This section (1) describes devices/aids that may be needed by students with disabilities and (2) lists the most common disabilities within the Job Corps population and offers suggestions for accommodating students with these disabilities.

To participate in the Job Corps program, an applicant/student may request as an accommodation the use/provision of an assistive aid/device (auxiliary aid/device or personal device). These aids and devices help people with disabilities communicate, move independently, control his/her environment, and/or take part in more activities. Remember assistive devices should always be respected as personal property. Unless given specific and explicit permission, do not move, play with, or use them.

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Adaptive Tools

Adaptive Tools may include talking tape measure, talking color identifier, talking compass, etc. These tools can be used in many of the career technical classes to help eliminate barriers for students with disabilities. Click on the icon to the right for a short list of common adaptive tools and where to purchase them. A few websites are also listed that offer a wide variety of tools and additional items.

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Auxiliary Aids

Auxiliary aids may include alternate print formats (large and electronic print, braille, audio recordings), TTY (text telephone), amplified telephone receiver, assistive listening systems, interpreters, and readers and can usually be provided with sufficient notice. Every effort should be made to meet an individual's preferred method of auxiliary aids and services. If the center cannot provide the preferred method, whatever method is provided must be effective for that individual. Click on the icon at right to obtain information about common auxiliary aids and services including the type of aid/service, who uses it, its purpose and cost.

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Personal Devices

Personal devices would not usually be provided by the Job Corps program with the exception of eyeglasses, but might be used by an applicant/student. Examples of personal devices include the following.

• Alternative and augmentative communication devices allow people with speech impairments to communicate with others. There are a variety of systems available ranging from low tech/low cost to high tech/high cost.

• Service animals are used by people with hearing, mobility and vision impairments. They perform some of the functions and tasks that the individual with a disability cannot perform for him or herself allowing the person to be more independent.

• Hearing aids are used by hearing impaired persons to clarify and amplify sound. They are individually prescribed and adjusted.

• Glasses are used by vision impaired persons to make the best use of the person's existing vision and are individually prescribed and adjusted.

• Wheelchairs allows persons with mobility disabilities to be more independent.

• Personal care attendants provide assistance with activities of daily living and personal care to a person with disabilities.

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Common Disabilities/Accommodations

For great accommodation ideas for many functional limitations, order an Assistive Technology Quick Wheel available through the Council for Exceptional Children. This tool provides low to high tech accommodation ideas for students who need support in in various areas including reading, math, writing, mobility, and many others. This is a wonderful tool for center staff not familiar with the numerous accommodations that may help students succeed in the program.

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)/Inattention

• Minimize distractions; seat in a quiet area
• Pair with a good role model, i.e., "buddy system"
• Allow extra time to complete tasks/tests
• Shorten assignments/work periods
• Break long tasks into shorter units
• Use high interest, multi-media approaches to instruction
• Pair written instructions with oral
• Provide peer assistance in note taking
• Teacher/instructor provides student with written course outline, lecture notes, etc.
• Frequently reinforce student for involvement
• Instructor should keep in close physical proximity to student
• Recommend training program of high interest to him/her
• Frequently review goals with student, e.g., demonstrate how success in Job Corps training will lead to student's achieving desired goals in life

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ADHD/Impulsiveness

• Increase immediacy of rewards or negative consequences
• Attend to positive behavior with verbal praise
• Pair student with a good role model
• Set up a behavioral contract
• Provide close supervision, especially during transition and unstructured times, (e.g., use "buddy system" during off-center trips)
• Teach and praise student for using appropriate ways of gaining attention

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ADHD/Hyperactivity

• Recommend high energy trade options, (e.g., building maintenance rather than clerical)
• Allow breaks from seat work
• Encourage student to participate in sports
• Give extra time to complete tasks if student has slow motor tempo
• Supervise closely during transition and unstructured time

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ADHD/Organization and Planning

• Provide student with schedule of all center activities, classes, etc.
• Pair student with well organized peer, i.e., use "buddy system"
• Allow student to have a "buddy" write down assignments/instructions
• Provide student with notebook with calendar, dividers, etc. and encourage student to use it
• Supervise writing down of assignments/instructions
• Provide frequent checks and feedback on student's organizational efforts
• Give assignments one at a time
• Pair oral assignments with written
• Allow tape recording of assignments
• Write main points of lessons on chalkboard
• Use checklists to assure all aspects of job are completed
• Use visual aids when teaching

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ADHD/General

• Assist center physician in monitoring behavior and when medications are taken
• Monitor medication side effects

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Asperger's Syndrome

Individuals with the same diagnosis may and often do have needs that are unique to them; the same disability may manifest itself in different ways in different people. Please review the areas of consideration as general guidance and not intended to be uniformly applied to all individual’s with a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome.

