A. EXECUTIVE BRIEF

The purpose of the "Back to School and Work" project was to develop, implement and evaluate a comprehensive model to identify, recruit, train, and place urban Hispanic youths with disabilities, ages 16 to 25, who have dropped out of school. The goal was to help these youths effectively pursue their goals of returning to school and obtaining employment, and in so doing to demonstrate the usefulness of one of the first comprehensive dropout intervention programs for Latinos with disabilities.

The project's experience has been one of continuous progress. Participants were recruited through various means (referrals from local schools, the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services, friends, and through advertisements in the local Spanish language media—newspapers, radio and TV). An initial challenge for project staff was to develop an effective strategy to recruit participants. We soon discovered this population with its great mobility and instability is not being served by any social or vocational agency.

There were 59 youths who participated in the various phases of this project. They were 13 females and 46 males with an average age of 18 years (range 15 to 25). Thirty seven were of Mexican descent, 18 were of Puerto Rican decent, and 4 were from other Latino countries. A total of 46 youths were born in the US and 13 had been born in Mexico. Most of the youths were bilingual (43), while 15 spoke only English, and 1 Spanish only. They had an average of 9 years of education (range 6 to 11). With regards to types of disabilities, 44 had learning disabilities, 6 had both learning disabilities and behavioral/emotional disorders, 5 had a physical disability (traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, spinal cord injury, and limp malformation). Seven of the female participants had at least one child under the age of three, one had 2 children, and another was pregnant at the onset of the program. Only 5 of the males mentioned having fathered children but not one had children in their custody or care.

An initial phase of the project was to conduct a series of individual interviews with youths who have dropped out of high school in order to better understand contextual and personal factors that led them to make that decision. We interviewed 20 individuals and are currently in the process of finalizing the data analysis. We have included a copy of the preliminary findings from these interviews that identify issues in the school and family context, as well as peer and personal factors. Some of the most relevant school-related factors identified through the interview process include: dissatisfactions with relationships with school personnel; multiple absences which worsens their falling behind academically; perceiving the school as "boring;" little attachment to school; little participation in school activities; less discipline and degree of supervision in high school compared with grammar school; gang presence in the school; high mobility from school to school due to family employment and housing instability; little academic support so students fall behind to the point that they can not graduate; and disciplinary problems that lead to expulsion. Among the home/family factors we identified: permissive, unregulated households; parent unavailability to help with homework due to work schedule and/or language proficiency; lack of school-home communication; having siblings who have already dropped out of school; conflicts with parents; some parents do not see education as a priority for their children, especially for the girls.

The intervention process included two main components: skill development and intensive case management. The initial training component was directed toward helping participants develop skills in the areas of goal setting, action planning, and help and mentor recruiting. We later added components in the employment-preparation area like job interviewing skills, on-the-job etiquette and norms, and help-recruiting in the work site. We also contacted a local service agency to provide a training session on safe sex and drug abuse prevention based on the personal experiences of some of the participants. In fact, project activities evolved around the needs of our participants, and as we encountered obstacles, our research team searched for solutions (e.g., lack of alternative school placements for dropouts; lack of accommodations in GED for students with learning disabilities). There were 22 participants who completed the formative phase of the project. For the summative phase of the study, we collected outcome data from 16 participants who completed our training program and from 10 who did not complete the training program.

The results of the formative phase of the study indicated consistent, modest gains in the percentage of help-recruiting skills displayed by the participants during role play simulations:

We encouraged all participants to re-enroll in academic programs, particularly high school, but many of them did not have the credits to graduate on time (before turning 21 years old) or were unwilling to go through the experience again. Many had the idea that they could get their GED easily. However, none of the youths who enrolled in GED programs were able to pass the test (due in part to their disability and in part to the effort required). On the other hand, participants were very effective in finding and securing jobs on their own. Of all the jobs that participants held (65), they obtained 77% without staff assistance and 23% with staff assistance (e.g., case manager talked with managers about the possibility of hiring the youths).

The diverse disabilities of the participants and their severity let us to develop and implement new strategies to assist them in their personal growth. Participants not only struggle with their learning difficulties, but also with the development of their social competencies. We have developed a curriculum to assist them in building their social support networks and improving their help-recruiting skills; to obtain mentors; and to acquire the proper support system in their employment and/or educational environments. Consecutive field tests have yielded positive results. A copy of the curriculum has been included in Appendix 1; additional copies are available from the PI upon request.

