Date of Conferral

5-2-2024

Date of Award

May 2024

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Tammy Hoffman

Abstract

The problem that was addressed in this study was that local high school students with intellectual disabilities exit their high school community-based vocational program without sufficient skills required to attain meaningful employment. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine local high school educators’ perceptions about the instruction of employability skills in the community-based vocational program and the additional instruction needed to enhance students’ ability to attain meaningful employment. The conceptual framework was based on Kolb’s experiential learning theory. The research questions focused on skills educators need to incorporate in a community-based vocational program curriculum. Data were obtained via Zoom interviews with ten high school special educators. Open coding was used to code the raw data. The themes – program structure, employment success, community experiences, active learning, impact future, and collaboration – were related to special educators’ perceptions of employability skills that are needed in a high school community-based vocational program and the additional instruction needed to enhance students’ ability to attain meaningful employment after graduation. The results of the study indicated that special educators are familiar with the concepts of customized employment strategies but have not received adequate training to use strategies of customized employment in community based vocational programs. Therefore, to prepare special education teachers to be successful with the implementation of customized employment strategies, educators require appropriate training. This study may impact social change by updating curriculums and instructional strategies and creating more effective engagement in employment opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities.

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