VOCATIONAL TRAINING

AND EMPLOYMENT
OF PERSONS WITH
MENTAL RETARDATION

J
National Institute for the Mentally Handiapped

IlL

Secunderabad

VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT

OF PERSONS WITH MENTAL RETARDATION

(A handbook for professionals,

employers and parents in India)

National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped

(Ministry of Welfare, Govt. of India)
MANOVIKAS NAGAR, SECUNDERABAD - 500 009.

Copyright @ 1990

National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped,

Secunderabad - 500 009.

Reprint - 1994
Reprint - 2000

IMPORTANT
'Any part or full of this publication may be reproduced

in any form including translation into Hindi or any

regional language with written permission from NIMH

for the purpose of teaching training and research

without making profit out of it.

The views expressed in this book are those of the

authors and do not reflect the policies of NIMH.
Edited by : Jayanthi Narayan.

Printed by Sree Ramana Process, Secunderaba. Hello 7811 750

PREFACE

Vocational training and job placement is one of

the major issues in the habilitation of individuals

with mental retardation, The factors to be taken
into consideration while planning on employment
vary among the different countries, based on the

culture, economy, resources and the like.

Therefore it is not possibic to directly use the

western literature for guidance. It necessitates

development of guidelines suitable to our

country. The purpose of this book is to offer to

profession als, parents and prospective

employers, a reference material on the relevant

concerns. This book is an outcome of a Seminar
on identification of jobs for mentally retarded

individuals held at NJMH on 4th and 5th

October, 1988. It is hoped that the professionals,

employers and the parents would find the book
useful. The efficient secretarial assistance of Mr.

A. Venkateswara Rao and the administrative

support of Mr. Ram Moliana Rao and Mr. K. S. R.
C. Murthy in processing the printing of this book
are gratefully acknowledged.

**

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS FOR THE SEMINAR

1. Mrs. Vasanthi A. Pal

President
Federation for the Welfare of
the Mentally Retarded (India)
New Delhi

2. Mr. Anwar All Dhamani

Senior Psychiatric
Occupational Therapist
B. M. Institute of Mental Health
Ahmedabad

3. Mr. Arun Joshi

Rehabilitation Officer
VRC for the Handicapped
Hyderabad
4. Shri. D. J. K. Cornelius
Director
Navjyothi Trust
Madras
5. Shri. Han Parmeswarari

Dynam Engineering Corporation

Bangalore
6. Mr. P. Jeyachandran
Principal
Vijay Human Services
Madras
7. Mr. D. R. Kurani
Incharge, Prevocational
Training Programme
Jai Vakeel School for Children
in Need of Special Care

Bombay

Chairperson

8. Shri A. S. Prakash Rao

Regional Employment Officer

for Physically Handicapped
Hyderabad

NIMH Representatives

1. Dr. D. K. Menon
Director

2. Dr. (Mrs.) Jayanthi Narayan

Asst. Prof. of Special Education
3. Dr. T. Madhavan
Asst. Prof. of Psychiatry
4. Mrs. Saroj Arya
Asst. Prof. of CI. Psychology
5. Ms. Thressia Kutty
Research Officer

Coordinator

CONTENTS
1.

Current perspectives in Vocational Training

D. K. Menon

A. T. Thressia Kutty

Saroj Arya

17

D. R. Kurani

24

Anwar Au Dhamani

35

53
63

2. Nature, Classification and Potentials of

Mentally Retarded Individuals

3. Vocational Assessment
4. Pre-vocational Training of
Mentally Handicapped
5. Vocational Training and Job Placement

of Mentally Handicapped Persons

6. Employment of Persons with

Mental Retardation
7.

Sheltered Employment

Jayanthi Narayan
D. J. K. Cornelius

8.

Open Employment

Jayanthi Narayan

9. Home Based Self Employment

57

Shalini Pereira
Saifuddin Bijliwalla

67

A. Joshi

73

T. Madhavan

90

10. Job Placement, Job Analysis, Job Profile

and Employment Operations
11. Employer-Union-Fellow Worker-Advocacy
and a Mentally Retarded Employee

CURRENT PERSPECTIVE IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING

D. K Menon

The National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped carried out a survey of
special education centres in the country. The first round was completed in
August, 1987 which listed 286 institutions in the country, while the second round

which was completed by December, 1988 added 62 more institutions, thus

raising the strength to 348 special education centres in the country. The
establishment of special education centres which began in early 1940's picked
up momentum in 1950's and 1960's. The analysis showed 169(48.5%) of these

institutions offered pre-vocational and vocational training facilities, while 57

(16.4%) such centres had the facility of sheltered workshops.