Sixteen students involved in the training groups IV and V were selected for the summative evaluation phase. The results of the participants from these two groups indicated significant gains in the percentage of help-recruiting skills displayed by the youths during role play simulations. We held the training sessions more often and in half-day sessions, which provided more opportunities for students to practice the skills.

Follow-up interviews collected from 14 of the youths from the summative study indicated that 6 were still working, 3 were attending school one year after training, and one graduated. In the comparison group of 10 youths who did not complete our training, 4 youths were employed.

As the third and final year came to a close, we continued to direct students back into schools and employment. But, most importantly, our objective was to contribute to their own personal development which in turn will contribute to their empowerment and that of the Hispanic community. In short, the Back to School and Work project has been successful in developing a comprehensive model grounded in skill development and intensive case management, that has enabled participating urban Hispanic youths with disabilities to improve their social skills, return to school and obtain employment.

In addition, two important outcomes should be mentioned. First, we recently succeeded in securing two new grants from the Department of Education totaling 1.1 million dollars to continue our work during the next three years. We will be working directly in four inner city high schools and will assist minority special education junior and senior students in their transition from school to work and will also work with freshmen and sophomores in efforts to prevent students from dropping out. Second, our discussions with personnel from the Division of Specialized Pupil Services from the Chicago Public School system regarding the plight of Latino dropouts and the challenges they face to return to school, resulted in the appointment of the Principal Investigator to the Board of Directors of a new charter school created specifically to provide educational opportunities for high school dropouts, including students from special education. This year the charter school will operate 26 sites scattered throughout the city of Chicago with the participation of local social service and educational institutions. The program encourages agencies to develop individualized educational plans and supports to address students' needs (e.g., day care, bilingual instructors, special education supports, etc.). Board members are responsible for overseeing the implementation of the program, developing its policies and all operational procedures. In this way, we embark in new and productive directions as we continue to develop and implement innovative strategies to empower minority youths with disabilities to succeed in attaining their personal and vocational goals.

B. CONCLUSIONS

Some of the lessons learned from our experience of working with Latino youths with disabilities who have dropped out of special education programs include:

1. Summary of Project Goals

The overall goal of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive model to identify, recruit, train, and place Hispanic youths with disabilities who have dropped out of high school. Expected outcomes for project participants include competitive employment and/or re-entry into the public educational system (or an alternative GED program). Specific goals include:

First, to identify contextual variables (personal, environmental) that appear to either facilitate or hinder Hispanic youths' attainment of IL goals.

Second, to develop and evaluate a functional skills training program aimed at developing skills relevant to occupational success. Specific content areas include but are not limited to identifying one's strengths and interests, building self-esteem and confidence, developing independence, goal setting, action planning, help-recruiting, finding jobs, mastering telephone skills, developing job interviewing skills, managing personal finances, and organizational skills.

Third, to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive model aimed at promoting competitive employment and re-entry into educational systems. This comprehensive model includes functional employment-related skills development, case management, transition planning, career counseling, job shadowing. job placements (with short-term job coaching), educational placements (high school or GED), and follow-up placement support. The partnership with the Bridges Program of the Marriot Foundation will allow us to link participants with various corporations from the greater Chicago area that are willing to support project participants.

Fourth, to evaluate the replicability and cost-effectiveness of the model in order to facilitate its dissemination.

Fifth, to compare the educational and employment outcomes attained by the participants in the summative phase, with a non-equivalent sample of minority high school students participating in a similar program.

Sixth, to prepare training materials and publications for dissemination of project outcomes and procedures.

In order to address the complex needs of project participants, we conducted multiple activities (recruitment, initial assessment, skills development, school/job placements, follow-up support, and final evaluation). See a copy of all project activities in Table 1. The duration and intensity of the training component was increased over time, since role-play data collected before and after training suggested that the first three training groups had modest improvements in their
 
 

Table 1
 
 
 
 

help-recruiting competencies. We also added incentives and group activities to increase attendance and promote cohesion among participating youths.

D. PARTICIPANTS

Table 2 summarizes the demographic characteristics of 59 individuals who participated in the various components of the project. This table includes information about the gender, ethnicity, type of disability, living arrangement, highest level of education completed, and the proportion of females with children of the students who participated.

E. SPONSORSHIP AND COLLABORATION

This project was originally proposed in collaboration with the Bridges from school to work Program from the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities. The Bridges program develops internships with area businesses for students with disabilities in their senior year of school. During the second year of this project, the Bridges program—which was being administered at the IDHD—left the university and became independent. We continued our collaboration through the end of the second year and had little contact with them during the third year. Bridges staff primarily assisted with job leads for participating youths.