Social Interaction

• Provide a place for down time and/or time to be alone each day.
• Provide a peer buddy for support.
• Educate other students about Asperger syndrome.
• Provide opportunities for the student to provide assistance or tutoring to someone else, perhaps in his/her particular area(s) of interest.

Communication

• Use verbal cues that are short, direct, and concrete as verbal skills tend to be a strength or relative strength.
• Use concrete, clear, short statements in providing instruction and direction to the student. Use of idioms or sarcasm may inadvertently positively reinforce inappropriate behavior. Example, A sarcastic “Oh that was great!” may be taken literally.
• Allow extra time for the student to process the question and provide a response. Often if interrupted, the student will have to start his thought process all over again.

Comprehension

• Break down directions into simple steps.
• Using visual cues to assist in providing directions or when demonstrating new skills.
• Slow speech down when providing directions or delivery material content.
• When presenting multi-step directions, pause between instructions and check for comprehension.
• Incorporate visual cues and graphics organizers with written expression tasks.
• Provide visual picture strips to help the student remember what to do and in what order.

Transitions

• Provide visual or electronic organizers for daily routine. Review each day’s activities and if using a visual organizer, have student highlight any changes in routine.
• Provide structured routines wherever possible. Provide advance notice before a change in activity or use extra verbal and/or visual cues if needed to aide successful transition.
• Provide direct instruction on how to make a transition.

Organizational Skills

• May require explicit, direct instruction in use of study and organizational skills.
• Use graphic organizers to brainstorm and organize outlines for writing.
• Use an electronic organizer to manage schedule, appointments, reminders.
• Use checklists to keep up with materials (in career technical training, especially).
• Use more structured routines and schedules.

Attention/Distractibility

• Allow the student to have brief periods of movement to refocus attention.
• Keep desk or work area organized and clutter free.

Handwriting

• Allow the use of computers or as appropriate, voice dictation software in place of hand written work.
• Provide copies of notes.

Auditory Processing

• Give the student ample time to process what has been said.
• Give the student advance notice of questions you might call on him/her to answer in class.
• Present oral information in smaller chunks and provide written copy of notes or information.

Sensory Processing

• Allow student to go to a quiet place if there is a lot of chaos and noise heightening sensory responses {i.e., distractibility, agitation, stimming (a repetitive body movement (often done unconsciously) that self-stimulates one or more senses in a regulated manner.) etc.}
• Provide earplugs or noise-canceling headsets for managing transitions between classes, during lunch, or for use in other noisy environments.

Perseveration of Thought and Action

• Redirect through diversion of attention to something else.

Test Taking

• Provide alternate test construction.
• Allow use of computer for writing.
• Allow extra time for test taking.
• Provide quiet, low distraction, test environment.

Behavioral Considerations:

Individuals with Asperger syndrome can interpret rules literally and can be rigid about following them in a particular way.

• Take extra care in explaining rules and requirements to these students.
• Preferably write the rules down for them and review together.
• Have them explain what the rules mean to them. Clarify as needed.
• Provide anger skill management training (if appropriate and warranted).
• Teach the student cause/effect relationships for better understanding of center and rule requirements.

Avoid escalating power struggles as these individuals may not understand the situation or pick up on the anger until it is too late. They may become more rigid and stubborn if confronted in a forceful and rigid method.

• If the student is becoming more rigid, stubborn, or resistant to direction, step back and give the individual time to cool down.
• Remain calm.
• Take preventative action to avoid these situations whenever possible.