Craft Activities
A visit to sepcial schools or special education centres having the facilities of
vocational training show that they impart training on specific trades like candle
making, chalk making, caning of chairs, basket making, weaving, book binding,
printing, making of envelopes, and greeting cards, etc. Such programmes can
be described as craft activities rather than any serious effort to train adult person

with mental retardation in a vocation leading to employment or job placement.

The characteristics of such craft activities are as given below:

a) Such programmes are aimed at keeping persons with mental retardation

busy more as a recreational activity:

b) In most instances training if any, is incidental as no efforts are made to

ensure efficiency, nor any quality controls are observed in the production.
c) There are no production targets, nor any pressure is put on the mentally
retarded trainees in the discipline of work, efficiency and quality output:

d) The craft activities have no profit motive. More importance is given on

keeping him engaged and occupied.
e) Such craft activities have no linkages with employment. Rarely, a few
trainees may pick up proficiency in the craft activity, carry out the trade as
self-employment and earn some money.

The products of such craft activities are proudly displayed in the special
education centres. The quality of the products reflects more on the proficiency
of the craft instructor rather than the mentally retarded trainees. Very often it is

difficult to decipher the contribution of normal persons vis-a-vis that of mentally

retarded person in the product. On the positive side, there are few examples of

special schools who have converted such craft activities into profit making
vocational training units under protected circumstances. For example, a candle
making is making profit because quota of wax is alloted on subsidised rates.
Caning of chairs has been a profit making activity because of patronage by a
Government department. The success of basket making and weaving units can
be attributed to enterprising families of the persons with mental retardation who
have picked up the art of making baskets or dusters which could be sold in the

market with marginal profit. Similarly, the units producing greetings or

envelopes are isolated examples of making marginal profits. One may argue
that vocational training centres are not designed to make profit, their actMties
are primarily geared towards training in the trade. However, following are the
limitations of such vocational training programmes:
a) Vocational training has no relationship with employment. In majority of the
cases, who complete the training there is rarely a job waiting for them, nor
such people are trained to run self-employment units.
b) Vocational trades taught at such centres are often complex and it takes a
long time to master them;
c) There is no fixed training period nor there is any formal graduation. Training

continues as long as person with mental retardation continues to attend

the centre or as long as the Principal of the Centre desires him/her to
continue;
d) There is a lot of wastage of raw materials;
e) Such units are maiply run by few trained persons with mental retardation

who have attained a relatively high level of proficiency. Majority of the

remaining persons with mental retardation play a secondary role and rarely

reach some level of proficiency. If these 2 or 3 proficient persons are

withdrawn, the production comes to a grinding halt;

f) Because of low production, such units are not economically viable.

Overhead costs are high, marginal profits may not meet even the cost of
raw materials;
g) Training is given in protected environment, employment outside these
conditions is never thought of, as a result, there are limited opportunities
for replication;
h) The trades are chosen keeping in view what the persons with mental
retardation can possibly learn and perform. Rarely any market survey is

done to assess the market demand and tailor the job to suit market

conditions. Any training given on

trades for which there is already a

saturation in the job market, it is unlikely to generate employment.

Sheltered Workshop:
conducted by the National Institute for the
As mentioned earlier, the survey
centres had
that 16% of the special education
Mentally Handicapped showed
Typically the characteristics of such
the facility of sheltered workshops.
centre,
workshops are: (a) protected atmosphere, (b) productioncumtraI'Q
there is emphasis Ofl
(c) management is in the hands of normal persons (d)
training leads to
efficiency, (e) production targets are
employment in the same workshop.

clearly laid out, and (f) the

located in south and western India which

Some of the successful projects are
work relating
and teaching aids, (b) assembly
deal with (a) manufacture of toys,
production of
to telephone components, (c) laundry, (d) packaging and (e)
goods for home use like bakery, pickle, papad etc.