Project staff held several meetings with the directors of the special education departments of 6 local high schools with the largest Latino population from the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Five of these schools collaborated in the process of referring students to the program. One school did not. We also maintained on-going contact with two vocational rehabilitation counselors who were responsible for the vocational rehabilitation services of these schools. They also provided several referrals to our project.

We also held several meetings with staff members from the central office (division of specialized pupil services) of the CPS. They recognized the problems that dropout students in general and students with disabilities in particular were facing, and decided to implement a special charter school program for dropouts. The PI was invited to become a member of the Board of Directors of the new Charter school that was created for dropouts only. This board has direct responsibility for the funding and oversight of the charter school program. This appointment was a direct result of our participation in this research project.

F. ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This was our first funded project in the area of Latino dropouts with disabilities. The project was conducted at the Institute on Disability and Human Development, which is part of the University of Illinois at Chicago campus. The UAP includes several divisions which focus on training, applied research and service to promote community integration, independence, productivity and empowerment of persons with developmental disabilities.
 
 

Table 2
 
 
 
 

The participants and their families resided primarily in low income Latino neighborhoods from Chicago. All of the neighborhood schools that the youths had attended were in "academic, probation" (a measure imposed by the Chicago Public School Board in order to overhaul schools that continue to achieve below state average in basic academic areas like reading, writing and math). Most of these schools are overcrowded and often in disrepair.

We provided tokens for students to use public transportation to attend training sessions, and the case managers often transported participants to job interviews. Most participants used public transportation to go to and from work or school. Case managers also provided a few hours of job coaching support to 4 youths that experienced some initial difficulties with their job tasks. Case managers also assisted participants in the process of identifying educational programs to meet their individual preferences. They often accompanied students to meetings at their local high schools.

We have recently received funding to conduct two new projects in related areas. One project funded by RSA emphasizes the transition from school to work of minority students with disabilities. We will be developing and implementing a model program with some of the same schools that we worked with before. We will be helping students secure jobs that they can keep after graduation from school and/or supporting their efforts to develop their vocational skills. We will be trying a combination of intensive case management, personal skills building, family and school support, as well as community (employers) support. The other project has been funded by OSEP and will be focusing of transition planning and preparation with freshman and sophomore students. The emphasis here is in dropout prevention and in helping school implement systemic changes to support students more effectively. Copies of the abstracts of these two projects are included in Appendix 2.

G. PROJECT ACTIVITIES

1. Planning and Development.

This project had a duration of three years. During that time, we replicated the intervention model with 5 groups of dropouts. The number of participants varied according to the number of youths we were able to recruit. The first group was completed during year one; groups two and three were completed during the second year; and groups four and five during year 3. During the last year we also conducted follow-up evaluations of program participants and of youths who did not complete our program but who participated in intake interviews.

2. Identification of staff members and other major contributors to the project:

The project was staffed by two co-principal investigators, one project coordinator/case manager, one case manager, one half-time graduate assistant, one undergraduate research assistants and a project educational consultant. Following is a list of the staff member and their responsibilities through the duration of the project:

Principal Investigator: FABRICIO E. BALCAZAR, Ph.D.

Benito Juarez High School, 2150 S. Laflin, Chicago, IL

Gage Park High School, 5630 S. Rockwell Street, Chicago, IL

Curie Metro High School, 4939 S. Archer Avenue, Chicago, IL

Urban Youth High School, 65 E. Wacker Place, Chicago, IL

Thomas Kelly High School, 4136 S. California Avenue, Chicago, IL

Morton East High School, Cicero, IL

The members of an advisory committee provided valuable feedback and input on the development of the various project components. These individuals met on several occasions through out the three years of the project and assisted in the process of recruiting participants through verbal referrals, reviewed project goals and objectives, provided feedback on the appropriateness of training materials and procedures, and had some input in the evaluation of the project. The individuals in this committee had direct experience and/or knowledge of the issues faced by Hispanic youths who drop out of school. They were representative from the Chicago Public School Board of Education and the Department of Rehabilitative Services as well as parents and one student. For a list of the committee members refer to Appendix A?
 
 

3. Project Activities and Operations

The project was divided into four major phases: a contextual analysis, functional skills training development, formative evaluation, and summative evaluation. The following is a description of the components completed for each phase.