• Use humor to diffuse tension
• Offer two choices as options (if possible).
• Redirect through diversion of attention to something else.
• Again, allow time for the individual to regroup and regain level of calmness.

Other Behavioral Considerations:

• As with all students, it can be helpful to teach an appropriate replacement behavior when trying to eliminate their use of an inappropriate behavior. For example, if the student is having difficulty being patient in waiting for the teacher/instructor to assist him/her, teach the student to count slowly to him or herself during this time rather than repeatedly calling the teacher’s name.
• Allow the student to have some time alone during the school day to relax as the student may have had more than enough social contact and may need some time alone.

Instructional Strategies:

• Teach student to know his/her preferred learning styles and what works best for them as individuals. [ Temple Grandin, a scientist and author who also has autism, talks about “thinking in pictures”. She says that words are like a second language to her. She actually translates both spoken and written words into full color movies, complete with sound that runs like a VCR tape in her head].
• Plan and practice communication strategies and social routines.
• After teaching a particular skill, enable the student to be able to practice it in a variety of settings in an effort to generalize the skill.
• Provide clear concrete expectations and rules for behavior.
• Teach the student how to interact in the JC environment and work environments through modeling and role-playing.
• If the student engages in perseverative questioning that interferes with classroom instruction, you can try instructing the student to write the question down and that you will discuss it with him later in the class period. Incorporate a private visual signal that lets the student know that you will talk with him or her later but not now.
• Conduct role playing to teach the use of pragmatic language and social cues (i.e., when is it ok to interrupt, taking turns speaking).
• Provide opportunities for the student to demonstrate their factual knowledge in class as they often have excellent memory skills.
• Check for understanding; the student could just be parroting what he or she has heard
• Maintain a calm speaking voice when addressing or instructing this student.
• Provide sensitivity training (disability awareness) to all staff and students.

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Learning Disability/Dyslexia

• Provide electronic "pocket pronunciation device"—type in word and device pronounces it
• Provide career technical programs on video
• Use books-on-tape to augment textbooks
• Put all career technical manuals on tape
• Read written instructions to students
• Make assistive technologies available to student--computer, scanner, screen reader, books on CD, etc

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Learning Disability/Listening Comprehension

• Pair oral instructions with written
• Allow use of tape recorder
• Teacher/instructor should check with student to assure that oral instructions are understood
• Provide student with written copies of lectures, instructions, etc.
• Teach through demonstration and use of visual teaching aids

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Learning Disability/Expressive Spoken Language

• If student can express self in writing, provide student with writing implements
• Provide interpreter via "buddy system" if those familiar with student's speech style can understand him/her
• Allow and encourage use of assistive technologies
• Pair with teachers/instructors skilled in non-verbal communication
• Recommend career technical program that is not dependent upon verbal expression, (e.g., welding rather than sales)

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Learning Disability/Written Expression

• Provide student with access to a computer and software programs designed to improve written expression, (e.g., programs with spelling and grammar checks)
• Instruct student in use of word processor and encourage its use
• Allow student to present reports orally or with a tape recorder rather than in written form
• Do not penalize student for poor penmanship, misspellings, etc. in written assignments
• Provide student with "scribe", (i.e., note-taker) or use "buddy system"
• Provide student with written copies of lectures/instructions

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Learning Disability/Memory

• Use "buddy system"
• Provide with and encourage use of electronic and written assignment and appointment books, calendars, etc.
• Provide written copies of information
• Provide supervision and frequent feedback on task completion
• Provide student with a schedule of all activities, classes, etc.
• Recommend career technical trade where work units are large and fairly repetitive
• Provide and encourage use of checklists for daily living, education, and vocation
• Include previously introduced concepts into new assignments to reinforce foundation already established

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Learning Disability/Abstract Reasoning, Organization, and Problem Solving

• Recommend career technical trades where the job demands and expectations are concrete and easily understood, (e.g., most construction trades would meet this criteria as opposed to law enforcement or perhaps health care)
• Make job requirements explicit, i.e., write then down and teach them to the student

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Learning Disability/General

• Checklists to assist with organization (each job could have a checklist)
• Clerical support (e.g., someone to type reports)
• Frequent meetings with teachers and instructors
• Frequent and specific feedback on performance
• Access to a job coach
• Modified work schedule
• Job restructuring and/or reassignment to a position that is better suited to the student's abilities

