Demand has risen for the introduction of career education in senior secondary schooling to enhance students' transition from study to work. Against such a background, this paper aims to discuss the curriculum reforms and supporting structures in schools and to explore the challenges of life skills planning for secondary school students in China…

A study of 1,302 subjects revealing differences in satisfaction with life skills implied that curriculum development for education for individual, parent, and spouse roles should proceed differently for persons differing in sex, age, residence, marital status, and number of children. (Author/BP)

The article presents the rationale and structure for a functional curriculum sequencing model for teaching the severely handicapped. (Author/DLS)

Six papers address issues in the transition from school to work for mentally retarded and developmentally disabled young adults. The first presents a three-stage vocational transition model emphasizing functional curricula, integrated services, community-based instruction, involvement of parents and adult services representatives, and a diversity…

Described is the "Taxonomy of Community Living Skills," a guide for curriculum developers. Experts (n=59) in mental retardation were surveyed to assess the taxonomy's coherence, appropriateness, completeness, etc. Responses to the model's five domains (personal maintenance and development, homemaking and community life, vocational,…

This paper emphasizes that the needs of students with mental retardation should drive program design, rather than clinical labels, philosophical issues, the Regular Education Initiative, or other factors. Program design should consider the need for curricular differentiation, life skills, vocational skills, community-based instruction, and futures…

This is a report of a conference concerned with educating "less-able" 16-19 year old students within the British school system. These students vary from being physically handicapped, to educationally "sub-normal," to simply lacking in vocational skills. Topics of papers presented include: defining disadvantaged young people,…

The paper recounts the progress of a deaf blind boy in an interdisciplinary program featuring coordination, consistency, and commitment. Three staff members--a teacher of the hearing impaired, a vision consultant, and a paraprofessional--describe their role in educating the student. Aspects covered include the development of a specially adapted…

In light of the large and growing numbers of "low functioning deaf" adults who read at very low levels, this article reviews research related to transition for adolescents with disabilities, especially those who are deaf or hard of hearing. It argues for a greater emphasis on vocational and independent living skills in transition programs.…

Described in the discussion draft is a performance based criterion referenced curriculum for teaching vocational skills to trainable mentally retarded (TMR) students which was developed jointly by the University of Wisconsin at Stout and the Menomonie Public School Administration. Explained in the introduction are three evaluation inventories in…

The guide, developed by the Secondary Transition and Employment Project (STEP) in Idaho, is intended to provide students with moderate handicaps with systematic individual assessment of vocational preferences and instruction in work-related skills. The curriculum stresses parent involvement, vocational training beginning at the 7th or 8th grade…

Vocational enrollment is declining because of an increase in academic requirements. Because job skills are changing so rapidly, employers are increasingly choosing to provide their own vocational training to students who have mastered standard academic requirements. However, the lack of hands-on methodology in academic curricula and the lack of…

The guide is intended to provide a framework for helping special education students acquire those skills which will enable them to live and/or work in the community after high school. Based on a functional/critical skills model, the curriculum is organized in four learning domains: domestic (personal health care, home care, and family life/social…

This industrial arts curriculum guide for drafting is divided into two parts. The information in Part 1, Overview, should be considered directions for delineating the requirements of physical facilities, tools, instruments, equipments, machines, instructional materials, procedures, processes for guidance, research, implementation, and evaluation…

Since passage of Public Law 94-142 in 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, much debate has occurred regarding how to address curriculum in terms of meeting needs of students within various special education categories. Recently, more discussion has emerged regarding transition and curriculum geared towards assisting with this…