First phase: Contextual Analysis. The project used qualitative research methods to identify relevant characteristics of person-environment situations that can either facilitate or hinder successful attainment of employment, education, and other IL goals among Hispanic students with disabilities who had dropped out of school. A literature review of current issues and theories regarding minority student drop out and Hispanics in particular was conducted. Several vocational rehabilitation and vocational adjustment counselors experienced with the local Hispanic student population were interviewed. Interviews were conducted with 20 Hispanic youths with disabilities who have dropped out of school and their family members. The purpose of these interviews was to obtain as much information as possible about the ecology of the youths' situations. Our aim was to identify relevant skills, ecological factors, and person-environment interactions that might contribute or hinder the successful attainment of relevant IL goals. Individual and person-environment factors that appeared most relevant were incorporated into the training materials, project procedures, and program design. Youths who participated in these interviews were compensated $20 for their involvement. Individuals for this activity were recruited by contacting local agencies providing services to Hispanic youths with disabilities, teachers and school administrators from the Chicago Public School System, and parent organizations and support groups.

Second phase: Development of a Functional Skills Training Program. The targeted skills were designed to help participants develop skills that are functional to employment situations. These were competencies participants could use to secure and maintain employment once the supports and assistance were removed. They could also be applied in their attempts at completing their high school education. The final content areas to be included in this training curriculum were defined after phase one was completed. Students were taught to help themselves and to be their own advocates. Some of the skills focused on included identifying one's strengths and challenges, building self-esteem and confidence, developing independence, goal setting, action planning, help-recruiting, job finding, job interviewing skills, and problem solving skills.

Additional exercises designed to reinforce the self-esteem of the participating students were incorporated during the actual training. The perception of the participating youths was that they often had few options, and few choices. Project staff observed that without these meaningful choices, there was little sense of hope for the future and little reason to look beyond immediate gratification. An important goal of the training program was to show these youths that they had some control over their lives. The training attempted to show them that they could help themselves without having to wait for someone else to fix their problems.

Instructional materials for setting goals, planning actions, identifying personal strengths, and recruiting mentors and potential helpers already developed by the intervention research team (Balcazar, Fawcett, White & Keys, 1992) were used with the first group of participants in the formative evaluation phase. The materials were flexible enough to be adapted to the specific needs of individuals with different types of disabilities. Each chapter contained clear descriptions of the targeted behaviors, rationales, study guides, situational examples, role-playing, practice exercises, and evaluations of the students' understanding of key concepts. Homework assignments were also used to provide multiple opportunities for students to practice the taught skills.

Third phase: Formative Evaluation. This phase was a pilot testing of the training materials and procedures that was conducted with a group of ?? Hispanic youths with disabilities who had dropped out of high school. This phase had the following components:

1. Identification and Recruitment of Participants: Participants were recruited through procedures similar to the ones described in Phase 1.

2. Case Management: Project staff provided case management services to participating students and their families. The purpose was to assist participants and family members in meeting family needs during specific situations and to educate the parents on how to support their child's IL efforts. The case managers developed strong relationships with many of the parents involved and provided services in various ways. Parents were advised and referred to various agencies for different types of services.

3. Transition Planning Teams: Project staff attended IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meetings and worked in cooperation with VR counselors to develop the best transition options for each participant. During those meetings, participants and family members had the opportunity to set IL and vocational goals and see a plan developed for pursuing those goals.

4. Functional Skills Training (employment related): Training sessions focused on both. job development and IL were provided in small and large group settings. The final revised training manual can be found in Appendix 1. The training was conducted in a team-teaching approach by the educational consultant, case manager and research assistants.

5. Career Counseling: As part of the pre-employment training program students were encouraged to explore and share their personal views on the career options available to them. When students expressed an interest matches were made between the participants and companies and/or organizations to set up apprenticeship situations. In addition to learning about specific jobs, participants also had the opportunity to hear about individuals' personal journeys in the professional careers. Students were also involved in mock interviews with representatives from the Bridges Foundation as preparation for real situations.

6. Job Shadowing: Interested participants were taken for a few hours to a job site of their interest and asked to follow closely the activities of a targeted employee. This strategy allowed the students to have a better understanding of the physical and/or cognitive skills required in a given job. It gave the youths an opportunity to develop realistic expectations about the jobs they would like to hold.

7. Job Placements: The two case managers assisted participants in the process of finding job. The two case managers had experience working with the Marriott Foundation who had placed an extensive number of students with disabilities in job internships. While the case managers facilitated the process for employment the students themselves were ultimately responsible for applying the skills taught in the training program to secure the jobs themselves.

