Running Head: TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 1

Transition Job Skills Training Program for Individuals with Disabilities:

An Occupation-Based Community Program in Morgan County

Krystle Mitchell

University of Utah
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 2

Transition Job Skills Program for Individuals with Disabilities:

An Occupation-Based Community Program in Morgan County

The purpose of this assignment is to determine how to incorporate the skills and

knowledge of an occupational therapist into a program of an underserved and rural population of

the community. The needs assessment involved one-on-one interviews, group discussions with

students and staff, occupation-based and participation assessments completed by students and

parents, and personal observation of Morgan School District students, staff, and general

practices. After further analysis of the Morgan School District practices, a special consideration

was given towards the special education and resource department within the high school.

Through the thorough assessment of the setting and a literature review of pertinent topics, a

formal occupational program was developed and proposed to assist with the current needs and

gaps of the established services.

Description of Setting

Morgan County is a small area found in the northern portion of the state of Utah. It is

Utahs second smallest county by total area (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). Within this county is

Morgan School District, which includes a preschool, two elementary schools, a middle school,

and a high school. The mission of the Morgan School District is to:

Create a positive learning environment built on mutual respect and kindness that assists

students as they cultivate talents, prepare for meaningful work, advance toward post-

secondary education, become responsible citizens, and thrive as life-long learners.

(Morgan School District, 2017, para.1)

History
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 3

The small city of Morgan was established in 1855, followed by the creation of Morgan

County in 1862. The abundant rivers and streams made the land very attractive to fur trappers

and Native Americans. This land continued to promote private land ownership for many farmers,

which is still true today. The area had a successful lumber industry that led to a prominent

railroad line, increasing the communitys ability to trade (Utahs Online Library, 2017). As the

community grew, they built their first school in the 1860s. Eventually in 1936, the community

established Morgan City as the center for a consolidated elementary school where all students of

the county would meet. The first high school was then built in 1915 also in Morgan City (Smith,

n.d.). Though the area has had continual growth, it still remains one of Utahs smallest

communities reducing the amount of services and programs available to its members.

Target Population

Morgan School District serves 2,816 students total. Among those students, there are 816

students attending Morgan High School. Morgan High School currently has 57 students with an

IEP. Twelve of those students are considered to have moderate to severe disabilities with more

time spent in the special education classroom. The other 45 students spend more of their time in

the resource rooms or are able to integrate into the mainstream rooms with modifications applied

as needed. Diagnoses of students with IEP range from Down syndrome, Autism Spectrum

Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Intellectual Disability, vision impairments, behavioral disorders, and

physical impairments. The age of students ranges from 14 to 21 years old.

External Influences on Special Education

Policy. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a federal law that was passed

to require schools to deliver educational needs to children with disabilities that are considered

eligible. This policy provides that children with disabilities have appropriate and free public
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 4

education and related services that are designed for their specific needs and prepare them for

their future education, employment, and independent living (Office of the Law Revision Counsel

[OLRC], 2017). According to the law, students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are

also required to receive transition-planning beginning at age 16. Unfortunately, many necessary

and crucial services such as school-based preparatory experiences, career preparation and work-

based learning experiences are never provided (The Arc, 2016, para. 9).

Due to program funding policies, many special education programs are also understaffed

and underfunded. Also, many of the staff that are teaching special education courses are not

certified or licensed to work with special needs children. There is also a large turnover rate for

these positions. The overall experience and education of those attending special education

programs are affected by the lack of funding and lack of credentialed staff. The IDEA requires

schools to provide transition services for students so that they will be prepared to enter the adult

world, including continuing their education and employment (The Arc, 2016, para. 8).

Unfortunately, current legislative policy for students with disabilities has led to poor services.

In addition to lack of services and funding, every year between 150,000-200,000

students with disabilities age out of special education (in most states at age 22) (The Arc, 2016).

This population and age is highly vulnerable, and they would benefit from school services when

properly administered. When the public policy prevents adequate services, this population may

transition from the public school system without the adequate skills and services to lead a

purposeful and productive life.

