REH 6190: Vocational Assessment for Persons with Disabilities
Tuesdays, 5:00pm-7:30pm
HSRC 105

CRCC Knowledge Subdomains Addressed Rank
Tests and evaluation techniques available for assessing client’s needs 1
Interpretation of assessment results for rehabilitation planning purposes 2
Vocational implications of functional limitations associated with disabilities 3
The ethical standards for rehabilitation counselors 4
Internet resources for rehabilitation counseling 5
The legislation or laws affecting individuals with disabilities 6
The psychosocial and cultural impact of disability on the individual 7
Transferable skills analysis 8
Gender issues 9

Instructor
Michael J. Millington Ph.D., CRC
017 Human Service Research Center
6524 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322
(435) 797 3488
mjmillington@cc.usu.edu
Office Hours by appointment

Teaching Assistant
Andrew Kauffmann
Office Hours by appointment

Required Readings
Power, P. W. (2006). A Guide to Vocational Assessment (4th ed.). Pro-Ed: Austin, Texas.
Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (2006). Health Status of and Services for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans after Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation. Report No. 05-01818-165.

Suggested Readings
Pratt, S.I. & Moreland K.L. (1998). Individuals with other characteristics. In J. Sandoval, C. Frisby, K. Geisinger, J. Scheuneman, and J. Grenier (Eds.) Test Interpretation and Diversity (pp. 349-372). Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Cautilli, P.G. & Bauman, M.K. (1987). Assessment of the visually impaired client. In B. Bolton (Ed.), Handbook of Measurement and Evaluation in Rehabilitation 2nd edition (pp. 249-262). Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co.: Baltimore.
Levine, E.S. (1987). Assessment of the deaf client. In B. Bolton (Ed.), Handbook of Measurement and Evaluation in Rehabilitation 2nd edition (pp. 263-282). Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co.: Baltimore.
Tonidandel, S., Quiñones, M.A., & Adams, A.A. (2002). Computer-adaptive testing: The impact of test characteristics on perceived performance and test takers’ reactions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 320-332.
Sireci, S.G. & Geisinger, J. (1998). Equity issues in employment testing. In J. Sandoval, C. Frisby, K. Geisinger, J. Scheuneman, and J. Grenier (Eds.) Test Interpretation and Diversity (pp. 105-140). Washington D.C: American Psychological Association

Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the successful student will possess introductory knowledge of the discipline of vocational assessment and its applications in rehabilitation. The successful student will be able to:
(1) Identify appropriate evaluation instruments and techniques to use, differentially applied based on the specific needs of the person being assessed.
(2) Understand the basic models that provide form and meaning to the evaluation process.
(3) Understand the basic mechanics of test development from statistical, theoretical, and philosophical perspectives
(4) Appreciate the diverse challenges and applications of Vocational Evaluation in the present tense.
(5) Understand Vocational Evaluation as an integral component of rehabilitation counseling, rather than a separate service.
(6) Expand view of vocational assessment as a means to identifying and resolving programmatic issues as well as individual ones.

Course Structure & Process
The class convenes on Tuesdays from 5:00pm to 7:30 pm.
(a) Housekeeping: check-in for all present, instructor news of interest, student addressing procedural issues etc.
(b) Readings. Semi-Structured interview format. The instructor will direct class discussion through the daily reading, heading by heading. Students are expected to be able to summarize sections at will, provide critical analysis of the content, ask informed questions, and engage in respectful debate. I suggest that you outline chapters prior to class and prepare notes for discussion (particularly useful for distance students to have cut and paste comments at the ready)
(c) Lecture. Topics attempt to add to the days readings rather than re-hash them. Sometimes however, topics may need to move onto more remote subjects.
(d) Projects. Students will be organized into groups for the development of web-based projects. Class time will be used to allow students to develop their projects in small groups, to interact with the instructor, and to present component parts of their project to the class.

Course Schedule
1. (Aug. 29) Orientation and Models
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 1, “Perspectives in Vocational Assessment”
Lecture: Introduction to the text, the subject, and the class.
Project: Building Teams; Identifying Topics; Establishing Criteria, objectives, schedules, and individual assignments

2. (Sept. 5) Process, Ethics, and Models continued
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 2, “Issues for Developing an Effective Vocational Assessment Process”
Lecture: Ethics and the Scientist-Practitioner
Project: 1st Reports

3. (Sept. 12) An Introduction to Stereotypes/ The impact of diversity
Readings: Power (2006) Chapter 3, “Understanding the Consumer with a Disability”
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 4, “Multicultural Dynamics and Practices in Vocational Assessment”
Lecture: Post-modern practice
Project: 2nd Reports

4. (Sept. 19) Principles of measurement/test development I
Readings: Power (2006) Chapter 5, “Understanding Selected Concepts in Vocational Assessment”
Lecture: Factor analysis and instrument development (the EEQ)
Project: 3rd Reports

5. (Sept. 26) Interviewing/test development II
Readings: Power (2006), Chapt. 6, “The Consumer Interview as an Effective Assessment Tool”
Lecture: Instrument development & item analysis
Project: 4th Reports

6. (Oct. 3) Interest Testing
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter. 7, Interest Assessment in Vocational Rehabilitation
Lecture: Holland & the Strong Interest Inventory
Project: 5th Reports