8. Educational Placements: Participants received guidance and assistance from case managers for re-entry into a regular high school program or for their completion of their GED in an alternative educational program. Participants were encouraged to make an effort to further their education as part of their involvement in this project. Staff found this area to be particularly challenging due to the lack of modification and adaptations made in GED programs to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Having students return to their home schools was also cumbersome since many of them had negative experiences with the school and school personnel due to gang involvement and/or behavior issues. Several of the participants were, however supported in attending alternative school placements.

9. Follow-up Support: The case managers provided follow-up support to participants for a period of 10 months after they have been placed in a job. Some of the various situations that required support were: 1) youths remaining at their job sites and requiring occasional support; 2) youths who required assistance with a new job placement; 3) youths who expressed an interest to improve their job placement during the follow-up period; and 4) youths who had failed at any point in the program but demonstrated their commitment to work by maintaining their relationship with the program. Follow-up focused on emotional support and general guidance that aided in problem solving, and provided continued help to the family. During this phase of the transition program staff members slowly decreased or faded-out the amount of support being offered, such that the youths and their families built self confidence in their ability to do it on their own.

At every step of this program, staff members focused on providing support rather than giving or doing things for participants. Staff helped the youths look for alternatives rather than offering solutions. Participants found in the project staff open and caring adults with whom to talk to, who were able to share their own knowledge and experience, and, most importantly, who were able to help them make their own decisions about their future and put them into practice.

Fourth phase: Summative Evaluation of the Model. A summative evaluation of the training model was conducted with a sample of 15 Hispanic youths with disabilities who participated in our program, 10 Hispanic youths who were also high school dropouts from special education but did not complete our training program. We were particularly interested in evaluating the long-term employment outcomes of youths from these two groups.

Measures of participants' satisfaction with the intervention procedures and materials were collected using social validity questionnaires. Students, parents, counselors, and teachers were asked to rate their satisfaction in a 7-point Likert-type scale. Participating employers provided periodic feedback about participants' performance strengths and needs. Following the pilot phase, training materials and procedures were reviewed and adapted to address any identified needs for each individual group of participants.

In addition to the specific project activities related to each formal phase of the project, the staff conducted various group building exercises with each participant group. These activities included: open discussion wrap sessions; social excursions to enrich educational and cultural experiences as well as interpersonal skills with peers; video production to increase self awareness and self expressions; movie viewing to initiate relevant discussions regarding issues i.e. drugs, gang involvement, teenage pregnancy, and other at risk factors affecting the targeted population.
 
 

4. Project Characteristics/Components:

Needs Assessment—Needs assessment was conducted through a review of the literature as well as on the job interviewing by the case managers and project staff. The city areas identified are consistently described as at risk areas, low income zones and gang infested neighborhoods. Parents and families of the participants expressed the need for services to youths with disabilities no longer in school due to either dropping out or expulsion. The programs available for the targeted population are limited to community groups that youths may or may not access. There are no programs actively searching this population out to provide guidance, support and/or resources.

Staff Development—Project staff working directly with the participants, case managers, graduate assistants and undergraduate assistants were involved in periodic in-services regarding the various aspects of serving youths with disabilities. The in-services were provided by the educational consultant and covered brief overview of the following topics:

• assessment

• characteristics of learning disabilities and behavior problems

• teaching strategies

• inclusion practices

• legal issues surrounding the education of special needs students

Tutoring—Tutoring was offered as an added incentives for participants to improve and develop their academic skills. Some participants took advantage of this opportunity to prepare for GED exams as well as to simply improve their basic skills. Tutoring was provided on a weekly basis by undergraduate student volunteers under the direction of the educational consultant. Some situations were one-on-one while others were conducted in small group settings.

Personal/Social Skill Training—One of the major focuses of the: training portion of this project was to teach interpersonal and social skills components when interacting with peers, potential employers, and potential mentors as well as when accessing private and public resources. Training session format, procedures and materials were geared toward the achievement of this objective. For a more detailed view of the how this component was addressed refer to a Appendix 1 for a copy of the manual.

Work Placement on the Job Training—Participants were encouraged and supported in securing their own jobs. Case managers served as liaisons between them and potential employers for any problems that might have arisen. Job training was provided on an as needed basis for individual students requiring this service. Job training was also provided by some employers.

Other Training After Placement—For some participants expressing specific interests in specific areas, project staff facilitated the process of application for specific apprenticeship, internships and related programs. Students were also supported in undergoing training through vocational and trade schools to improve their present skills.