Geographic. Morgan County is settled in the high valley of the Wasatch Mountains with

a division created by the Weber River. The community is a small area surrounded by mountains

creating a sense of seclusion. This type of geography limits the communitys access to other
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 5

businesses, programs, and community opportunities. The majority of the community travels for

work, demonstrating the limited job opportunities within the county. There are limited

businesses, restaurants, and only one grocery store that the majority of the community members

rely on. This type of environment also increases the reliance the area has on its own members,

promoting a very involved community. This situation can be a strength in some ways, but many

residents feel that their privacy is hard to protect due to the intimate size and location of the

county.

The geographic area and location also limits the type of providers that wish to work in

Morgan County. The secluded area and distance from larger cities reduces the amount of staff,

therapists, and other professionals that wish to work in the area. There is a high turnover rate of

school workers due to the geographic location of the community and the schools. The location

and geographic make-up of the county also creates difficult transportation. The roads into the

county wind through multiple canyons and roads are dangerous during the cold winter months.

This limits the opportunity for many people to commute to areas that can provide more options

for work and play. Also, the area limits the availability of public transportation. No state transit

companies navigate up to the Morgan County area, which reduces the opportunity for those

without another means of transportation to leave the small community.

Sociocultural. The adolescent to young adult age has many social and cultural factors

that affect how a student may act. Students feel pressured to follow certain physical and social

norms. Students see their peers behave a certain way, and they expect they should do the same.

This type of social behavior can make some children feel left out. When a child does not look,

walk, or talk like the majority of the other students, they may become less involved in school
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 6

activities. This can add to continued isolation and prevent a child from developing adequate

social and educational skills (Case-Smith & O'Brien, 2014).

Another cultural barrier for many students are the labels that society assigns them. When

a child is in a special needs class, they are automatically seen as different. If a child has to use a

wheelchair or crutches for mobility, the student is often seen as fragile or incapable. Children

with special needs are often seen as fragile beings that cannot participate in typical activities.

This can affect a childs opinion of themselves and their abilities. These types of social and

cultural beliefs may deter students from pursuing sports, further education, social experiences,

and explore certain career paths (Case-Smith & O'Brien, 2014).

One common social opinion expressed by the Morgan community was that it is normal

for children with special needs to stay at home after they exceed the ability to remain in high

school. Most children were reported to stay at home after they graduate or leave the school

system. This can prevent further progression of this population when they are isolated to their

homes after their public education experience.

Economic. The Morgan community also has a distinct gap in income. There is a large

portion of the community that is making significantly more than the national median income,

while there is also a large portion of people who are living below the poverty line. This is

another way that the community has a division. There are many families that have children with

special needs who are unable to provide services outside of the school system to help promote

their childrens success after school.

As mentioned before, a large portion of Morgans economics is supported by jobs outside

of the community. Many of the parents of students travel away from the county in order to make

a living wage. This reduces the opportunity for community members to assist with job skill
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 7

training opportunities. Also, the fact that parents have to travel away from the community for

their jobs means there is less support hours for those kids who are at home during the day.

Finally, a large majority of the jobs that are available in Morgan County are relevant to farming,

mining, and physical labor work. These types of employment are more complicated to get

permission for student approval to intern and job shadow due to liability issues.

Political. The majority of the county of Morgan is considered Republican and

conservative. This political view has a deep-rooted belief that power should be held at the local

and state level. This may affect the amount of funds provided to those with special needs. Recent

political barriers may include the changes in nationwide healthcare. The current government is

pushing a change to Medicaid, which will affect the amount of funds and services given to

people with disabilities. Children with disabilities and their families rely on Medicaid for a

range of services that support their health and development (Ulrich, 2017, para. 5). Cutting

Medicaid could lead to a reduction in early health services, home and community programs,

necessary therapy, and prescriptions for healthy development.

Demographic. The majority of the Morgan County community is dominantly caucasion.

