CRP-RCEP

Supported Employment Web-based Certificate Series

Upcoming offerings:
August 18 - November 10, 2008

Cost:

$250 per individual
$1000 for 5 individuals

Sessions will include information on these important employment strategies:

assistive technology evaluation and application,
developing business partnerships,
career development,
compensatory strategies,
customer choice,
instruction in the workplace,
marketing and job development,
job restructuring,
person-centered planning,
positive behavior supports,
self-employment,
social security work incentives, and
workplace / coworker supports.

Learning Objectives: After taking this certificate series, participants will be able to:

Discuss the federal policy and historical overview of supported employment.
Define the components of a customer profile to include situational assessments, vocational evaluations, and functional resumes.
Illustrate an understanding of job development for career paths by developing a job search plan for a potential supported employment customer.
Match a customer's strengths with the prospective employer's business needs.
Discuss the various job-site training strategies (e.g., natural cues, workplace supports, compensatory strategies, instructional strategies, assistive technology) and their applications.
Define the features of a high quality long-term support plan.
Describe the various alternative funding sources for supported employment.

ALL instruction is web based. The lectures are in audio format and you MUST have the system requirements listed below to benefit from the series. The series will consist of six sessions. All participants will be assigned to discussion groups. These groups will be asked to correspond with each other to discuss the session assignments. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to post comments on the course bulletin boards and ask questions of nationally known experts in supported employment. Each participant will receive a manual on supported employment.

Session 1: Federal Policy and Historical Perspective

Session 2: Customer Profile and Employment Selection

Session 3: Organizational Marketing and Job Development

Session 4: Job-Site Training

Session 5: Long-Term Support

Session 6: Funding

Sample Course Lectures:

Quality Indicators of Supported Employment, Dr. Paul Wehman
Marketing and Job Development, Howard Green & Pam Targett
Job Development in Rural Communities, Cary Griffin
Job Restructuring, Connie Ferrell
Self-determination, Dr. Michael Wehmeyer
Compensatory Strategies, Dr. Katherine Inge
Job Site Training, Valerie Brooke
Social Security Work Incentives, Jennifer McDonough

Beginning Date: - Sessions are posted on Monday mornings by 9:00 a.m. EDT (six two-week sessions). Subsequent sessions will be posted every 2 weeks, giving participants ample time to complete the assignments. You will be able to log onto your computer at any time, view the course content, listen to the lectures, and complete the assignments. Each session will require 6 - 8 hours of staff time to complete. Participants can earn 3.5 CEUs or 35 CRCs upon course completion. A certificate of completion will be issued to all participants who complete all course assignments. Please note that these online offerings are intensive, ,and we do not recommend taking more than one of these courses.

System Requirements - Your computer must have a sound card, speakers, Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software), and RealPlayer or RealAlternative (free software). Each participant must have his or her own e-mail address and Internet access. VCU-RRTC staff are available to provide technical assistance on how to use the Internet for distanced education. Transcripts are posted for all online audio lectures.

If you have questions about the technology applications, please contact Doug Erickson at (804) 827-0760. If you have content questions, please email Katherine Inge.