Follow-up Procedures—Case managers worked directly with participants and their families upon completion of the training component of the project and job placement. The purpose of this continuous contact was to gather on-going information about participant activities, goals and accomplishments as well as serve as a resource for educational, professional and personal issues.

Interagency Involvement—Project staff, including the principal investigators and case managers developed new and maintained existing working relationships with various agencies in the communities. The purpose of this involvement was to refer students and families for services as well as to learn about new prospective participants, special community programs and local resources. A list of specific agencies can be found in Appendix ??.

Identification and Referral Procedures—Case managers were primarily responsible for recruiting project participants. Referrals were received from various sources, including the specific high schools in the area, community agencies, and state organizations i.e. IDORS. Participants were chosen if they met the eligibility criteria: Hispanic, between the ages of 16-25 and have a disability. Case managers follow-up on referrals by making phone calls and setting up meetings with the participants and their parents. Participants and their families were gathered in a large group at the onset of each training period to meet the project staff, learn about the specifics of the program, ask questions and become informed about their commitments and rights.

Transition Planning—Transition planning was handled on an individual basis. Case managers were available to assist in the development of goals and objectives at IEP meetings for those participants that returned to school. For the remaining participants, transition planning was conducted with the families and participant through discussions about their expectations and goals. Each participant was supported in the completion of long and short term goals which were continuously referred to during the program. These goals and action plans, served as a major component of their transition plan. Students were also referred to and supported in getting certified by DORS counselor to receive financial assistance if eligible.

Central Components Described Above:

identification and referral procedures

personal/social skills training

work placement

on the job training

transition planning

follow-up procedures

Marginal Components Described Above:

needs assessment

staff development

tutoring

interagency involvement

Problems and Innovations:

A central problem to the success of this program was attendance to training sessions by participants. Identification of potential participants was also an area of concern. Because of confidentiality issues school personnel were not always able to give students names and information as possible participants. Dealing with environmental factors affecting participants was a third problem. While participants were provided much support by project staff, this support was often not available at home. Negative influences such as gang involvement and drug use also seemed to have an effect on the success of the participants.

The innovativeness of this project was found in the approach of the case managers as well as the training sessions. The training sessions implemented the use of advanced organizers, adapted materials, cooperative learning, open discussion, active participation, role playing and modeling. These techniques along with small group instruction gave the participants an opportunity to have ensured success instead of predictable failure. The case managers' innovative ability to become personally involved gave them the opportunity to build strong trusting relationships with the participants. The participants felt that they were in a nurturing and safe environment. This allowed for their willingness to open up, try new approaches, take action to improve their future and take risks.

5. Project Management:

The Principal and Co-principal Investigators jointly managed and directed project activities, evaluated the program, maintained linkages with external groups, reported to the project officer, and coordinated fiscal management within the University. Daily activities of the project staff were overseen by the Project Coordinator and carried out by the entire project staff. While program development was overseen by the principal investigators, decisions were made often made as a team. The project coordinator and case manager were primarily responsible for program implementation. Staff members communicated informally on a daily basis. There were also weekly staff meetings that were attended by all, case managers, graduate assistants, undergraduate staff, and the principal investigators. This method of internal communication proved to be an effective tool. There was also input from an educational consultant on a part-time basis. The consultant's input centered around the training sessions, service delivery and material adaptations. In addition to the educational consultant's formal input, the project also took suggestions and ideas at an informal level from teachers, counselors and agency representatives as they came up.

As discussed previously a project advisory committee was formed to provide feedback and input on the development of the various project components. These individuals assisted the management team in the process of recruiting participants, reviewing project goals and objectives, provided feedback on the appropriateness of training materials and procedures and had input in the evaluation of the project. Members of this committee were informed of project accomplishments during two annual meetings.

6. Dissemination Products and Activities:

A number of products have resulted from this model demonstration project. First, based on interviews with youths, parents, teachers, VR counselors, a list of behaviors and contextual features that can either hinder or facilitate successful transitions among Hispanic youths with disabilities was compiled and used to collect data. This information is being included in a manuscript in preparation that will be submitted for publishing.

Second, based on information collected from the previous interviews and from literature reviews, role-playing situations were created to evaluate participants' functional skills. These role-plays represented typical situations the youths might encounter in the work place and/or educational settings. Students were asked to respond as best as they can to the problems and issues presented in each situation.