The lack of diversity of a small community may make it harder for the non-majority kids to feel

that they fit in. The community also may not have as much exposure to others that do not fit the

typical mold, making it harder for children to assimilate into society. The majority of the

population of Morgan County belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS).

This religious establishment has created opportunities for those who have disabilities to be a part

of holiday and religious programs. However, the large membership of this religion has also

created another way that some members of the community, who are not LDS, to not feel

accepted or involved.
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 8

The small community and lack of businesses reduces the amount of opportunities for

work and disability-related assistance after high school. There are limited businesses that are able

to or willing to hire those with special needs. Also, because of the small population, there are

limited funds to assist with programs for those with special needs.

Services Provided For Special Education

Staff. The staff that has most relevant contact with children with disabilities includes

general education teachers, special education teachers, resource teachers, paraprofessionals,

counselors, and the school administrators. Students attend classes within the special education

classroom and in mainstream classes dependent on their individual needs. The staff assists the

students with academic curricula, social skills, and life skills.

Related services. Each student is evaluated through an Independent Education Plan (IEP)

and is assigned necessary related serviced dependent on set requirements. Many children in the

high school environment have been removed from related services due completion of basic needs

and lack of funding to continue providers from non-traditional school needs. The related services

category includes contracted physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and

psychological services. Currently, each of these professionals are spread across all of the four

schools as well as hold jobs outside of the district. Many of the requirements of these

professionals are provided by aides due to the size of the community and the use of contracted

service provider. For example, a motor aide completes services to children with fine motor

difficulties on a weekly basis instead of direct services by the occupational therapist.

Funding sources. Funding special education continues to be a more complicated

discussion. Many believe that federal and state governments provide funding and some even

assume that special education is entirely funded by the federal government. But it is the local
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 9

school districts who are mainly responsible for a free appropriate education

(UnderstandingSpecialEducation.com, 2016). Therefore, the burden of the cost is placed on the

district to fund appropriate equipment and staff for the students. Due to constant federal, state,

and local cutbacks, this becomes a constant struggle to find the necessary finds for students.

Funding for schools within Morgan School District is dominantly completed through the school

district budget. Some funding is contributed through the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and

parent donation funds. Some funding is also contributed to the special education department

through the money earned in the school bookstore.

Future Plans

The Morgan County School Board is currently working on a bond that will allow for

expansion of the school. This bond will be voted on in November and would replace the old

wing of the school with a new two-story addition. This would include an increase to the amount

of space the special education. It would also provide the opportunity to add new life skills

amenities such as a washer and dryer. The special education program has plans to increase their

bookstore work skills program where students have the opportunity to work in different roles and

environments to increase their skills for future employment.

Programming Strengths and Areas for Growth

Administrator and Counselor Perspective

Principal. A one-on-one semi-structured interview was conducted with the principal of

the high school. The principal stated that current strengths of his school includes opportunities

for conversations and expressing interest in the students, providing a wide range of opportunities,

and creating an individualized environment. Some weaknesses to the current services include

lack of re-teaching opportunities to assist students that need more time for new information to
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 10

become more permanent. He wanted to include programs that allowed students to have the

appropriate time to establish a sense of mastery in multiple areas of their education, though he

was not sure what that would look like yet. He also stated that their transition program is not

perfect because of the lack of ability to transition into the local establishments due to lack of

options. The principal stated that he wished there was a program that could help expose the

students to multiple areas of a business as well as opportunities outside of those offered in the

Morgan area.

Counselors. An informal interview was conducted with two counselors from Morgan

High School. The current strengths of the program include the emphasis the district puts on

continuing education. The counselors expressed that currently the school is experiencing a lot of

growth. Unfortunately, they are still working as a small school district, but experiencing growth

of a larger one. This is leaving the schools understaffed and the school staff they do have are left

to take on multiple responsibilities. As an unfortunate consequence, many responsibilities fall

through the cracks. One of the responsibilities that is not being fully developed is those involved

with transitioning students out of school to adult life. This specifically applied to students with

disabilities. Another barrier to the current services, stated by the counselors, include the small

community and funding for special programs. The county has also had difficult experiences with

the nearby vocational rehab contractor, which has left many students without the knowledge for

future career and educational planning.

