Planned Happenstance Skills in Transition Planning for Students with Exceptionalities

Youth who are transitioning from high school to post-school life will encounter a variety of life events (i.e., happenstances) that may be planned or unplanned, and that may positively or negatively influence their career development. However, existing research pertaining to youth with disabilities suggests they are less equipped to utilize happenstances in their career development. As a result, they are at a greater risk of encountering happenstances that have a negative influence on transition outcomes. This article aims to propose planned happenstance skills as a new career development framework based on Happenstance Learning Theory (HLT) that is designed to equip youth, with and without disabilities, to take advantage of happenstances. The framework emphasized the importance of incorporating planned happenstances skills in transition practices to prepare youth with disabilities for ever-changing trends and demands in the job market. A discussion of the challenges and benefits of implementing happenstances in transition practices is offered with the overall goal of improving transition practices to be more relevant to the career development process in the 21st century

A Systematic Literature Review of Video-Based Interventions to Improve Integrated Competitive Employment Skills among Youth and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

BACKGROUND: People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have lower employment rates than their peers without disabilities or other disabilities. Clear evidence exists regarding video-based interventions (VBIs) for improving task performance and social communication skills for students with ASD. However, such interventions have rarely been applied in integrated employment settings. OBJECTIVE: This systematic literature review aims to examine the utilization and efficacy of video-based interventions in improving the skills required to secure and maintain a job for youth and adults with ASD. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted on peer-reviewed articles on VBIs and ASD from electronic databases (n.d. –2019), an ancestral search of retrieved studies, and a hand search of retrieved journals. RESULTS: Effective approaches were identified from among 19 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen of the studies focused on teaching job performance skills associated with specific job duties. Only three studies targeted the utility of VBIs to improve job search skills. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that VBIs produce positive results in improving job performance skills. These positive results suggest promising future studies using VBIs to help equip people with ASD with the skills necessary to find and obtain employment

Exploring the Use of an Occupational Interests Card Sort with Young Adults with Intellectual Disability: A Preliminary Stud

Transition planning is the foundation for addressing post-secondary goals leading to improved outcomes. Transition assessments guide the transition planning process. Given the importance of transition assessment results, practitioners need access to measures supporting the active involvement of youth with intellectual disability. One such method is the occupational interests card sort. This study investigated the use of an occupational interests card sort with youth with intellectual disability, assessing its impact on their career decision self-efficacy. Results indicated that the occupational interests card sort influenced young adults’ ability to select career goals, as well as identify career themes beyond occupational interests

Blurring the Boundaries: Reflections From Early Career Faculty During the COVID-19 Era

The last three issues of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) have featured perspectives from a diverse set of contributors on how the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is being impacted by COVID-19. As four newly appointed faculty members with diverse backgrounds, the editor of IDD invited us to share our experiences with beginning academic careers during this unique time. In making this request, he pointed out that approximately half the members of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) are those who have some type of affiliation with an institution of higher education. While the perspectives outlined in this article do not represent those of all early career faculty, we hope our stories resonate with IDD readers who may be facing similar circumstances. This article includes a series of brief essays addressing how the pandemic has affected our academic job searches, research, teaching, and service. Although penned by different authors, each section encompasses our collective experiences, concerns, and hopes for the broader IDD community. We close with guiding questions that might support more socially responsive and integrated approaches to traditional academic roles as faculty continue to navigate the repercussions of COVID-19

Video-Based Intervention to Improve Storytelling Ability in Job Interviews for College Students with Autism

Job seekers with autism will likely benefit from explicit instruction in job interviewing skills given their social communication support needs. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a video-based intervention (VBI) to increase storytelling ability in responding to Patterned Behavior Description Interview (PBDI) questions in mock job interviews for college students with autism. This type of question is increasingly used in job interviews as a tool to select and hire candidates. A concurrent multiple-probe across participants design was used for four college students with autism (aged 19–38 years). Results indicated a functional relation between VBI and storytelling abilities was present for all participants. Implications for practice and research related to enhancing the job interviewing skills of college students with autism are discussed

Video Modeling to Improve Customer Service Skills of an Employed Young Adult With Autism

Providing evidence-based interventions in competitive employment settings is critical to improve employment outcomes for individuals with autism. This study used a multiple baseline across behaviors design to enhance the customer service skills of a young adult with autism employed as a cashier at a retail store. Results indicated the use of customer service phrases increased contingent on delivery of corresponding video models. Implications for employing young adults with autism in community-based settings are discussed