Resource 7: Case Example for Transportation Proficiency

What does the research say?

Multiple studies in the scoping review cited transportation as a significant factor in both school-based and postschool-based employment.

What's an example of this research-informed practice?

In one study, transportation (or lack thereof) was cited as a major barrier to employment. To find suitable work experiences for program participants, program staff considered participants’ interests and abilities, as well as practical considerations. Those practical considerations ranged from geographic location to workplace accessibility to transportation. Participants in the program noted how the program helped them develop their skills for arranging transportation, such as learning how to book an accessible taxi. One student participant noted how staff from the program accompanied him to and from work every day on the public transit system.

How can this be adapted to VR settings?

In the study’s youth employment program, staff took several steps to develop the transportation skills of students with disabilities, steps that VR counselors can apply themselves.

  1. In addition to considering students' career interests and abilities, practical considerations should also be taken into account. When looking for work experiences for students, consider the accessibility of potential work sites. Take into account both the geographic location of the student and available modes of transportation.
  2. Make time to help students learn how to navigate different modes of public and private transportation.
    1. Helping students learn how to navigate public transit such as buses and trains can lead to better work outcomes.
    2. Think outside the box. If public transportation is not an option, consider other ways students might get to work. For example, do car pool options exist? Are taxis readily available? Does the state or city have transportation programs aimed at helping people with disabilities with transportation issues?

    Resources Related to Transportation Know-How

    Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. (n.d.). Youth employment programs. Retrieved April 05, 2018, from https://opinacer10.prod.acquia-sites.com/services/programs-services/youth-employment-participation-programs

    Lindsay, S., Adams, T., McDougall, C., & Sanford, R. (2012). Skill development in an employment-training program for adolescents with disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation, 34(3), 228–237. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21977978

 

Next: Continue to Resource 8.