100 Objectives for Planning Vocational Education of Handicapped Students 101 Cooperative Planning To Meet the Needs of Handicapped Students 102 Development of a Plan for Serving Handicapped Students 103 Specially Designed Vocational Education Programs for Handicapped Students 104 Management of Vocational Education Programing for Handicapped Students 105 Cooperation with Vocational Rehabilitation 106 Cooperation with Other Agencies and Organizations 107 Administrative Options To Provide Vocational 108 Education to Handicapped Students Contracted Services 109 Local Advisory Council 110 Program Evaluation POLICY AREA 100 Objectives for Planning Vocational Education of Handicapped Each local educational agency (LEA) should adopt objectives for voca- POLICY DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES Suggested Objectives The following objectives are suggested to guide the development of a plan to provide appropriate programs and services: • Vocational education shall be available as a discrete element on a continuum of career education experiences provided for handicapped students to enable them to learn about and prepare for work. • Appropriate prevocational experiences shall be provided to prepare each handicapped student for placement in vocational education. • Every handicapped student shall have the opportunity to participate in a regular or special vocational education program in order to develop job-specific skills. Vocational assessment shall be provided to determine the student's interests and vocational aptitudes in order to develop an appropriate individualized education program. • Supportive (related) services shall be provided as needed to maximize a handicapped student's potential for success in a regular or specially designed vocational education program. Work experience options shall be available to help handicapped students bridge the gap between the school program and the world of work. • Vocational counseling and job placement and followup services shall be provided to assist handicapped students in securing and maintaining jobs suitable to their abilities and interests. • Appropriate work activities or sheltered employment training programs shall be provided to develop work skills for those students whose handicapping conditions are so severe as to prevent their immediate inclusion in occupational skill preparation programs. POLICY AREA 101 Cooperative Planning To Meet the Needs of Handicapped Students in Vocational Education The local education agency should implement cooperative efforts be PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION 3 tween agencies and units within and outside the LEA in order to ensure POLICY DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES Groups To Be Involved The following groups should be represented in the planning of vocational education for handicapped students: • Vocational education. • Special education. • General education. Supportive (related) services. • Vocational rehabilitation. • Parents. • Prospective employers. • Local advisory council. • Other service agencies. POLICY AREA 102 Development of a Plan for Serving Handicapped Students Each local educational agency should develop a cooperative, written ac- • Long term goals. • Short term goals. • Objectives for accomplishing goals. • Resources necessary to accomplish goals. • A plan for evaluation. POLICY DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES Planning Procedures Most local educational agencies are already providing vocational education for some handicapped students and therefore have established programs. Planning procedures should focus on serving handicapped students in the least restrictive environment. When analyzing present programing and assessing further needs, LEAS should: • Identify the handicapped population and assess student needs in terms of vocational education. • Analyze present vocational education programs and services in terms of ability to serve handicapped students. • Decide what needs to be done to meet the needs of all handicapped students. • Specify responsibilities of all groups that should be providing vocational education and supportive services for handicapped students. • Seek community resources through the involvement of community agencies. Plan for Services Refer to the Service Delivery section of this guide for help in developing a plan. Policy Areas 600 and 601 are concerned with coordination of services and vocational education program alternatives. The remainder of the Service Delivery section examines specific services to be delivered. POLICY AREA 103 Specially Designed Vocational Education Programs for Handicapped Students Vocational education programs must be specially designed if necessary POLICY DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES Handicapped persons have the right to be considered for and are interested in the same range of jobs as nonhandicapped persons. Those handicapped students who are unable to succeed in regular vocational education programs with special educational assistance must have available specially designed vocational education programs to prepare them for job entry. This does not automatically mean that such students can be prepared only for unskilled occupations. In deciding to offer a special program for handicapped students, the local educational agency should follow vocational education practice in selecting and implementing new programs. Such decisions are usually based on such factors as: • Assessment of student needs and interests. • Analysis of the job market in the region: Employment predictions. Status of the occupation (growing, stable, declining). • Advice of local advisory council on current job needs and relevant programs to meet those needs. Review of vocational programs offered by other schools in the region. • Analysis of specific needs of the program selected: Cost. Instructors needed. PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION Location of instructional space and sites. Resources to be acquired (supplies, equipment). 5 POLICY AREA 104 Management of Vocational Education Programing for Handicapped Students The local educational agency should designate an individual responsible POLICY DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES Program Administrator There are a variety of ways vocational education programing for handicapped students can be administered. Some local educational agencies appoint a special needs administrator who is responsible for both handicapped and disadvantaged students in vocational education. In smaller districts the tasks involved in administering vocational education for handicapped students are the responsibility of another administrator, such as the director of vocational education or director of special education. It is suggested that local educational agency policies specify the qualifications needed by the person who is to fill this management role and the duties to be performed. POLICY AREA 105 Cooperation with Vocational Rehabilitation Each local educational agency should establish working cooperative re- POLICY DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES State policy concerning vocational rehabilitation services may vary. In some communities, vocational rehabilitation counselors may be physically located in the |