CHAPTER 10: Career and Vocational Assessment Assessing Students with Special Needs Fifth Edition John J. Venn University of North Florida © 2014, 2007, 2004 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Overview Definition Transition services Interest inventories Prevocational and employability skills Work sample evaluation Situational and on-the-job assessment

Overview Measures the broad range of practical life skills necessary for living and working as an adult Career assessment measures the skills necessary for success in any job Vocational assessment measures the particular skills necessary for success in specific jobs

Overview Stages of Career Education Awareness Exploration Preparation Placement and follow-up Specific assessment techniques and procedures apply in each stage

Interest Inventories Most interest inventories are written tests Reading Free Vocational Interest Inventory: 2 (R-FVII-2) Picture test of vocational interests Students choose a preferred activity from 55 sets of three pictures Designed for students with limited reading ability or language problems

Prevocational and Employability Skills Prevocational skills personal, social, and applied academic skills necessary for success in all jobs Employability skills generic skills for success in entry-level jobs Brigance Transition Skills Inventory (TSI) Measures academic skills, post-secondary opportunities, independent living, and community participation Supports transition planning for middle and high school students

Work Samples Tasks, materials, tools, and equipment taken from real jobs or job clusters and used to measure vocational interest and potential Mechanical assembly Small tools Electrical circuitry Money handling

Work Samples Accuracy and production rates are criteria for assessing work sample performance Valpar Component Work Sample System 24 work samples Teacher-made work samples

Situational and On-the-Job Measures vocational behavior in actual work settings Includes on-the-job try outs and job-site evaluations Assessment procedures include written tests, observation, and task analysis

Task Analysis Breaking down a difficult task into small steps Enables the learner to more easily learn the task Instructional strategy and assessment technique

Task Analysis Steps in the process Identify the steps in the task Evaluate the task to determine instructional approaches Prepare a data collection form to measure progress Begin instruction Revise the task using progress data

Summary Involves assessing work skills and related competencies including social interaction, functional academics, and daily living activities Post school success is the goal Appraisal procedures include written tests, work samples, situational and on-the-job assessment techniques, and task analysis