Third, a package of field-tested training materials designed to improve transition skills among Hispanic youths with disabilities was adapted and expanded. The training materials were adapted to meet the educational, cognitive and cultural needs of the participants. These materials have the potential to be published as practical materials for teachers working with minority high school students. One publishing company has expressed an interest in reviewing the various editions of the training materials. Manuscripts are being prepared for the publishing of research articles describing the formative and summative research phases.

Presentations about relevant project findings as well as project format and procedures have been made at various conferences by various project staff. The following is a list of presentations conducted:

Local

• Title 1, IASA Statewide Conference on February 11-13, 1998; Chicago, IL

• Annual Midwestern Psychological Association Meeting. (Place TBA)

• Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association. (Place TBA)
 
 

H. PROJECT EVALUATION ACTIVITIES

Appendix 3 provides a summary of the preliminary findings from personal interviews with dropout youths. This project component became a Masters Thesis for one of the graduate research assistants participating in this project. These findings are now being analyzed using a qualitative evaluation program (The Ethnograph) and we plan to publish them once finished.

Table 3 (see next page) provides a summary of the number of youths who were referred to the Back to school and work project and the sources. There were a total of 122 youths referred. We were able to contact and collect intake interviews from 72 (59%) of the youths referred to the program. We were not able to find the other ones, who had moved and did not leave a forward address. We found that 34 (53%) of the youths who showed some initial interest in the project did not complete it. Of those cases, there were 10 youths (29%) who dropped because they found jobs that conflicted with the training schedule; 15 (44%) moved and could not be located; and 6 (18%) were not interested in participating in the program. There were also 3 youths (9%) who were incarcerated.
 
 

JAVIER

Javier is eighteen years old. He left school when he was sixteen. He was repeating his freshman year at the time and had only two course credits. Javier attributes his decision to drop out to gang threats and the fact that he "wasn't learning much." He was diagnosed with a learning disability when he was eleven and had been in special education classes since that time. Prior to the recognition of his learning disability, Javier had a very difficult time in grade school and felt that he was "just dumb." His parents did not understand why he struggled so much with his schoolwork, nor did they understand his disability when it was diagnosed. Javier received more classroom attention and help when he was placed in special education. However, at eleven, he already had a history of failures behind him and did not feel that he was competent enough to succeed in school. Javier was embarrassed about being in special education in high school. He is very shy and had few friends while in school. Javier's high school was very large and seemed crowded and chaotic to him. He felt that the teachers and counselors were too busy with other students to help him, so he rarely asked anyone for assistance with class work or staying in school. Javier's grades were poor, and he says he saw no reason to stay in school. He felt that no one would notice or care if he left school. He was not involved in a gang, but there were many gang members in his school and neighborhood, and his brother was in a gang. Sometimes gang members would threaten him or attempt to recruit him into their gang. He often got into fights trying to defend himself against gang members. Javier says he didn't feel safe going to school.

Javier has two older brothers, both of whom dropped out of school, and a sister, who is planning on graduating from school in one year. His brothers are working at various jobs, including auto repair and roofing. Javier's parents work full time in a factory. They are immigrants from Mexico and speak little English. They want the best for their children, but they are busy working to make ends meet and don't have much time for them. They were not often able to help Javier with schoolwork since their English skills are limited. Javier's parents wish they had been more involved in his schooling, but their demanding work schedules prevented them from attending meetings, or even making phone calls, during the day. In addition, the times they did attempt to talk with teachers or counselors, the language barrier made conversation difficult and frustrating.

Javier heard about the Back to School and Work Project on the radio and called one of the project case managers for more information. He began the project in October, 1995. Javier came to the training classes fairly regularly, but he was quiet in class and did not socialize much. He worked diligently at his assignments, in class and out, but he had difficulty learning the skills. When practicing help-recruiting behaviors, for example, Javier would get flustered and forget how to make action plans and how to handle rejections. Project staff worked with him before class once a week to help him keep up with the rest of the class. As he was committed to successfully learning the skills, Javier gradually improved to where he could perform eighty percent of the help-recruiting behaviors.

One of the goals Javier set at the start of the project was to get a full-time job. Four weeks into the project, his case manager arranged two job interviews for him. The first was at a drugstore. Javier was nervous during the interview, was very reserved, and forgot some of the skills he had learned in the training. When he did not get the job, his case manager set up another interview to do stock at a grocery store. Project staff worked with Javier before the interview, doing role plays to refresh his memory and prepare him for the interview. He got the job and has been there for six weeks. For the fist two weeks, his case manager visited him at work to help him acclimate to the job setting and to review job retention skills. He is doing well, except for some occasional trouble with understanding and following instructions. Javier's case manager currently contacts him once a week, and they address his work difficulties and his plans for the future. The money Javier brings home goes toward helping his parents. Also, he is trying to save enough to buy a new car, a goal he set through the intervention.

