Transitioning

From School to Work

While the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act, (IDEA 2004),does include Transition Services Legislation,

requiring transition planning for individuals starting by at least age 16, statistics show that after the majority of these students

leave public school, they are still not actively employed.

What about IDEA???

Employment outcomes for adults

with autism are not encouraging : * As few as 6% of * As few as 6% of individuals with ASD have individuals with ASD have fulltime employmentfulltime employment

* 12% of individuals * 12% of individuals with high functioning with high functioning autism or Asperger autism or Asperger Syndrome are employed Syndrome are employed despite having average or despite having average or high than average IQs high than average IQs (Barnard et. al, 2001(Barnard et. al, 2001).).

A University of Wisconsin-Madison 2002 study of

405 adolescents and adults with ASD found that:

10% 10% were in competitive employmentwere in competitive employment

33% are in supported employment.33% are in supported employment.

Those in supported employment worked an average of 15 hours per Those in supported employment worked an average of 15 hours per weekweek

Those in competitive employment spent roughly 27 hours per week at Those in competitive employment spent roughly 27 hours per week at their jobstheir jobs

Those in sheltered workshops worked an average of 24 hours per weekThose in sheltered workshops worked an average of 24 hours per week

These individuals had few social interactions, and a large portion of These individuals had few social interactions, and a large portion of their interactions were limited to family eventstheir interactions were limited to family events

With proper supports and services

and with co- workers and job

coaches, who understand Autism,

individuals with ASD can become more successful

and independent in the workforce.

One program providing these critical services is described

on the following slides.

TEACCH- Supported Employment program

The TEACCH Supported Employment program The TEACCH Supported Employment program serves older persons with autism, helping them to serves older persons with autism, helping them to become as independent as possible by assisting become as independent as possible by assisting them in finding and maintaining useful them in finding and maintaining useful employment in stable, predictable and rewarding employment in stable, predictable and rewarding work environments. Since its inception in 1989, work environments. Since its inception in 1989, this program has used a variety of job support this program has used a variety of job support models to assist more than 300 people with autism models to assist more than 300 people with autism to secure gainful employment and to become to secure gainful employment and to become productive, tax-paying members of their productive, tax-paying members of their communities.communities.

In an effort to provide each individual with autism the greatest chance

of obtaining and maintaining successful, competitive employment, the

TEACCH Supported Employment Program has developed four different

models:

* *Standard PlacementStandard Placement *Mobile CrewMobile Crew

**Group Shared Support SiteGroup Shared Support Site **One-to-One One-to-One

PlacementPlacement

These four models differ only in the amount, and type, of support

offered to each individual with autism.

Each model incorporates the use of a "job coach," a trained professional, employed by Division TEACCH, who provides on-going

support for the person or persons with Autism.

The job coach uses structured teaching principles to teach the individual with autism the necessary vocational and social skills

required in the employment setting.

Job Coaches also educate coworkers and supervisors about autism, and act as liaisons between the individuals with autism and their

employers.

Standard/Independent

Model

Ratio: One job coach Ratio: One job coach supports 12 adults with supports 12 adults with autism.autism.

Frequency of Support: From Frequency of Support: From one or two visits per week to one or two visits per week to bi-weekly visits.bi-weekly visits.

Rate of Pay: Competitive Rate of Pay: Competitive wages and benefitswages and benefits

Types of Placements: Office, Types of Placements: Office, library, stocking, library, stocking, warehousing, computers, warehousing, computers, grocery stores, laboratories.grocery stores, laboratories.

Group Shared Support Site

Two to five individuals with Two to five individuals with autism working at one place of autism working at one place of business with one job coach business with one job coach providing full time on-site providing full time on-site support.support.

Ratio: One job coach for every Ratio: One job coach for every 2-5 adults with autism.2-5 adults with autism.

Frequency of Support: Frequency of Support: Intermittent support job coach Intermittent support job coach available entire work day.available entire work day.

Rate of Pay: Competitive Rate of Pay: Competitive benefits and wages.benefits and wages.

Types of Placement: Food Types of Placement: Food service, bakery, grocery service, bakery, grocery stores, research laboratories.stores, research laboratories.

Mobile Crew Model

One to three individuals with One to three individuals with autism that move from site autism that move from site to site completing a jobto site completing a job

Ratio: One job coach for Ratio: One job coach for every 1-3 individuals with every 1-3 individuals with autismautism

Frequency of Support: Frequency of Support: Intermittent support, job Intermittent support, job coach available entire work coach available entire work dayday

Rate of Pay: $6.50 per hourRate of Pay: $6.50 per hour

Types of Placements: Types of Placements: Housecleaning andHousecleaning andlawn-garden carelawn-garden care

One to One Model

The one to one model of The one to one model of supported employment supported employment consists of one job coach, consists of one job coach, employed by Division TEACCH, employed by Division TEACCH, and one person with Autism. A and one person with Autism. A company in the community company in the community employs the individual with employs the individual with autism. The Job Coach is autism. The Job Coach is located on-site throughout the located on-site throughout the entire workday. The biggest entire workday. The biggest difference between this model difference between this model and the others is the and the others is the individual with autism in this individual with autism in this model requires intensive model requires intensive support. As a result, the job support. As a result, the job Coach is there to continuously Coach is there to continuously adapt and modify structure to adapt and modify structure to meet the individual's needs.meet the individual's needs.

In spite of the significant accomplishments achieved, in the field of Special Education,

for students under 21, (IDEA 2004), the fact remains that these children

DO grow up and become adults.

To date, there is no legal mandate that these individuals be provided

with similar services as adults.

This tremendous burden is carried by the parents of these individuals, who piece

together support networks, invest personal resources, and juggle multiple roles and

responsibilities to help their children achieve fulfilling futures.

Transition is an ongoing process.

Parents of children with ASD have described it as Parents of children with ASD have described it as

““a journey that began the day my child was born”.a journey that began the day my child was born”.

With appropriate support, all individuals can lead With appropriate support, all individuals can lead happier, more productive and independent lives.happier, more productive and independent lives.

*http://www.ocali.org/transition/

References

*http://www.teacch.com/supportedemployment.html

*http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=42514996 &loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live

Mothers' Experiences of Transition Planning for Their Children With Disabilities.Ankeny, Elizabeth Madson, Wilkins, Julia, Spain, JayneTeaching Exceptional Children; Jul/Aug2009, Vol. 41 Issue 6, p28-36, 9p

*http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=33770582 &loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live Mary Korpi, Guiding Your Teenager with Special Needs Through the Transition from School to Adult Life.

Gengoux, GraceJournal of Autism & Developmental Disorders; Sep2008, Vol. 38 Issue 8, p1605-1606, 2p

*http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9389880 &loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live MAKING IT TO WORK: TOWARDS EMPLOYMENT FOR THE YOUNG ADULT WITH AUTISM. Patterson, Aileen, Rafferty, Andrea

International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders; Nov2001 Supplement, Vol. 36, p475, 6p