7. (Oct. 10) Intelligence
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 8, Intelligence Assessment in Vocational Rehabilitation
Lecture: The persistence of global intelligence
Project: 6th Reports

8. (Oct. 17) Personality
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 9, Personality Assessment in Vocational Rehabilitation
Lecture: What is “Work Personality”?
Project: 7th Reports

9. (Oct. 24) Achievement & Aptitude
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 10, “Understanding Achievement & Aptitude Vocational Assessment”
Lecture: Wood**-Johnson Psycho-Educational Test Battery
Project: 8th Reports

10. (Oct.31) Ecological Approaches and Work Samples
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 11, “Selected Approaches in Assessment”
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 12, “Assessment with an Environmental Focus”
Lecture: Work Samples
Project: 9th Reports

11. (Nov.7) Case Management
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 13, “Interpreting Information and Identifying Resources”
Lecture: Case Management Implications
Project: 10th Reports

12. (Nov. 14) Job Analysis/School to Work Transition/Assistive Technology
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 14, “Selected Issues in Vocational Assessment”
Lecture: Linkages with Supported Employment
Project: Final Report and Posting

13. (Nov. 21) Worker’s Compensation
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 15, “Vocational Assessment of Industrially Injured Workers”
Lecture: Disability Management & Vocational Evaluation
Project: Implement

14. (Nov. 28) Evaluation of the Evaluation
Readings: Power (2006), Chapter 16, “Assessment Evaluation and Rehabilitation Plan Development”
Lecture: Meta-Evaluation: Vocational Evaluation and Program Evaluation
Project: Review

15. (Dec. 5) Final Project
Readings: Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (2006), “Health Status of and Services for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans after Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation.”

16. (Dec. 12) Final Exam
Paper due at the end of regularly scheduled class time on December 12th.

Course Grades

Class Participation (30%)
Students are expected to be present and productively engaged in all aspects of the class. This is a fairly subjective assessment based on instructor observation, although scores will have a strong and positive correlation with (a) number and quality of responses during readings discussion, (b) attendance, (c) positive feedback from group members, and (d) prompt and complete submission of materials.

Project (50%)
Students will work in collaborative groups to design and develop a vocational evaluation portal for the National Clearinghouse Website. The purpose of the portal is to provide a training resource for graduate students and professionals in rehabilitation counseling as they prepare for the CRC exam. Students will develop content modules with practice exam questions, and, if possible, work with past students to collect examples of vocational evaluations that can themselves be critiqued and archived on the website. The specific requirements and criteria will be developed in class, but there will be nearly weekly evaluated submissions during the Project report component of the class.

Final (20%)
The final is designed to assess how well the student can synthesize the course material and apply to current events. The student will respond to 5 articulated questions concerning the report issued by the VA Office of the Inspector General in regards to the rehabilitation of Iraqi veterans who have sustained a traumatic brain injury.

A > 90; B> 80 C >70

Accommodations
In coordination with the Disability Resource Center, reasonable accommodation will be provided for qualified students with disabilities. Please meet with the instructor during the first day of class to make arrangements. Accommodations and alternative format print materials (large print, audio, diskette or Braille) are available through the Disability Resource Center, located in the Taggart Student Center room 104, phone number (435) 797-2444.

USU Policy on Incomplete Grade (I)
Students are required to complete all courses for which they are registered by the end of the semester. In some cases, a student may be unable to complete all of the work in a course due to extenuating circumstances, but not due to poor performance. The term “extenuating circumstances” includes: (a) incapacitating illness which prevents a student from attending classes for a period of at least two weeks, (b) a death in the immediate family, (c) financial responsibilities requiring a student to alter course schedule to secure employment, (d) change in work schedule as required by employer, or (d) other emergencies of this nature.
Documentation of the circumstances cited to justify an incomplete grade is required. Such a student may petition the instructor of the course for time beyond the end of the semester to finish the work. If the instructor agrees, two grades will be placed on the final grade list for the student: an I and a letter grade for the course computed as if the missing work were zero. The student is then required to complete the work by the time agreed upon, or not longer than 12 months. If no change of grade has been submitted by the instructor within the prescribed period, the I grade will be removed and the letter grade originally submitted with the I will remain as the permanent grade for the course.

Notice of Academic Dishonesty
The University expects that students and faculty alike maintain the highest standards of academic honesty. For the benefit of students who may not be aware of specific standards of the University concerning academic honest, the following information is quoted from the code of Polices and Procedure for Students at Utah State University, Article V, Section 3; Violations of University Standards, Acts of Academic Dishonesty:

A. Cheating includes intentionally: Using or attempting to use or providing others with any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, examinations, or in any other academic exercise or activity;
Depending upon the aid of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments;
Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for oneself, in taking an examination or preparing academic work;
Acquiring tests or other academic material belonging to a faculty member, staff member, or another student without express permission; and
Engaging in any form of research fraud.

B. Falsification includes the intentional and unauthorized altering or inventing of any information or citation in an academic exercise or activity.

C. Plagarism includes knowlingly representing, by paraphrase or direct quotation, the published or unpublished work of another person as one's own in any academic exercise or activity without full and clear acknowledgement. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.

Violations of the above policy will subject the offender to the University discipline procedures as outlined in Article VI, Section 1 of the Handbook. Those procedures may lead to: (a) a reprimand; (b) a grade adjustment; (c) being placed on warning or probation; (d) suspension from the University; or (e) expulsion from the University.