The curriculum of the Program has four domains. At the core is Social Communicative Competencies, and surrounding it are Self-Determination, Independent Living Skills, and Career/Vocational Preparation.
Social and Communicative Competencies
This highly important curriculum area will teach the participant the appropriate interpretation and use of nonverbal language, facial expressions, body gestures and body proximities, and will do so in a variety of contexts and settings. It will also teach receptive language skills, aiding the individual to respond to information that is presented both visually and auditorally. In addition, successful mastery of this part of the curriculum will ask the participant to demonstrate increased expressive language skills in a variety of contexts, including but not limited to speech clarity, speed, phrasing, the correct use of formal and informal language, figurative language, irony, metaphors, non-literal language, etc. Lastly, this core part of the curriculum will teach the participant to engage in conversational interactions across a variety of settings.
Self Determination
Self Determination is an individual's awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses, the ability to set goals and make choices, to be assertive at appropriate times and to interact with others in a socially competent manner. These skills are taught by aiding the individual to identify his own emotions, needs, interests, and values as well to develop an understanding of his strengths and limitations. This area of the curriculum also teaches the participant to expect to achieve personal goals, to have a feeling of self-respect and confidence, and a belief in his ability to be successful. In addition, time is spent on developing one's ability to assertively state one's own wants, needs, and rights as well as determining, pursuing, obtaining and evaluating needed supports.
Self-Determination also teaches coping skills so that the individual can complete tasks, and consequently compare his performance on those tasks to an established performance measure. As important as the coping skills, are the skills to develop the ability to set personal and achievable goals, as well as the measure to acheive those goals.
Independent Living Skills
Independent living skills are daily home and community living skills that allow individuals to deal with current and future adult day-to-day demands and responsibilities. This part of the curriculum will focus on:
(1) survival skills, including use of the telephone, financial management, grooming, preparing nutritionally appropriate meals and travelling independently;
(2) leisure pursuits, including identifying and engaging in at home and community based leisure activities both alone and in groups;
(3) manageing basic home responsibilities, including setting up personal living space, apartment cleaning, security measures, successfully doing laundry and home repeairs;
(4) maintaing a structured, nurturing home environment while becoming involved in the community.
Career | Vocational | College Preparation
In order to enjoy a productive and fulfilling life, one must prepare for, seek, and maintain work. There are four phases of career preparation: career awareness, career orientation, career exploration, and career preparation. (Bronlin, 1991)
The emphasis in this part of the curriculum is on identifying the life goals of the participant whether they be toward a vocation or avocation, and then support the acquisition of the skills necessary to be successful. These skills might be acquired in college, technical school, in the community, or at the worksite. To achieve the goals outlined in this area of the curriculum, the participant will work on resumes, interview skills, identifying sources for career education, and exploring volunteer work. He/she will also explore post secondary settings (college, adult education, trade/technical school, military service, etc.) by completing the necessary applications. The participant will also be taught how to determine financial need, to locate financial support, to use academic and system survival skills, use advocacy skills and make social connections both in and out of the classroom. The acquisition of these skills and those mentioned above will lead to success in both an academic and/or vocational setting.