such units have shown profit, the idea has not

Inspite of the fact that many
proliferated for the following reasons:
and majority of the
a) Sheltered workshop projects are capital intensive
special education centres,
voluntary organisations running
such
projects,
means and resources to start

b) It requires a group of persons

rarely have the

and
retardation
into
persons with mental

with a flair in industrial production

marketing who can train and organise

a profit making team,

training are limited as more emphasis is given on

c) The trades of vocational
show promise are
production and profit, and therefore, those persons who
cease as
absorbed in the workshop itself. The employment opportunities
soon as optimal strength is recruited.
make profits so as to pay full wages to persons
d) Sheltered workshops rarely
are scared of attracting sales tax,
with mental retardation. Most organisers
induStr1I act.
or shops and establishment act or provisions under
NEW DIRECTIONS
literature, due to the efforts
been reported n the recent
Many new concepts have
persons wIth

made by scientists to find new employment opportUnit1e

mental retardation.

Self Employment: Few isolated examples are available where a person with

mental retardation has installed a handloom in his own house. Dusters

produced by him have assured market in bank and educational institutions.
Another example is of a pickle and papad unit. Similarly, packing units installed

in home setting have yielded promising results. Needless to say, such

production units cannot be run successfully without the help and assistance of
parents in purchase of raw material and marketing of the finished products. The
drawback of this scheme is that the mentally handicapped person becomes
isolated and has no company. If he becomes moody, production targets cannot
be maintained. The self-employment scheme has not been seriously tried by
vocational trainers for mass application. It would be interesting to introduce a
small variation in this concept so as to organise neighbourhood cooperatives
where 4 or 5 persons with mental retardation could join hands together to run a
production unit under the supervision of a parent.

Open Competitive Employment : This concept originated primarily in the

United States which advocates equal opportunities and the right to work. For
the first time terms like shelter, support, or protection are eliminated. Persons
with mental retardation who are capable of working alongwith other persons are
encouraged to take up employment on competition basis. Wages are fixed in
accordance with the production. For example, if a normal person can produce
on an average 1000 units, while the person with mental retardation produces
300 units on a given day; 30% of the normal wages is paid to the person with

mental retardation. Few isolated trials have been made in India to employ
mentally retarded persons under open competitive employment conditions
successfully. In a toy manufacturing unit, of 12 persons with mental retardation
who were initially taken as trainees, all of them are continuing the job. The wages
paid to them are nearly one-third of what would have been paid to a normal
person. The following problems come in the way for trying this concept in Indian
setting.

a) Workmen's compensation act: It is not clear whether adults with mental

retardation will be protected under this act. For example, in case of loss of
limb, while working in industrial set up, the lawyers can easily argue that

the persons with mental retardation, could not understand the safety
precautions.

b) Contract : An employment is a contract between the worker and the

employer. Because of impairment of intellectual functioning, it cannot be
said without reasonable doubt that an adult person with mental retardation

understood the terms and conditions of employment. It is unlikelythat the

industrialists would offer a regular job to a person with mental retardation.
c) Shops and Establishment Act: Those establishments not covered under
industries are covered under shops and establishments act. The provisions
of this act safeguard the interests of the workers by fixing the number of
hours of duty, ensures continuity in service, and payment of wages fixed
by the Government. Sympathetic shopkeepers may employ a person with
mental retardation on trial basis for few months, but are reluctant to employ
them on regular basis.

d) Employee's State Insurance Scheme: Health insurance is provided to

private establishments under this scheme. If a worker falls sick, free
treatment is given. A small percentage of charges towards Employees
State Insurance are deducted from the monthly salary of the employee. As
industrialists are not willing to take adult persons with mental retardation
on regular basis, they will be denied the opportunity of the health insurance.

e) Unions: In large industrial establishments, there are strong unions who

with mental
would oppose any sympathetic consideration to persons
retardation. The industrialists therefore, fear that the unions may demand
lowered target of production if persons with mental retardation are allowed
any concessions.
TASKS AHEAD

One percent reservation : If the statements made by the Union Minister of

Labour and Welfare as reported in the newspapers are any indication, it is quite
the Government of India for
likely that one percent of jobs will be reserved by
persons with mental retardation. This will be in addition to the already existing
three percent reservation for disabled persons. The scientists and professionals

working in the care, management, and training of persons with mental

retardation must get ready to (a) identify jobs in the Government and public
sector undertakings which can be performed by persons with mental retardation,
(b) develop modules of training persons with mental retardation so that they can
conduct field trials so as
fulfil the requisite qualifications for employment and (c)
on the job.
to eliminate factors which impair or hamper satisfactory performance

