Supporting Students with Disabilities in Your SLE Program Through the Use of Job Coaches

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1 Supporting Students with Disabilities in Your SLE Program Through the Use of Job Coaches CTE Conference 2012 Learning that works for New Jersey Dan Baker, Ph.D. Department of Pediatrics Bill Freeman NJDOE, Office of Special Education

2 Onsite Supports Students in community-based SLE receive onsite support and supervision from: Worksite mentors Coworkers Supervisors SLE coordinators Students can be successful in SLE if the above are willing and capable of providing necessary supports and supervision.

3 Additional Onsite Support To be successful in SLE, some students with disabilities need additional onsite support and supervision beyond what is typically provided. These students, who often have more significant disabilities, can experience successful SLE if additional trained staff, known as job coaches, are used as a supplement to typically available supports.

4 Job Coach Basics What is a job coach? What does a job coach do? Who can be a job coach?

5 What Is A Job Coach? A job coach is a school employee (or contracted from another agency) who provides students with disabilities with additional on-site support, supervision, and training during SLE. The job coach does not need to be a certificated teacher. Most job coaches are non-certified staff members. Job coaches work under the direct supervision of SLE coordinators and teachers. On-site support from a job coach is provided as a supplement to other typically available supervision and support.

6 Team of Professionals Job Coach SLE Coordinator Special Education Teacher General Education Teachers Child Study Team Members Administration

7 Role of the SLE Coordinator SLE Coordinators analyze job sites, assess students, and appropriately match students to worksites. SLE teachers ensure that the student s job site is safe from hazardous materials and conditions. SLE teachers, working with other professionals, design the student s training and support plan.

8 Role of the SLE Teacher (Continued) SLE teachers must perform an on-site observation/supervision of a student at least once every ten days that the student works, even if a job coach is onsite. SLE teachers coordinate with other professionals and worksite personnel to ensure that students have needed supports and supervision.

9 What does a Job Coach do? Implement the training and support plan designed by the SLE coordinator to maximize the student s performance of the job and social inclusion at the worksite. Teach students job-specific skills and social skills. Encourage co-workers and supervisors to interact with the student. Assist the student to form relationships with co-workers, supervisors, customers of the business, etc.

10 Use of Paraprofessionals/Job Coaches If a classroom aide is employed, he or she shall work under the direction of a principal, special education teacher, general education teacher or other appropriately certified personnel in a special education program. The job description of a classroom aide shall be approved by the Department of Education through its county offices. N.J.A.C. 6A:14-4.1(e)

11 Natural Supports Approach in CBI "A natural support is any type of support that is typically found in a work environment that would routinely be available to any employee of the business (e.g. orientation by a coworker). The support provided by a job coach or school staff and the support given by coworkers should be complementary, not mutually exclusive." Transition Methods for Youth with Disabilities by David Test, Nellie Aspel, and Jane Everson 11

12 Examples Students using training materials/methods developed and used by employers instead of teacher-developed and delivered instruction (e.g., picture prompts developed for all employees to learn how to operate new equipment) Encouraging coworkers and supervisors to teach job tasks to students instead of educators Facilitating friendships so that students are included in social activities such as lunch gatherings, snack routines, or after work activities 12

13 Continuum of On-The-Job Supports for Students Least Intrusive Most Intrusive Supports Designed Employer Employer Employer by Adapted by Available to School Staff School Staff All Workers Some Workers with Needs Student Only School Staff School Staff Student Only Provided Employer Employer Employer Employer by 13 Employer Student Only Student Only Job Coach Job Coach

14 What Does This Mean For Job Coaches? Job coaches connect students with natural supports and facilitate the use of them Training materials Job-site assistance Coworkers and supervisors Job coaches provide additional instruction/ support when the natural supports aren t sufficient Job coaches provide ongoing support if natural supports do not provide sufficient ongoing support 14

15 Fitting Into Worksites When the job coach provides the instruction, it has to fit into the work setting and complement the natural supports. Job Coaches can t use traditional lesson plans or worksheets. What does instruction look like for the general population in work settings? How do new employees learn the unwritten rules of a workplace? Who does a new employee go to for help learning their job? How do employees find a mentor?

16 Supervision of Off-site SLE How do we supervise typically? How do we monitor staff performance?

17 What is different about teaching and working with students in the community? Essential skills for job coaches Initiative Professional appearance/behavior Ability to promote student independence/ interdependence Ability to use the natural supports approach

18 Addressing Common Pitfalls Here are some of the common problems seen with Job Coaches. Did we miss any? Inability to teach Doing too much for the students Not fading Not encouraging natural supports Not fitting well into business sites Unprofessional work demeanor Not sure what to do at work sites

19 Wrap Up Job coaches are used as a supplement to typically provided supports and supervision to ensure that students with more significant disabilities are successful in SLE. As ambassadors from the school district, job coaches work with SLE coordinators, other professionals, and the natural supports on a jobsite to provide needed support, training, and supervision of students.