Work Based Learning... creating opportunities to learn.

I recently attended a 2 day workshop on Work Based Learning (WBL).  I an currently working with students in our school's transition or vocational progam.  We offer our students a work based learning opportunity on campus with 4 training modules that include food service, facilities management, business and vending services.  The students spend 9 weeks in each module and learn safety, work skills and exposure to job related information and exploration as a part of each group. It is a wonderful program that is helping to offer our students a better understanding of different jobs and the skills needed to preform these jobs.  We are using this in the transition planning  and service part of the IEP process to better address transition goal planning for these students. Our next step is to take these skills and help these students move out into the community to work on generalization of these skills.   There remains to be some resistance from comunity businesses due to different disabilities and a lack of understanding about the WBL process and requirements. This is our school's 2nd year developing this program so I am excited that we continue to expand it and adjust it to better meet the needs of our students.