Not My Job , or is it: School Counselor\u27s Perceptions of Collaboration With Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors

Students with disabilities (SWD) face obstacles in completing their high school education and deciding on their next steps, such as college or careers. This qualitative study used inductive thematic analysis to explore the perspectives of secondary school counselors on their experiences collaborating with vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselors and their knowledge of the services they provide. Study participants were identified through national and state-level professional school counselor associations and included 159 secondary school counselors. Participants answered five open-ended questions regarding their beliefs and collaborative practices with VR counselors. Results indicated that many school counselors are aware of VR services but lack the basic information needed to collaborate effectively and have experienced barriers to collaboration with their local VR system. There is a need for additional training and knowledge to enable school counselors to engage in the postsecondary transition process for SWD. Recommendations for future practice were provided

Exploring the Knowledge, Perceptions and Practice Patterns of School Counselors Regarding Vocational Rehabilitation for Transition Age Youth With Disabilities

There is a dearth of research exploring the potential impacts of collaborative partnerships between vocational rehabilitation (VR) and school counselors for transition age students with disabilities. The purpose of the current study was to explore school counselor\u27s beliefs and behaviors related to VR collaboration. Study participants were identified through national and state level professional school counselor associations and included 178 secondary school counselors. Participants completed the VR beliefs scale which was developed to attain information regarding secondary school counselor\u27s knowledge and practice patterns to VR counseling. Results indicated that while the majority of participants reported some familiarity with VR services, school counselors were not significantly involved with connecting students with disabilities to VR services. Three recommendations for future practice were provided (i.e., rehabilitation counselor initiated collaboration efforts and information dissemination, professional accountability and, interdisciplinary counseling training programs)