August 23-25, 2021
Transition to Inclusive Life after High School: Self-Determination Instruction, Customized Employment and BC’s New Curriculum  – 3 days

BC’s New Curriculum and  Graduation Program are designed so that students graduate from secondary school as educated citizens, with the knowledge, competencies, and skills they will need to transition successfully into higher education, training and the workforce. To date, students with disabilities, particularly students with developmental disabilities, have had limited opportunities to transition to higher education, training and the work force.

This three-day strand focuses on current, evidence based high school transition practices for students with diverse abilities. An emphasis is placed on the predictors for an inclusive life after high school; self-determination and paid employment in the high school years. Participants will be shown detailed exemplars of research in practice. Specifically, participants will be shown the process of self-determination instruction, and students developing and acting upon their Self-Directed Life Plans with a focus on paid employment and customized employment practices in the high school years.

This three-day strand is led by Dr. Paul Malette and Deborah Simak of CBI Consultants (formerly Director of Learning Support, Burnaby School District). The three-day strand is interactive with inspiring British Columbia based stories and practices that support BC’s New Curriculum, core competencies and successful career-life development for all students. The strand emphasizes home, school, and community collaboration and systems change. The strand is designed for School Trustees, District Teams, School Based Teams, classroom teachers, educational assistants, parents, community agencies and CLBC staff. Participants are encouraged to come as teams to collaborate and leave the strand and Institute with action plans to put research into practice.

Days Topics Covered
 

 

Day 1
August 23,  2021
Pathway to an Inclusive Adult Life-Evidence Based High School Transition Practices
  • Lessons Learned from 50 years of Research and Practice
  • Introduction to Evidence –Based Practices and Predictors of post high school inclusion and quality of life
  • Contrasting evidence based high school transition practices with current practices and the paradigm shift that needs to occur
  • The “Readiness Model” and the principle of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)- barriers to inclusion
  • Summary of Evidence Based Practices and Implementation Strategies for students, teachers and families
Day 2
August 24, 2021
Self-Determination Instruction and Inclusive Employment-A British Columbia Demonstration
  • Self-Determination Instruction and Paid Employment-Key predictors of post-secondary success and quality of life
  • Customized employment-Strength based approach to inclusive paid work
  • British Columbia Demonstration of research in practice in 70 schools
  • Examples of Self-Directed Life Plans and Inclusive Employment
Day 3
August 25, 2021
From Research to Practice Participant Action Plans
  • Linking Self-Determination Instruction and Customized Employment to Universal Design, BC’s New Curriculum, and Career Life Education
  • Change strategies to support inclusive evidence-based practices
  • Developing individual action plans to implement in authentic, school, home, and community settings.
  • Creating collaborative support networks to support Self-Directed Life Plans and an inclusive life