Career Counseling for People with Disabilities: A Practical Guide to Finding Employment.

This book is intended as a text for introductory rehabilitation, special education, educational psychology, or career education courses. It is also suggested as a resource guide to counselors, educators, consumers, and their families interested in the process of career exploration. Each chapter begins with a case study scenario which illustrates the relevance of material in the chapter and provides a focus on the consumer need; a conclusion for the scenario is presented at the end of the chapter. Also at the end of each chapter are suggested readings and suggested activities to gain direct experience in the subject area.

The book is divided into four sections. Section 1 is entitled Introductory Materials. Chapter 1, Introduction to Career Counseling, introduces the topic of career counseling and identifies potential clients and three intervention levels. Chapter 2, Overview of Career Counseling Theories, discusses career development theories including those by Holland Ginsburg and Super. Chapter 3, Legislative History, presents legislative history of rehabilitation, special education, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and several other legislative initiatives. Chapter 4, Career Counseling and Evaluation, presents vocational assessment, including traditional assessment, ecological assessment, and situational assessment.

Section 2, Career Counseling Content Areas, identifies counseling interventions. Chapter 5, Self-Awareness, discusses self awareness, goals, and values. Chapter 6, Vocational Selection, discusses vocational selection methods, including the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, the Guide for Occupational Exploration, and the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Chapter 7, Job Seeking Skills, presents information on job seeking skills, job seeking strategies, job applications, and interviewing. Chapter 8, Job Maintenance Skills, discusses job maintenance skills, employer expectations, and social skills. Chapter 9, Job Search Skills, discusses the job search and action planning to achieve the vocational goal.

Section 3, Career Counseling for Clients with Differing Abilities, focuses on the differing intervention levels needed by consumers introduced in Chapter One. Chapter 10, Informational--Level Clients, describes career counseling for persons with minimal needs for intervention from service providers. Chapter 11 Instructional--Level Clients, discusses career counseling activities for clients who need an average amount of intervention from service providers. Chapter 12 Advocacy--Level Clients, describes career counseling for clients who require extensive intervention, instruction, and support.

Section 4, Future Issues and Resources, discusses issues such as self-determination, family involvement, case management-for-life, and interagency coordination. Chapter 13, Future Trends, discusses future trends related to self advocacy/self-determination, family involvement, case management private vocation services, and technological advances. Chapter 14, National, State, and Local Resources, presents information about state and national resources, related to employment, training, independent living, and recreational activities. Phone numbers for various associations are included.

Six appendices provide worksheets and checklists for various components of the career development process. Appendix A, Self--Awareness Handouts, include worksheets for interests, job skills, and self assessment. Appendix B, Vocational Selection Handouts, includes a job analysis form and a discrepancy analysis form. Appendix C, Job Seeking Skills Handouts, includes resumes, interviewing checklist, and guidelines, and disability disclosure guidelines. Appendix D, Job Maintenance Skills Handouts, includes an employer expectations checklist and worker evaluation form. Appendix E, Job Search Skills Handouts, includes action plan form career plan form and contact log. Appendix F, Black Line Masters, includes selected checklists from the previous appendices for making photocopies.

This book provides concise, well organized, and finely focused information related to the career counseling process. The chapters provide information useful to students in a variety of disciplines, desiring an introduction to the area of career counseling. As importantly, service providers, consumers and their families may find this work a valuable asset in their job placement efforts.

The case scenarios that begin and end each chapter provides an insight into the needs and concerns of consumers and also describe various job placement activities. These stories provide relevant examples and explanations of consumer involvement in job placement services. The suggested readings and activities that conclude each chapter provide concrete information and guidance to enhance knowledge and skills. The reader is referred to several informational resources relevant to the chapter topic. The worksheets in the appendices are the basis for many of the activities suggested. Examples include completing self-assessments, values clarification, as well as role playing, observations, job analysis, and job accommodation evaluation.

Section 3, Career Counseling for Clients with Differing Abilities, presents a simple but effective model for describing levels of consumer ability related to the job placement process. These three levels provide a clear conceptual framework for planning services and focusing on consumer self-help skills. Consumers as well as practitioners will easily understand the three categories and the associated skill levels and services needs.

This book may be useful in a variety of settings, including college course work, in-service training for career and work adjustment counselors, rehabilitation counselors, and job placement practitioners. The information presented in each chapter and the suggested activities and readings, provide a unique combination of knowledge and educational experiences related to the job placement process. The practical orientation of this work make it a valuable resource for those interested in career counseling.