Post on 15-Jan-2016
Vocational AssessmentsVocational Assessments
Diana ZitelliDiana Zitelli&&
Erin RichardErin Richard
OutlineOutline
IntroductionIntroduction Analysis of 2 vocational Analysis of 2 vocational
assessmentsassessments Enderle-Severson Transition Enderle-Severson Transition
Rating Scales (ESTR-J & ESTR-Rating Scales (ESTR-J & ESTR-III)III)
Vocational Adaptation Rating Vocational Adaptation Rating Scale (VARS)Scale (VARS)
Comparison & conclusionComparison & conclusion
OverviewOverview
Several assessment tools related to Several assessment tools related to vocational curriculum, none vocational curriculum, none specifically created for individuals specifically created for individuals with autismwith autism
““There are not, in my opinion, any There are not, in my opinion, any good vocational assessments for the good vocational assessments for the ASD population.”ASD population.” Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D., President of the Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D., President of the
Organization for Autism ResearchOrganization for Autism Research
ESTR: AuthorsESTR: Authors
Jon Enderle - former teacher of Jon Enderle - former teacher of secondary school students with secondary school students with disabilities and elementary inclusion disabilities and elementary inclusion teacher in Minnesotateacher in Minnesota
Dr. Susan Severson - former teacher Dr. Susan Severson - former teacher of students with severe disabilities, of students with severe disabilities, currently the coordinator of the currently the coordinator of the moderate/severe mentally moderate/severe mentally handicapped teacher training handicapped teacher training program at Minnesota State program at Minnesota State University MoorheadUniversity Moorhead
ESTR: A Brief HistoryESTR: A Brief History
ESTR – 1991, a transition rating ESTR – 1991, a transition rating scale designed for use with scale designed for use with individuals with all disabilities individuals with all disabilities
ESTR-R – revised in 1995 based on ESTR-R – revised in 1995 based on continuing research and feedback continuing research and feedback from users (revisions included more from users (revisions included more comprehensive subscales within comprehensive subscales within several categories, and a more several categories, and a more cohesive sequence of items in order cohesive sequence of items in order of difficulty level)of difficulty level)
ESTR: Current Versions ESTR: Current Versions AvailableAvailable ESTR-J – a revised version ESTR-J – a revised version
developed in 2003 intended for use developed in 2003 intended for use with individuals with MILD disabilities with individuals with MILD disabilities (revisions include removal of items (revisions include removal of items that do not pertain to this population that do not pertain to this population as well as rewording of several items as well as rewording of several items to better reflect skill level of to better reflect skill level of population)population)
ESTR-III – the current version ESTR-III – the current version adapted from ESTR-R in 2003 adapted from ESTR-R in 2003 intended for use with individuals with intended for use with individuals with MODERATE to SEVERE disabilitiesMODERATE to SEVERE disabilities
ESTR: Goals of AssessmentESTR: Goals of Assessment
The transition assessment process should The transition assessment process should provide the student, parent, and/or provide the student, parent, and/or educator with answers to these four major educator with answers to these four major questions:questions: ““What are the student’s desired future What are the student’s desired future
outcomes/goals?”outcomes/goals?” ““What skills does the student possess?”What skills does the student possess?” ““What skills must the student acquire to achieve What skills must the student acquire to achieve
their goals?”their goals?” ““What planning issues need to be addressed to What planning issues need to be addressed to
enhance the student’s opportunities to enhance the student’s opportunities to experience success in vocational, residential experience success in vocational, residential and community environments?”and community environments?”
