Dori Senatori

Abstract

 

 This paper will discuss an observation at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the EXIT (Experiences in Transition) Program. The observation took place at The Wildcat Inn on the TSBVI campus.  The paper will also discuss planning for employment and how the student is supported during the process. Pros and Cons of an inclusive work setting will also be addressed.

 

 

Exit Observation

 

     My observation took place in the EXIT (experiences in transition) program at The Wildcat Inn at Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The EXIT program is a special education program that focuses on a student’s IEP and the Expanded Core Curriculum to assist with areas such as transitioning to post-secondary education, employment, continuing education, independent living and community access. The EXIT program provides the opportunity for a student to practice skills needed for employment in the community by simulating experiences they may encounter after graduation (TSBVI, n.d.).

 

     I observed Hannah, a 19 year old student who has Retinitis Pigmentosa associated with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome. Bardet-Biedl Syndrome is an autosomal recessive condition that is characterized by obesity, intellectual disabilities and polydactyly (Betton, 2015). Hannah’s personal goals are to live in a city where there is public transportation and job opportunities, since she comes from a very small town in Texas she feels that she may not be able to find a job in her community and she does not want to be dependent on her mom.

 

     I met Hannah at the front entrance of The Wildcat Inn with her Certified Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments,  and they brought me into the kitchen of the Inn where Hannah was to begin her tasks for the morning. Hannah was joined by two other students who were working with her, and Hannah spoke with them and appeared as though she was in charge as she began to tell them the tasks they needed to complete. The other two students would check-in with Hannah periodically and ask her what they should do next and how it should be done. Hannah was very helpful to the two other students giving them simple directions and steps on completing tasks such as cleaning the windows and blinds in the kitchen and around the Inn. I noticed that when Hannah gave the other students directions about the things they should do, she got off track a little and had to keep refocusing to what she was supposed to be doing. The CTVI gave me a list of Hannah’s tasks and those tasks include cleaning up any dirty dishes left in the sink by guests, putting away clean dishes from the dishwasher, wiping down counters, baking cookies, making ice tea, setting cookies and ice tea out on the table for the guests to enjoy.

 

          Hannah finally started her tasks in the kitchen and the first task she did was to put the clean dishes and utensils away from the dishwasher. As Hannah started putting the dishes and silverware away she became upset, because guests at the Inn had placed silverware in the wrong containers and she had to reorganize it all so that the silverware was the same in each container. The next task was to clean up dishes left in the sink and load those into the dishwasher, wipe down counters, heat the oven to bake the pre-made cookies, and make the ice tea. Hannah required the use of her 3.5x pocket magnifier to read the instructions on the cookie package. She was able to operate the oven without use of a magnifier as it was already adapted with bump dots to adjust the temperature, she put the cookies in and set the timer on her iPad. When it beeped Hannah asked me to come over and check the cookies because she couldn’t tell if they were done or not and we both decided they should cook for a bit longer.  When the cookies were done Hannah put them out on the table for people at the Inn to enjoy along with ice tea that she had also made. I noticed as Hannah was putting everything out on the table she used a dark table cloth that was contrasted by a white serving dish and she appeared to be systematically scanning for the darker colored napkins that she had carried over to the table to lay out next to the cookies, maybe due to the fact that there was no contrast with the dark cloth and dark napkins she had trouble finding them after she set them down.

 

     Hannah demonstrated a very slow pace during her work tasks and when I asked her CTVI about it, she mentioned they were addressing her work efficiency so that she could learn how to work at a pace without losing focus that would allow her to complete more tasks in a shorter time. During the session the CTVI verbally reminded Hannah and the other two students that an employer needs to see multiple tasks being accomplished thoroughly and in a short amount of time, and the students all listened and appeared to hear her but did not respond in agreement.

 

     Hannah’s CTVI mentioned to me that Hannah does best when simple, concrete language with increased time for processing is used especially when new concepts are introduced. The CTVI also told me that Hannah has been working at the Inn since the start of the new school year and she is a hard worker that catches on fast, she is learning how to take constructive criticism without becoming upset, and be punctual and dependable for her jobs at the Inn and Bistro. Per the CTVI, steps in planning for Hannah to be in a supported employment situation involve her attending classes for customer service, hospitality, independent living, money management, assistive technology, and working in the Inn and the Bistro on campus (as those were her areas of interest), in addition Hannah works outside of TSBVI in supported employment at a daycare center.

 

     At the end of the observation Hannah became upset when she knew I was leaving because she wanted me to stay with her all day. The CTVI gave Hannah a very short and clear explanation and told her that was how it was scheduled, and Hannah just kind of grimaced and walked out of the Inn angrily. Before Hannah walked out I thanked her for letting me observe for the morning at the Inn but she did not answer me.  The CTVI told me that another one of Hannah’s goals is to work on social interactions and appropriate language to use in job situations.

 

     The positives of the EXIT program are that it allows a student to practice and learn skills they will need for future employment, make mistakes and learn from those mistakes without losing their job, work alongside fellow students where they can practice their social skills and receive feedback from teacher support, and gain important life skills that will lead to their future independence.

 

     The negatives of the EXIT program are that the work situations (such as the Inn and the Bistro), are not in a community setting working alongside peers without disabilities and where there are real consequences for inefficient work production.

 

     Overall, I think the EXIT program is a very effective program for a student to learn life skills they will need to live independently and potentially work at a job in their own community. TSBVI consistently collaborates from the start with the student’s local community resources, school, and family to start planning for transition once the student is ready. I think this program offers students with multiple impairments a unique opportunity to learn many skills that they may not otherwise receive.