Paid Employment for

Students with Autism, Mental Retardation and Emotional Disturbances

Question• Do you have living skills teachers who feel

frustrated or stressed due to the fact that they have students graduating and nothing is planned for them to do after graduation?

Goal• Provide a continuum of all functional skills

learned at school to be transferred to the community with maximum support before graduation

• Provide opportunities to transfer skills to the community in an actual job site with support from a job coach or natural support groups on an individual basis regardless of disability

VACVAC

• Teaches work skills to students with Mental Retardation, Autism and Emotional Disturbances

• Assist with job placement in the community

• Provide a high level of support on the job site

Continue

• Teach parents to be their child’s best support system (Parent Meetings, etc. )

• We work with teacher’s to facilitate necessary documents to obtain and maintain employment

(food handlers, TX ID, Public Transportation, etc.)

Continue…• Build in natural support

between job coaches and employers

• Helps students become self sufficient before graduation

• Helps maintain employment after graduation while integrating other outside agencies

First Pay Check!

Important Issues• Maintain proper communication with small businesses around their community

• Seek employment opportunities

• Advocate for our students • Match student’s interest

Continue…• Monitor student’s job performance

• Counsel and support proper work habits

• Provide high level of job coaching as necessary

• Adapt and modify behavior plan on the job as needed

• Help obtain and maintain employment

Strategies :

• Establish a relationship with the students (As soon as they enter High School)• Treat them with respect • Know their needs• Know their likes and dislikes • Learn to see student’s need and not the

disability• See their potential• Believe in them!

More strategies• Work with them in various settings: home, school and

community (Community Based Instruction)• Build a “Teamwork” approach between student,

parents, family members, classroom teachers, job coaches and VAC teacher

• Help with vocational assessment (profile, observation, etc.)

• Create an inventory list of interest, strengths and weaknesses

• Provide a variety of hands-on activities • Create a task analysis when needed• Advocate on their behalf

New Movements• Job Coaches have moved from community

training to actual supported employment• One to one job coaching• Proper modeling of necessary tasks• Match student interest with employers needs• Provide job coaching at all times and fade out

when the employer agrees it’s time for more natural support

Job Sites• Socorro Independent School District – Food Service (6 yrs.) and Custodian (7 yrs.)• Red Lobster – Server (over 10 yrs.)• Outback Restaurant – Ground keeper • Ready One Industry – Corrugated Area and Sewing • Fort Bliss – Computer Assistant and Construction• The Bookery – Clerical Assistant• Johnny’s Grooming – Pet groomer assistant• Q-Mart (Bakery)- Baker• Kids-r-us Daycare- Child Care Assistant• El Paso Airport – Construction,• Ranch Market- Door Greeter• Border Patrol – Maintenance• Wal-Mart – Door Greeter, Deli Assistant and Stocker• Etc.

Wal-Mart

Health, Beauty and Fitness

Just For You

Job Readiness Skills Needed:

• Dressing Appropriately• Personal Hygiene• Greetings• Being On Time• Communication

• Portfolio: Resume, Video Resume, Letters of Recommendation, Personal Info., Other Documents and Extra

Success!!

Approaches• Community Based Instruction• Built a friendly relationship with neighborhood

businesses• Use various forms of contacts or referrals to obtain

employment (family, friends, etc. )• Advertise and Promote (Use the Media)• Job Fairs• Develop Job Readiness Skills• Offer various job opportunities• Remember their 1st job is not necessarily their only

job

Video Resume• The video is on a 20 year

old student who enjoys animals and demonstrated a special interest working at a pet shop.

Barriers• Parents - Low expectations -Afraid of loosing SSI Benefits -Used to having school district do everything for them • Teachers -Low expectations -See their weaknesses not their strengths -Too much work and not enough help• Students -Lack of challenges -Not being held responsible • Lack of Social Skills -Used to having everyone do everything for them - No correction of social skills

Class of 2008

Hints for successful Employment

• Talk about expectations at a young age• Teach them about their disability• Show them how to be responsible• Develop patterns of good attendance and

punctuality• Involve them in social and leisure activities• Increase positive work experience • Teach Social Skills• Work on Self-Esteem

Success Rate• PRIOR TO 2006 PLACEMENT WAS MORE FOR STUDENT WITH

LEARNING DISABILITIES• 2006 – 2007 AU, MR AND ED = 6 LD = 12• 2007 – 2008 AU, MR AND ED = 9 LD = 12• 2008 – 2009 AU, MR AND ED = 7 LD = 7

Success1. Students with mental retardation, autism

and emotional disturbance have a right to work like everyone else and

feel productive members of society.2. See everyone’s ability and not their

disability3. Never give up4. You must Believe !

Contacts:• Mary Carrillo – VAC Teacher Socorro Independent School District Special Education Department 12300 Eastlake Dr. El Paso, Texas 79936 (915) 937-1800 mmorac@sisd.net