Purpose

The purpose of this pilot Intervention Development Randomized Control Trial is to use knowledge translation (KT) methods to develop and deliver a toolkit to assist vocational rehabilitation counselors providing pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) to students 14 to 16 years of age with significant disabilities.

Overview

Through the knowledge translation (KT) process, which includes feedback from students, their families, and Pre-ETS counselors, we will generate new knowledge to promote participation and quality Pre-ETS to youth with disabilities (YWD) early on in their transition planning process. The objectives of the study are to conduct interviews, provide Pre-ETS, collect qualitative input from stakeholders, develop a Pre-ETS toolkit, and conduct a preliminary Randomized Control Trial. Using feedback and evidence-based knowledge, our KT approach targets younger students and contributes considerably to the state-of-the-art in support services for students 14-16 with significant disabilities in shaping their career pathways.