Teacher and Aide Perspective

On a daily basis, the students of Morgan School District interact with teachers,

paraprofessionals, and aides. These faculty members work in different ways to promote the

educational requirements set up by the state and school district levels. There are two resource
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 11

level teachers and one special education teacher. Within the special education class, there are

four aids to further assist the physical and educational needs of the students.

Teachers. The two resource teachers, one special education teacher, and two mainstream

teachers were interviewed on a daily informal basis throughout their workday. The current

strengths of their programs included the principle of inclusion. The school prioritized integrating

students in to the mainstream classes as much as possible. The teachers also expressed that there

was a continual open conversation between all teachers and students that helped to increase a

students educational progression.

Unfortunate weaknesses and barriers of the program were identified. The first barrier to

the overall needs of students with disabilities was the lack of funds. The teachers exclaimed that

there are always items and supplies that they need, and the budget often does not support these

needs. Another weakness and barrier of the program discussed was that there are limited

opportunities for students with disabilities in the area. This includes a lack of vocational, leisure,

and life skills programs as well as work opportunities for the students. Also, mainstream teachers

discussed that sometimes their classes are too full to give the kids with special needs the

attention and support that they need to be successful.

Paraprofessionals and Aides. In addition to the teachers, the paraprofessionals and aides

provide support for many of the students with special needs. These paraprofessionals and aides

provide one-on-one assistance and teaching with the students within the high school. Informal

interviews were conducted with four paraprofessionals, one aide, and four assistants. Strengths

that were discussed included the established relationship with the local grocery store and a

restaurant to allow some students to increase work skill experience on a weekly basis. The

students are able to go to these local establishments and complete chores and small jobs such as
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 12

washing dishes, organizing groceries, cleaning menus, and preparing boxes of food for display.

Another strength was the access to a school van that can transport students to these local

businesses. Some community programs were mentioned such as the local church Christmas

Pageant. Also mentioned were that the parents generally were involved with their students

success. The paraprofessionals felt that parents were involved at home with learning

opportunities and promoting skill learning through extracurricular opportunities. Barriers to the

program and services provided included lack of money for opportunities. A general consensus

was that there are also a limited amount of opportunities for those with special needs after they

graduate from the high school. In addition to lack of opportunities after high school, it was also

mentioned that there is limited information given to the students with special needs about

attending college and what they are entitled to in terms of vocational and independent living

support.

Occupational Therapist Perspective

The occupational therapist is a contracted employee that has hired out the majority of the

services through an occupational therapy assistant and two motor aids. An informal interview

and observation of the occupational therapist was performed. The occupational therapist

discussed that most of the occupational therapy services were emphasized on fine motor

development in regards to handwriting. This generally meant that students in the high school

level were not seen as much as children in the elementary and preschool. The assigned OTA has

done groups previously in the past, however due to new assignment to the area,, this has not been

fulfilled. During the informal interview process, the occupational therapist discussed that the

students in the special education and resource classes would benefit from a transition program.

Client/Student Perspective
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 13

To create a well-rounded understanding of the students perspectives, one-on-one semi-

structured interviews, the modified COSA, and group discussions were completed. During group

discussions, students discussed that they liked specific activities they are involved in such as

school plays or being the girls basketball manager. Some students discussed that they wanted to

do more activities to make friends. Multiple students discussed that they were not sure what they

would do after school.

In order to assess the students occupational performance and satisfaction in a wide range

of areas, a modified version of the Child Occupational Self-Assessment (COSA) was created.

The modified COSA is a client directed assessment tool and an outcome measure designed to

capture children's and youth's perceptions regarding their own sense of occupational competence

and the importance of everyday activities (University of Illinois Board of Trustees, 2017). This

type of assessment allows the client to identify and then address their participation and ability in

occupations they find meaningful and important (Keller, Kafkes, & Kielhofner, 2005, p. 118).