ESTR: Goals of Assessment ESTR: Goals of Assessment (cont.)(cont.) After completing the ESTR, the student, After completing the ESTR, the student,
parents, and educators should have a parents, and educators should have a comprehensive anecdotal description of the comprehensive anecdotal description of the students current strengths and possible students current strengths and possible areas of concernareas of concern
Responses are divided into three Responses are divided into three categories indicating degree of categories indicating degree of participation; asks whether a student participation; asks whether a student performs the described behaviors: performs the described behaviors: “independently and consistently”, “with “independently and consistently”, “with assistance”, or “does not participate at this assistance”, or “does not participate at this time” time”
Raw “score” of assessment is not of major Raw “score” of assessment is not of major concern, rather the descriptive analysis concern, rather the descriptive analysis generated is considered valuable to generated is considered valuable to develop long term goals and should aid in develop long term goals and should aid in developing IEPsdeveloping IEPs
ESTR: Assessment ESTR: Assessment CategoriesCategories
EmploymentEmployment Recreation and LeisureRecreation and Leisure Home LivingHome Living Community ParticipationCommunity Participation Post Secondary EducationPost Secondary Education
ESTR: Research Supporting ESTR: Research Supporting UseUse No experimental research articles No experimental research articles
foundfound Dr. Severson’s dissertation: Dr. Severson’s dissertation: An An
investigation of the reliability and investigation of the reliability and validity of the ‘Enderle-Severson validity of the ‘Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Scale’Transition Rating Scale’
““Google” search for Google” search for Enderle-Enderle-SeversonSeverson generates about 250 hits, generates about 250 hits, many of which recommend the many of which recommend the ESTR as one of several useful ESTR as one of several useful transition assessmentstransition assessments
ESTR: ProsESTR: Pros
Result are descriptive and narrative, Result are descriptive and narrative, and therefore can be directly and therefore can be directly translated into IEP goalstranslated into IEP goals
Assessment is comprehensive, Assessment is comprehensive, addressing areas across all relevant addressing areas across all relevant skill domains as well as future goalsskill domains as well as future goals
Publishers provide an online Publishers provide an online assessment generator for assessment generator for convenienceconvenience
ESTR: ConsESTR: Cons
Many of the items include “skills” Many of the items include “skills” that we know cannot be that we know cannot be observed or measured observed or measured E.g., developing an understanding E.g., developing an understanding
of insurance, understanding of insurance, understanding concepts of sexual awareness, concepts of sexual awareness, having confidence in oneselfhaving confidence in oneself
ESTR: Suggested ESTR: Suggested ModificationsModifications
A behavior analyst might modify A behavior analyst might modify the ESTR by rewording certain the ESTR by rewording certain items to address skills that are items to address skills that are observable and measurable observable and measurable
VARS: IntroductionVARS: Introduction
Developed to quantify Developed to quantify maladaptive behaviors that maladaptive behaviors that could jeopardize the individuals could jeopardize the individuals ability to gain and maintain ability to gain and maintain employment employment
Looks at both behavioral Looks at both behavioral excesses and deficitsexcesses and deficits
VARS: PurposeVARS: Purpose
Aide in curriculum developmentAide in curriculum development Assist in making placement Assist in making placement
decisionsdecisions Give additional data for the Give additional data for the
evaluation of workersevaluation of workers
VARS: ItemsVARS: Items
133 items organized into 6 133 items organized into 6 categoriescategories Verbal mannersVerbal manners
Calls others derogatory namesCalls others derogatory names Communication skillsCommunication skills
Cannot carry on conversationCannot carry on conversation Attendance & punctualityAttendance & punctuality
Makes unnecessary or questionable Makes unnecessary or questionable trips to the restroomtrips to the restroom
VARS: ItemsVARS: Items
133 items organized into 6 133 items organized into 6 categoriescategories Interpersonal behaviorInterpersonal behavior
Laughs inappropriatelyLaughs inappropriately Respect for property, rules, & Respect for property, rules, &
regulationsregulations Takes food from snack areaTakes food from snack area
Grooming & personal hygieneGrooming & personal hygiene Has body odorHas body odor
VARS: The LearnerVARS: The Learner
Standardized on 606 mentally Standardized on 606 mentally retarded workers in New Yorkretarded workers in New York Majority were adolescents & Majority were adolescents &
young adults (13-30 years)young adults (13-30 years) Mild to moderate mental Mild to moderate mental
retardationretardation
VARS: The AdministratorVARS: The Administrator
No special education required to No special education required to administeradminister TeachersTeachers Teachers’ aidesTeachers’ aides ParentsParents Vocational specialistsVocational specialists
Rater rates behavior after Rater rates behavior after having a minimum of 70 hours having a minimum of 70 hours of contact with the learnerof contact with the learner
VARS: Rating ProcedureVARS: Rating Procedure