Earnest efforts must begin right now if this opportunity

appropriately utilised.

and goodwill is to be

Awareness and expectations : Very often professionals in their over

enthusiasm and zealousness promote the concept that disabled persons can
5

do anything or as well as a non disabled person can, provided the disabled

person works hard and has the motivation to achieve something in life. Many a
time this approach backfires. There are several examples of people having
visual disability making unrealistic claims that they are suitable for all kinds of
jobs and that blindness in no way can hamper their work. In actual reality this
is not so. It is therefore important that realistic orientation be given to persons
with disability so that they are made aware of their assets and liabilities. Such
an orientation will not only help the disabled person to understand clearly what
he can do and what he cannot do, but also help him in having suitable adjustment
in job.

Support Services: Finding a suitable job and placing a person on the job is not

enough. We must consider the needs of adult diabled person and the
environment in which he lives. It has been reported that finding a jon is very
easy but retaining the job is difficult. Planners and trainers must provide not only
the periodic support on the job but also look into recreational and leisure time
activities. It may be more appropriate to encourage adults with mental
retardation to form a social club in their own area where they can regularly meet
and jointly undertake recreational and educational activities. These may range
from seeing a movie to visiting the market for shopping or an industry to study
thework atmosphere, availability of jobs etc. Such social clubs would apart from

providing opportunities for social interaction, would also promote

self-confidence and self advocacy.
AU over the world, it is only in recent years that serious efforts have been made

to train persons with mental retardation for suitable employment. In a

developing country like India where because of over population, even able
bodies persons find it hard to seek suitable employment, the attitude of the
community, particularly the employers would require to be modified and
changed. This can become possible if persons with mental retardaiton
satisfactorily fulfil the needs of the employer and the community perceives them

as useful members of the society. Professionals, parents, and persons with

mental retardation should join hands to create such an awareness. A lot of work

in the area of vocational training, job placement, and employment requires to

be done to realise such dreams.

**
6

NATURE, CLASSIFICATION AND POTENTIALS OF

MENTALLY RETARDED INDIVIDUALS
A. T. Thressia Kutly
The remedy to reduce the deviance in a person with mental handicap is to lead
him towards more competence. To make a person competent, the first step is

to identify, understand and accept his potentials. This chapter explains the
nature, characteristics and potentials of the mentally retarded persons especially
the adolescent and adult group.
NATURE
Who is a mentally retarded person? This is a question that would seem rather
simple to answer. The answer can be viewed from a standpoint of definition and
classification system that have been used historically. The most commonly used
definition was developed by the Amercian Association on Mental Retardation
(AAMR). It is a professional organization that specialises in problems of people
with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. The AAMR definition
reprinted here is written in a complex language and has several parts. Therefore
following the definition, the meaning and significance of each is explained.
According to AAMR mental retardation is:

Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning resulting in

or associated with concurrent impairments in adaptive behaviour and
manifested during the developmental period. (Grossman 1983)

Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning means that

the individual has an 10 score of less than 68 or 70 on one of the
individually administered standard intelligence tests.

Adaptive behaviour refers to the skills needed for personal

independence and social responsibility such as dressing, toileting,

feeding, behaviour control, independence in community and

interaction with peers.
Developmental period is defined as the time between conception and
18 years of age. An initial diagnosis of mental retardation is commonly
to be made during this period.

All three of these conditions must be met to identify an individual as mentally

retarded.

1. AnlQbelow7o.
2. Impairment in adaptive behaviour.
3. Occurance before 18 years.
CLASSIFICATION
Individuals with low intelligence have been classified in various ways. Every
profession has its own grouping for its own purpose. The psychologist classifies
the individual according to his degree of psychological deficit as indicated by
the IQ and other measures. The educator uses rate of learning or degree of
deficit as the basis for organizing an educational programme for the individual.
AAMR definition describes four levels of mental retardation: Mild, Moderate,

Severe and Profound. Levels are determined by an individual's IQ on a

standardized intelligence test. 10 scores are based on an average of 100. How
far below average a person's score falls determines whethe he or she is mentally

retarded as well as the degree of mental retardation. These four levels as well
as normal and borderline intelligence are described and summarized in Table-i
and Diagram-i.