Through this assessment, it was determined that the top 10 occupational concerns of the high

school students were the following:

1. Think of ways to do things when I have a problem

2. Get around from one place to another

3. Keep working on something even when it gets hard

4. Finish what I am doing without getting tired too soon

5. Make my body do what I want it to do

6. Buy something myself

7. Finish my work in class on time

8. Use my hands to work with things

TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 14

9. Learn the skills for a task/job

10. Keep my body clean

In addition to occupational concerns, the assessment also provided the top 10 occupational areas

that are the most important to the high school students as demonstrated by the following:

1. Take care of my things

2. Make new friends

3. Dress myself

4. Eat my meals without any help

5. Get around from one place to another

6. Do things with my friends

7. Get enough sleep

8. Use my hands to work with things

9. Learn the skills for a task/job

10. Have enough time to do the things I like

In addition to these occupational concerns and areas of importance, the students also

expressed the importance to be involved in school activities such as drama, sports, and

social games with friends. When asked about their future plans, many students expressed

uncertainty about what they will do after they leave the high school environment.

Parent Perspective

A modified version of the Participation and Environment Measure for Child and Youth

(PEM-CY) with a short survey was administered to all parents of the students who have a current

IEP or 501(c). The modified PEM-CY is a measure that assesses a students participation,

specifically regarding the home for the purpose of this paper. It also assesses the environmental
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 15

factors that may be affecting a childs participation. An example of this assessment can be found

at the end of this paper under appendix C. The free response portion of the forms revealed that

parents felt that there were some programs available to their children such as related services,

Special Olympics, special needs religious institute, and school activities such as the school play.

Programs the parents expressed they wished were available to their children included post high

school education, after school special needs sports and activities, as well as work opportunities.

Barriers of programs intended for their children included social stigma, time, and distance.

The results for the change portion of the modified PEM-CY is provided in Appendix E at

the end of this report. This part of the assessment portrays the parents preference on what

occupations they would like to see a change in for their children. This can include an increase,

decrease, or increase in a more broader variety of occupations. Analysis of this assessment

revealed that parents would like to see their children spend less time watching television, playing

video games, and playing on technology. Parents also demonstrated an interest in seeing their

children increase their time participating in arts and crafts, indoor play and games, socializing

and playing, household chores, job participation, cooking, school preparation, and exercising.

The results also established that parents would like their kids to be more involved in arts and

crafts, school preparation, and homework. Finally, parents would like their children to be more

involved in a broader variety of activities for job participation, personal care management, and

cooking.

Graduate Student Perspective

A combination of semi-structured and informal interviews, continual observation and

open conversation, and completion of occupational assessments were completed with the

students and staff in order to more collectively understand the gaps in current needs and service
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 16

for students of the Morgan School District. Observations of structured groups, extra curricular

activities, mainstream and specialized classes, as well as life skills training were completed.

Strengths. The current special education program with high school students has

attempted to integrate opportunities for the students to be exposed to multiple job skills. The

strengths of this program include access to an on-site bookstore that the students are able to work

in. The students also have the opportunity to go to a local restaurant and grocery store for work

skill experience. The students have a variety of support through teachers, paraprofessionals,

assistants, peer tutors, and counselors. The established program allows for student to participate

in a range of academic and extra-curricular activities. The student body also appears to be

generally supportive and friendly with students attending resource and special education

programs.

Weaknesses and barriers. The supportive nature of the school allows for many of the

students to develop learned helplessness. Many students are observed to take advantage of those

assisting them so that they are not actually completing the work. It was also observed, that during

job skills activities, the peer tutor or paraprofessional would just complete the task instead of

allowing the student to learn and adapt to the experience. Students are overshadowed by the

productivity of aids and assistants. It is important to incorporate programs that develop problem

solving skills, self-sufficiency, and confidence during task completion. An occupational therapist

has the skill set to set up the environment and provide necessary supports for increased

independence, without completing the task for the client.