Javier would like to get his diploma, but that is unlikely due to his age. With only two credits, he would not be able to finish school by age 21, at which time he would have to leave school by law. He is interested in the GED, but that, too, is questionable. Due to Javier's learning disability, the structure of the GED test would make it difficult to pass. He received weekly tutoring from project staff to help him prepare for GED classes, and, at present, Javier's project case manager is trying to find GED classes that would progress at a pace which he could maintain.

Another result of participating in the Back to School and Work Project is that Javier now has a mentor. Upon learning about mentoring and help-recruiting in the second week of classes, he contacted his neighbor Carlos, who manages an auto repair shop, and asked if he would be his mentor. One of Javier's long term goals is to own a repair shop, and his neighbor is gradually teaching him the skills he will need if he one day achieves that goal.

ROSA

Rosa is seventeen years old. She left school when she was sixteen and a new mother. She was a sophomore with five credits at the time. Rosa attributes her decision to drop out of school to becoming a mother. Rosa was diagnosed with a learning disability when she was in third grade, at which time she was placed in special education. During her intake interview, Rosa said that she did not understand why she was in special education and that she had always wanted to be with the "regular kids." Rosa is bright and had a "C+" average, but she spends her time with what her mother calls "the wrong crowd." Rosa says that she enjoyed school but that she always wanted to hang out with her friends instead of going to class. The father of her baby was an active gang member and was killed three months before the baby was born. Most of Rosa's high school friends were in a gang, and she has been involved in the same gang from time to time as well.

Rosa lives with her mother, her older sister, Estelita, and her niece, nephew, and daughter. Rosa's father left the family when she was two, and her mother raised both children on her own. Her mother and her sister both finished school, and they were supportive of Rosa finishing. Her mother woke her and prodded her each morning to go to school, and her sister helped her with homework in the evenings. As well, Estelita. constantly advised Rosa to stay in school and encouraged her to plan for her future. Estelita is now working, and her mother takes care of the children. Rosa's mother visited her school frequently. She was involved in her daughters' education and maintained contact with the teachers. She says that she was never a strict disciplinarian and that her daughters have always had a lot of freedom at home.

Rosa was referred to the Back to School and Work Project by a special education teacher from her high school. She was in the first group of participants. Rosa was pleasant and appeared interested when she came for her first interview, but she missed her second interview twice without canceling. Out of twenty training sessions, Rosa attended fourteen. Her usual reasons for missing classes included forgetting about them and bad weather. When she was present, she participated in the classes and became friends with two other participants. Rosa rarely did her homework because, as she stated, she "didn't understand it" or she "forgot." Project staff reminded her at each session that she could call throughout the week with any questions about her homework, but she only made use of that suggestion once.

One of Rosa's goals was to return to high school. Her case manager linked her with a new alternative school, a prospect which initially excited her. After two weeks of classes, however, Rosa dropped out of the school because she was "the only Mexican" and the other students "messed with (her) too much." Six months after she left the alternative school, Rosa registered to go back to the high school from which she dropped out. One year later, Rosa is still in school and has a "C" average. While she does occasionally skip school, she has a firmer commitment to graduating than she did before, and she continues to receive encouragement from project staff to meet that goal. Staff members phone her once a week to check her progress and offer support, and she is invited to attend special project events with the current class.

Rosa's second goal was to work part-time. Before she enrolled at the alternative school, her case manager arranged two interviews for her at local stores, one of which she missed due to being "tired." She attended the second interview dressed inappropriately and thus was not hired for the job. Project staff worked with Rosa on these issues, including advice on how to dress and act during an interview, the importance of punctuality, and reminder phone calls the day before and the day of the interview. Just after Rosa went back to her former high school, her case manager arranged a job interview for her with the park district. After arriving on time and presenting herself as a competent and responsible person, Rosa got the job and is now working at a skating rink. When she first began the job, project staff provided job retention training, including instructions regarding punctuality, attendance, and dealing with a temperamental supervisor. While Rosa does have difficulties with her supervisor, she has maintained a peaceful attitude at work and has shown herself to be a good employee. She is now required to train new staff members and is due for a raise this month.