Transition Teacher Perspectives of Community-Based Vocational Education Programs for Students With Disabilities

The transition from school to work can be an especially challenging time for adolescents and young adults with disabilities, and their families, as they navigate the complex postsecondary transition process. Community-based vocational education (CBVE) is a coordinated transition service that provides students with opportunities for the acquisition of career and life skills in real-world environments. The goal of CBVE is to best prepare individuals with disabilities for employment and subsequentially important life skills necessary for the transition to a more independent life. The study was designed to explore special education transition educators’ perceptions of the barriers to implementing CBVE programs for students with disabilities and how they could potentially be minimized. The study investigated CBVE programs across four states where students with disabilities attended community worksites at least two days per week. Twenty-one special education teachers who work in CBVE programs for students with disabilities responded to data through a participant data form, questionnaire, and rating scale. The results indicated that a lack of the business community and employer interest and an absence of CBVE awareness and understanding were the greatest barriers to implementing and sustaining a CBVE program for students with disabilities.