Also, the current program lacks modifications and adaptations for the students to be

successful in work and academic opportunities. One example of this problem is while students

are washing dishes, they require multiple verbal cues to follow the correct process. There are no
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 17

visual aids or adaptations made to increase the students independence in this task. Observations

also demonstrated that students would benefit from technological or visual reminders to keep

track of their responsibilities to also increase their independence. During tasks such as washing

dishes, the teacher had to repeatedly provide verbal and physical cues to assist with task

completion. Occupational therapists are able to develop and provide necessary adaptations on a

client-centered basis to promote occupational performance.

The current program also appears not to take advantage of real-life opportunities to

educate their students on life skills and future opportunities. For example, the students rotate

shifts working in their school bookstore. This would be a prime opportunity to teach the students

about hourly wages, budgeting, and scheduling. The program does take advantage of the

opportunity to demonstrate how this work experience will emulate future experience. Currently,

the students appear to not be learning about the concept of earning wages for their services. The

current program is also missing job skill opportunities outside of the typical recycling and

cleaning. The majority of the experiences the students are presented with consist of scrubbing

tables and dishes or taking out recycling and trash. The lack of variation for work skills can limit

the students future career and life opportunities.

Another area for growth for the current program is promoting future possibilities for the

students. Upon conversation with multiple students, they did not demonstrate an understanding

about what the future holds. Students were not sure about what was expected of them after high

school. There appeared to be little education with these students about future careers or possible

college programs. It is important for students to be thinking about what they are interested in and

what possibilities are available to them so that they can be adequately prepared to make the next

steps.
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 18

Currently, there appears to be limited health and wellness, exercise, and athletic

opportunities for those with disabilities. There are no current athletic opportunities for students

with disabilities and special needs. Families can travel to events such as the Special Olympics,

but there is not a consistent program that promotes inclusion in sports or teams for those with

special needs. Through observation of student habits, the formation of a health and wellness

program would increase healthier decision-making and overall quality of life. In addition to a

physical wellness program, the students would benefit from a social wellness program. Many

students commented on wanting to have more opportunities to make friends. The students

demonstrated the need for continued social skills training, practical application of learned skills,

and opportunities to create new relationships. Social participation is an important occupation that

can be supported through the skills of an occupational therapist.

TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 19

References

Case-Smith, Jane; O'Brien, Jane Clifford (2014). Occupational Therapy for Children and

Adolescents (Objective Measurement: Theory into Practice) (Page 3). Elsevier Health

Sciences. Kindle Edition.

Keller, J., Kafkes, A., & Kielhofner, G. (2005). Psychometric characteristics of the Child

Occupational Self Assessment (COSA), Part One: An initial examination of

psychometric properties. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 12(3), 118-127.

doi:10.1080/11038120510031752

Morgan School District. (2017). United For Excellence. Retrieved September 28, 2017, from

https://www.morgansd.org/

Office of the Law Revision Counsel. (2017). Title 20: Chapter 33Education of Individuals

with Disabilities. Retrieved October 4, 2017, from http://uscode.house.gov/

Smith, L. H. (n.d.). The Settlements of Morgan County. Retrieved October 2, 2017, from

http://www.morganhistoricalsociety.com/histories/settlements.htm

The Arc. (2016). Public Policy and Legal Advocacy: Education Issues for People with

Disabilities. Retrieved October 2, 2017, from http://www.thearc.org/what-we-do/public-

policy/policy-issues/education

Ullrich, R. (n.d.). Cuts to Medicaid Would Harm Young Children with Disabilities. Retrieved

October 3, 2017, from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/early-

childhood/reports/2017/05/03/431766/cuts-medicaid-harm-young-children-disabilities/

UnderstandingSpecialEducation.com. (2016). Understanding Special Education Funding.

