Assessment of Employment Opportunities for Students with Intelectual Deficit Under Transition Program: Basis for Enhancement Program in SPED Center in Tagaytay District

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

It is clear that the Department of Education would like to have effective delivery of service to students with exceptionalities that need special educational attention that's why the department offers Special Education curriculum in public schools. Part of the SPED curriculum which provides support services, vocational programs, work training, employment opportunities for efficient community participation, and independent living is the Transition Program. The primary reason for conducting this study was to assess the employment opportunities for students with special needs in Tagaytay City for the enhancement of SPED Transition Program in Tagaytay City SPED Center. This proposal will impact students with special needs or disabilities. The aim is to make children with disabilities as independent as possible through transition program and be ready for work or livelihood. If the study will be approved, the program will give them opportunity to learn skills needed in work and have work in the future.

METHODS

The qualitative method of research was used in the study to assess the employment opportunities for students. The primary research instrument used in the collection of data was focus group discussion questions and students' performances record. Data was gathered through focus group discussion and getting the records of students' performances.

RESULTS

The following were the findings revealed in the execution of the action research since the aim of this study was to assess the employment opportunities for students with intellectual deficit under transition programas a basis for enhancement program in SPED Center in Tagaytay District. Table shows that the common gender of students under transition program is male and their age is between 15 -30 yrs. old. All the participants of the study were identified as having Intellectual disability. Results show that the students are competent in dealing with their classmates and other people and doing their task in everyday training that they have. It also shows that the students are almost competent in doing household chores and tasks that are related in their everyday life. But even though they are doing well in other learning areas, it seems that they still need supervision from other persons in order to do the tasks that they need to do in their class. Results also show that the only available work for disabled persons, most especially the students under the Transition program, is work in 'LGU', 'Food and Hotel Industry', and 'Cooperative Industry'. One of the key things for disabled persons to have job is to have skills training. Students under Transition program have skills training. But according to the participants of the focus group discussion, training that matches the available work would be a better one.

DISCUSSIONS

The result of the study revealed that there are different training that need to have in order to enhance the program. Training needed are related to food and hotel works. Food preparation/food handling and housekeeping are the training needed to learn by the students. Those training will help the studentsto be employed in the future. Furthermore, it will be helpful if the city if it will have training center in the city in order for the students to have appropriate training place and for other persons with disability to use.