the constant change in the workplace, it is clear that future workers must be well prepared to be marketable and competitive in the workplace. Critical skills include: (a) basic literacy skills, (b) job seeking, application, and interviewing, (c) social interpersonal communication and problem solving, (d) teamwork, (e) skills to identify and advocate for accommodations; and (f) job survival and advancement skills. Our prior research has developed and evaluated curricula designed to assess and teach consumers some of these skills.

Needed are systematic efforts to extend and evaluate the use of these curricula, including the development of new instructional strategies. Curricula already developed for deaf persons will be further refined and adapted to the needs of the following key target groups: (a) persons who are hard of hearing, (b) persons who are late deafened, and (c) persons who are identified as low functioning. New areas of focus, to be identified by working with professionals who serve these groups using a participatory model, will focus on literacy, resume writing, job lead development, and job survival/advancement. Resulting materials and guidelines for implementing these curricula will be developed and disseminated to programs serving these persons.

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Full Project Description

National Need And Statement Of The Problem:

In light of the changing nature of jobs and skills needed by workers, it is clear that deaf or hard of hearing persons preparing to enter the work force will need to possess a number of basic skills to be marketable and competitive. These changes imply the ongoing need for upgrading one's skills in order to maintain and advance in the workplace.

The research literature provides descriptions of critical skills needed by all workers. Prior research conducted by RT-31 has investigated and identified the relative strengths and deficits of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing with respect to these skills. These investigations have included multiple perspectives: (a) persons who are deaf or hard of hearing themselves, (b) their employers, and (c) the service providers who work with these groups (Anderson & McGee, in press; Boone & Johnson, 1988a; 1988b; Boone & Scherich, 1995; Johnson, 1993; Scherich, 1996). The critical skills needed include: (1) job seeking, application, and interviewing; (2) basic literacy skills (i.e., reading, writing, computing); (3) social interpersonal communication and problem solving; (4) teamwork; (5) skills to identify and advocate for accommodations; and (6) job survival and advancement skills. Although RT-31 has developed a number of curricula for some of the priority areas identified above, it is clear that additional materials remain to meet this full range of needs.

RT-31 has developed a number of research-based teaching curricula and corresponding assessment procedures designed to enhance specific employability needs (e.g. Boone & Johnson, 1990a; Boone & Berkay, 1996; Johnson & Boone, 1990a,b; Scherich & Berkay, 1996; Marut, 1988). To date, these materials have been evaluated by assessing if participants acquire the targeted skills and by obtaining feedback from service providers. Although these evaluations have generally been positive, systematic efforts to extend these curricula and validate them with other key target groups of deaf or hard of hearing consumers remain. Needed extensions reflect changes in the workplace and recommendations of service providers for "updating" curricula in light of these changes. Studies should also address limitations in the research previously conducted in such areas as impact of these curricula on the generalization and use of the target skills beyond the training setting, the need to apply these materials with larger samples, and the need to expand the applicability of the curricula to target groups beyond those for which they were initially designed. For example, curricula developed by RT-31 have not been systematically used with deaf persons who are identified as low functioning or with persons who are hard of hearing. Finally, we plan to adapt the existing materials for individualized as opposed to group-based instructional strategies, an extension that is based on needs expressed by many consumers.

This project proposes to address these needs by (a) conducting ongoing evaluations and extensions of existing curricula; (b) modifying and/or "updating" the curricula as needed; and (c) developing new curricula in needed areas of high priority. To facilitate attainment of these goals, a participatory action model will be used to link RT-31 faculty with service providers and consumers to guide these collaborative efforts. Among the partners in this effort will be service providers from five key agencies: (a) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services; (b) Lexington Center (New York); (c) Southwest Center for the Hearing Impaired (San Antonio, TX); (d) Community Outreach Program for the Deaf (Arizona); and (e) New York League for the Hard of Hearing (New York). Each of these programs provides substantial "One Stop" employability programs for diverse consumers who are representative of our key target populations. In addition, we will continue and expand our direct involvement with national consumer groups in this research by offering "Employment Enhancement Seminars" at national conferences sponsored by key target organizations (See TA-1).

Existing RT-31 curricula available to initiate the goals of this project address (a) computer-based career information and exploration; (b) job seeking skills; (c) interpersonal problem solving skills; (d) job accommodations; and (e) job advancement skills. These curricula, while typically directed at one stage of our employability model, may address or be used at multiple points during ones career (Szymanski, Hershenson, Ettinger & Enright, 1996). Furthermore, through collaboration with the five participating programs identified above, additional high priority curricula will be developed and/or adapted as necessary for specific subgroups of the target population. Among those recommended by the participating programs are literacy skills, workplace interpersonal problem solving skills, resume writing, and job lead development. Given the diverse caseloads of consumers served by most rehabilitation and community-based programs, consideration must be given to ensuring that the curricula are accessible and adaptable to the needs of these consumers.

Objectives:

1. To extend previous research evaluating the effectiveness of RT-31 produced training curricula designed to enhance skill acquisition and generalization of targeted employability skills such as those related to (a) job seeking; (b) interpersonal problem solving; and (c) job advancement.
   
2. To adapt and extend RT-31 produced training curricula to meet the unique needs of five key target populations served by the programs that have agreed to collaborate on this project with RT-31. The five target populations include those who are (a) deaf; (b) hard of hearing; (c) late deafened; (d) members of racial or ethnic minority groups; and (e) individuals identified as low functioning.
   
3. To identify and/or develop "new" curricula in areas of high priority for specific target populations such as literacy, resume writing, job lead development, and workplace interpersonal skills.
   
4. To adapt existing RT-31 produced training curricula to individualized instructional strategies using multi-media and computer technology.
   
5. To identify and develop strategies for disseminating and replicating the training curricula within programs that provide community-based or one-stop employment services.
   
6. To disseminate these curricula and related support materials to key target audiences and programs that provide rehabilitation and employment services to meet the needs of diverse groups of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Methodology:

This is a working document. The proposed activities are subject to change based on ongoing input from rehabilitation professionals, educators and consumers.

Samples:

The project will target the full range of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. The primary criteria for inclusion in this study will be desire or need for assistance to remediate specific skill deficits. For example, job interviewing training will only be applied with participants who are about to initiate or are already involved in a job search and need focused training in interview skills. The specific demographic characteristics of persons included in these studies will be carefully monitored across all sites to obtain an adequate description of the samples.

• Activity One: Initiate Collaborative Relationships with Service Provider Partners
• Activity Two: Initiate Collaborative Field Tests of RT-31 Training Curricula
• Activity Three: Identify Needs for New Curricula
• Activity Four: To Adapt the Training Materials to both Group-Based and Individualized Learning Formats Using Multi-Media and Computer Technology
• Activity Five: Initiate Strategies to Replicate and Evaluate the Curricula within New Sites
• Activity Six: Disseminate Training Curricula and Research Reports

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