Retrieved October 1, 2017, from http://www.understandingspecialeducation.com/special-

education-funding.html
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 20

U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). QuickFacts. Retrieved September 28, 2017, from

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/morgancountyutah/PST045216

University of Illinois Board of Trustees. (2017). COSA. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from

http://www.cade.uic.edu/moho/productDetails.aspx?aid=3

Utahs Online Library. (2017). Morgan County, Utah. Retrieved October 1, 2017, from

http://onlinelibrary.utah.gov/research/utah_counties/morgan.html
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 21

Appendix A: Interview Questions

OT questions
What does your current caseload look like?
What diagnoses are on your caseload? What diagnosis do you work with the most?
How often do kids receive services?
Are there kids who you want to work with but cannot due to lack of funds/service opportunities?
What other providers do you work with?
What are the strengths of the current services?
What are the weaknesses of the current services?
What barriers do you feel prevent you from providing services?
How do you decide what kids to see and who is put on the COTAs caseload or the motor aids
caseload?
What programs or groups do you wish you could implement?
What programs do you think would benefit the students currently?
What ages receive the most services?
What qualifies a child for services?
What occupations do you assess the most? Implement in therapy?
What programs have been offered previously that did not work?
What area is being overlooked?
How active are the parents?
What do the parents request more of? Assistance with? Information on?

Staff questions
What programs do the students have access to?
What programs do you wish were available?
What are the strengths of the current services?
What are the weaknesses of the current services?
What are current barriers to implementing new programs?
How do you currently fund programs?
What would you have to do to fund other programs?
What do you feel are the most relevant needs of the students?
What programs have you observed in other locations that you feel would benefit this area?
If you had unlimited funds for the program, what would you want to buy or implement?
What other services do you feel should be offered?

Student Questions
What is your favorite part of school?
What is your least favorite part of school?
What do you feel you are good at?
What do you wish you could do better at?
What do you want to do when you leave school?
Are there any activities you wish you could do?
What careers are you interested in?
What activities do you like to do?
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 22

Appendix B: Modified Child Occupational Self Assessment (M-COSA) sample

TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 23
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 24

Appendix C: Modified Participation and Environment Measure Children and Youth

(M-PEMCY) sample
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 25
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 26

Appendix D: COSA Big to Little Problem Results (Top 14)

I have a big I have a little

Category problem problem doing Total Percentage
doing this this
Think of ways to
1 do things when I 9 4 13 50%
have a problem
Get around from
2 one place to 11 1 12 46%
another
Keep working on
3 something even 8 2 10 38%
when it gets hard
Finish what I am
doing without
4 4 6 10
getting tired too 38%
soon
Make my body
5 do what I want it 3 6 9 35%
to do
Buy something
6 4 4 8 31%
myself

Finish my work in
7 4 4 8 31%
class on time
Use my hands to
8 4 4 8 31%
work with things
Learn the skills
9 3 4 7 27%
for a task/job
Keep my body
10 4 2 6 23%
clean
Get my
11 4 2 6 23%
homework done
Make others
12 understand my 2 4 6 23%
ideas
Make new
13 2 4 6 23%
friends
Play
14 3 3 6 23%
sports/games
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 27

COSA Really to Most Important Results (Top 14)

Really
Most important
Myself Important to Total Percentage
of all to me
me
Take care of my
1 12 5 17 65%
things
2 Make new friends 5 12 17 65%

3 Dress myself 10 6 16 62%

Eat my meals
4 8 8 16 62%
without any help
Get around from
5 one place to 6 10 16 62%
another
Do things with my
6 8 8 16 62%
friends
7 Get enough sleep 11 4 15 58%

Use my hands to
8 11 4 15 58%
work with things

Learn the skills for

9 4 11 15 58%
a task/job
Have enough
10 time to do the 4 10 14 54%
things I like
Choose things
11 8 6 14 54%
that I want to do
Finish my work in
12 6 8 14 54%
class on time
Keep my body
13 2 11 13 50%
clean
Get my
14 5 8 13 50%
homework done
TRANSITION JOB SKILLS TRAINING 28

Appendix E: PEMCY Results Change