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Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders

• Many of the accommodations listed under the sections on ADHD and LD may be appropriate
• Medical leave to return home for stabilization
• Assign to teachers/instructors/RAs/etc. who are skilled at working with students with mental disabilities
• Changes in training/work hours to accommodate treatment
• Monitoring the taking of medications
• Monitoring general functioning for center mental health professional and physician prescribing medication
• RA monitor self-care, e.g., hygiene, grooming, etc.
• Assign to a "buddy" to improve interpersonal skills
• Recommend career technical assignments to areas where there is low risk of personal injury, e.g., business/computer occupations, etc.
• Consider interpersonal skills (e.g., recommend trade options other than sales, nursing, etc. if person does not relate well) and work tempo (e.g., recommend trade options other than high paced jobs for slow workers) in making career technical assignments

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Mood Disorder/Low Energy

• Adjust schedule to allow for treatment appointments with CMHC or off-center provider
• Reduce educational and/or career technical training load to accommodate low energy level
• Adjust work/training day to allow for individual sleep needs, (e.g., allow for midday nap or later start times in a.m.)
• Encourage participation in recreational activities

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Mood Disorder/Depressed Mood

• Pair with teachers/instructors skilled in working with students with mood disorders
• Recommend career technical programs with low risk of personal injury (e.g., avoid heavy equipment operation, welding, etc. when on certain medications)
• Peer support through buddy or support group

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Mood Disorder/Lack of Motivation

• Regular meetings with counselor to focus on career goals
• Monitor nutrition and personal care for CMHC

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Anxiety/General

• Frequent positive feedback from staff
• Identify areas of concern and provide extra instruction, training, etc.
• Use "buddy system" when going to high anxiety situations
• Allow modifications in schedule for treatment appointments
• Excuse from off-campus trips or other situations that evoke anxiety

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Anxiety/Phobias

• career technical placement recommendations which would minimize chances of encountering feared thing, (e.g., indoor work to avoid snakes, bugs, etc.; outdoor trade to avoid confined spaces)
• Allow taped or written presentations instead of spoken
• If social phobia, recommend vocation that does not involve much social interaction

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Anxiety/Acute Stress Disorder

• Medical leave and referral for treatment
• Remove source of stress from student's environment or transfer student to another area

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Personality Disorders

• Provide frequent feedback on how student is progressing in training
• Provide frequent feedback on how other students and staff feel about student
• Place in vocation with low interpersonal demands
• Place with supportive teachers/instructors who are skilled at working with volatile students
• Recommend training in vocations with low risk of injury to self or others

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Mental Retardation/Slow Rate of Learning

• Repeat lesson/instructions multiple times until mastery is achieved
• Reduce the amount taught at any given time
• Break tasks up into smaller units
• Provide visual photograph guides demonstrating each step of a particular task

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Mental Retardation/Limited Receptive Language Ability for both Listening and Reading

• Disabilities in only one Language Domain could be accommodated much as with the LD student, (e.g., if a student can't read, provide information verbally.)
• Teach through demonstration
• Provide opportunities for hands on learning
• Provide a job coach
• Provide visual photograph guides demonstrating each step of a particular task

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Mental Retardation/Limited Expressive Language for both Speaking and Writing

• Recommend career technical program that does not demand high levels of communication with others
• Provide student with an "interpreter" if there is a way for student to communicate

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Traumatic Brain Injury

• Schedule modification (length of day shortened, extended breaks, most difficult classes early in day)
• Assign a buddy (to go with student from class to class, note taker for instructions given verbally, model appropriate behavior)
• Provide constant feedback to keep attention
• Supplement verbal instruction with written
• Provide extra time to complete tasks or respond to verbal instruction
• Encourage use of lists, diaries, computers to help student keep organized
• Schedule regular meetings with center MH consultant and counselor

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Rehabilitation from Drug Use or Addiction

• Participation in TEAP even if a negative drug screen
• Provide access to off-campus treatment/support programs, e.g., AA, NA, etc.

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