Each item rated on a 4 point Each item rated on a 4 point scalescale 4-Never4-Never 3-Sometimes3-Sometimes 2-Often2-Often 1-Regularly1-Regularly
VARS: ScoringVARS: Scoring
FrequencyFrequency Frequency of occurrence as rated Frequency of occurrence as rated
by administratorby administrator SeveritySeverity
Reflects the probability that a Reflects the probability that a given frequency of each problem given frequency of each problem behavior would cause termination behavior would cause termination of employmentof employment
VARS: Tabulation of RatingsVARS: Tabulation of Ratings
Add totals within each category Add totals within each category to obtain raw score for each to obtain raw score for each scalescale
Raw scores converted to deciles Raw scores converted to deciles using a table in the manualusing a table in the manual
Can be crudely graphed on Can be crudely graphed on chartchart
VARS: The researchVARS: The research
Malgady, Barcher, Davis, & Malgady, Barcher, Davis, & Towner (1980). Towner (1980). Conducted at a 6 level sheltered Conducted at a 6 level sheltered
workshop. workshop. Scores on VARS domains Scores on VARS domains
predicted “workers’ placement in predicted “workers’ placement in sheltered workshop significantly sheltered workshop significantly better than a regression model better than a regression model involving only IQ, age, and sex”involving only IQ, age, and sex”
VARS: ProsVARS: Pros
Even if test is not fully Even if test is not fully administered or scored, items administered or scored, items serve as a good checklist from serve as a good checklist from which IEP goals may be which IEP goals may be developeddeveloped
Authors suggest second person Authors suggest second person administers the test to gain IOAadministers the test to gain IOA
Easy to administerEasy to administer
VARS: ConsVARS: Cons
Out of printOut of print Scoring based on administers Scoring based on administers
memory of eventsmemory of events Scoring is subjectiveScoring is subjective Items written in negative, which Items written in negative, which
can be confusingcan be confusing The results, while informative, The results, while informative,
do not help professionals do not help professionals choose a suitable placementchoose a suitable placement
VARS: Cons (cont.)VARS: Cons (cont.)
Some items are unlikely to be Some items are unlikely to be displayed by individuals with displayed by individuals with autism (although perhaps autism (although perhaps individuals with Asperger individuals with Asperger Syndrome)Syndrome) ““Heckles other workers”Heckles other workers”
Some items are not observableSome items are not observable ““Fails to take pride in finished Fails to take pride in finished
work”work”
VARS: Suggested VARS: Suggested ModificationsModifications
Collect data over a specified Collect data over a specified period (e.g., 2 weeks) on period (e.g., 2 weeks) on specific items instead of relying specific items instead of relying on administrator’s memoryon administrator’s memory Define rating scale more preciselyDefine rating scale more precisely
Ignore items that aren’t Ignore items that aren’t observable (although scores observable (although scores could not be tabulated)could not be tabulated)
SummarySummaryESTRESTR VARSVARS
AssessesAssesses Current strengths & possible Current strengths & possible areas of concernareas of concern
Behaviors that may Behaviors that may influence ability to influence ability to obtain and maintain obtain and maintain employmentemployment
ResearchResearch 1 dissertation1 dissertation 2 published articles2 published articles
ProsPros •Result can be directly Result can be directly translated into IEP goalstranslated into IEP goals• Assessment is Assessment is comprehensivecomprehensive•Publishers provide an online Publishers provide an online assessment generator for assessment generator for convenienceconvenience
•Items serve as ides for Items serve as ides for developing IEP goals developing IEP goals •Realizes that problem Realizes that problem behavior is important in behavior is important in determining vocational determining vocational potentialpotential•Easy to administerEasy to administer
ConsCons Many of the items include Many of the items include “skills” cannot be observed or “skills” cannot be observed or measured measured
•Out of printOut of print•Scoring subjectiveScoring subjective•Does not yield Does not yield recommended jobsrecommended jobs
ConclusionsConclusions
An autism specific vocational An autism specific vocational assessment is needed to target assessment is needed to target the unique challenges the unique challenges individuals with autism face in individuals with autism face in the workplace, including the workplace, including assessment of both skill level assessment of both skill level and behavior challengesand behavior challenges
ReferencesReferences
Malagady, R.G, Barcher, P.R., Davis, J., & Malagady, R.G, Barcher, P.R., Davis, J., & Towner, G. (1980). Validy of the vocational Towner, G. (1980). Validy of the vocational adaptation rating scale: Prediction of mentally adaptation rating scale: Prediction of mentally retarded workers’ placement in sheltered retarded workers’ placement in sheltered workshops. workshops. American Journal of Mental DeficiencyAmerican Journal of Mental Deficiency 66, 633-640., 633-640.
Towner, G., Malagady, R.G., Barcher, P.R. Towner, G., Malagady, R.G., Barcher, P.R. & Davis, J. (1980). & Davis, J. (1980). Vocational Adaptation Rating Vocational Adaptation Rating Scale.Scale. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.Services.
ESTR Publications. ESTR Publications. http://www.estr.nethttp://www.estr.net