Table-i

Levels of intelligence in relation to 10 Scores

Levels of Intelligence

10 Score

% of population
in each group

1. Normal

between 84-85 & 115-116

68

2. Borderline

between 68-70 & 83- 84

14

3. Mild Mental retardation

between 50-55 & 67-69

4. Moderate mental retardation

between 35-40 & 49-54

1/2

5. Severe mental retardation

between 20-25 & 34-39

1/2

6. Profound mental retardation

less than 20-25

1/4

* Approximately 15% people score above 115-116 10

Source - M. Pueschel, C. Berner, E. Weidenman - The Special Child Page 48

Normal intelhger'ce
18

15

12
a,

On

0
C

61

Chronological age

*1

Mental age growth curves corresponding to normal intelligence and to the tour levels of
retardation

Normal Intelligence

People are considered to be of average intelligence if they score between 8485 and 115-116 on an intelligence test. This group makes up approximately 68%
of population. People who score above 116 would be considered to be of above
average intelligence or gifted.

Borderline intelligence

An 10 score that falls in the range from 68-70 to 83-84 suggests that an individual

is of borderline intelligence. These people are not considered as mentally

retarted, as they do not have impairments in their independent living skills. This
group represents approximately 14% of the population. They are identified by
the educators as slow learners.

Mild Mental retardation

Mild mental retardation applies to 10 scores with the range of 50-55 to 67- 69;

depending on the test used. Mildly mentally retarded people are

indistinguishable from the general population, but they are unable to profit to
*1

Baroff. G. S. (1986) Mental Retardation. Page 17

any great degree from the programme of the regular schools. They are also

called as educable mentally retarded having the following potentials for

development:
1. Educability in functional reading and arithmetic.

2. Capacity for social adjustment to a point where he can get along

independently in the community.

3. Occupational adequacy which helps him to support himself partially

or totally at a marginal level.
The term educability refers to functional educability in the academics, social
and occupational areas.

Moderate mental retardation

Moderate mental retardation includes the 10 score ranging of 35-40 upto 49- 54.
The moderately mentally retarded individual is unable to profit from the normal

school programme. They are also known as trainable mentally retarded who
have the following potentials.

1. Learning self-care activities such as eating, dressing, undressing,

toileting, etc.
2. Learning to adjust in the home or neighbourhood though not in the
total community.

Severe Mental retardation

Severe mental retardation refers to the 10 scores within the range of 20-25 to
34-39. Severely mentally retarded people may have associated handicaps such
as motor problems or significant speech and language deficits. Special school

programmes will emphasise basic developmental skills, communication and

adaptive behaviour. People who are severely mentally retarded usually can
work in supervised workshop settings. Supervision in daily living throughout
adulthood is necessary for the severely mentally retarded individuals.

Profound mental retardation

Profound mental retardation refers to 10 scores that fall below the range 20-25.
Again there may be significant associated handicaps. Still with proper training
many profoundly retarded people can learn self care skills. If their functioning
is very low, if other handicaps such as hearing problems or visual problems, or

motor impairments are extremely incapacitating, or if their health status is

precarious, special living arrangements may be necessary. This group is called
as custodial mentally retarded.
10

Degree of retardation
Moderate

--

Profound
I

H HH
Mild I

Severe

68 84 100 116
2 1

oD
Percentile rank

<1

16

132 148 164 180 196

+1

+2 +3

50

84

98 '99

+4 +5 46

*2
Distribution of measured Intelligence in the normal and retarded range

Potentials of adolescent and adult mentally retarded persons

As this book mainly concentrates on vocational training and job placement of
the mentally retarded individuals, potentials of the adolescent and adult mentally
retarded persons are explained below =

The mentally retarded adolscent

Adolescence is truly a period of transition that encompasses the personal, social

and educational life of the indMdual. Educational goals during this period are
directed more toward career development and preperation for life as an adult.
For the individual with mental retardation, the challenge of adolescence are

obviously intensified. Many adolescents with mental retardation have the

physical attributes of their non-retarded age mates, but do not possess the
capacity to fully cope with the demands of their environment or their own. For
the moderately and severely retarded adoiscent whose physical and cognitive
differences may be readily apparent, the focus is on the level of social and
occupational independence that may be possible in our society.

The mentally retarded adult

Adulthood generally marks a period in the life of the person in which a transition

has been made from a life of relative dependence to one of increasing

independence and responsibility. Adults with mental retardation exist as a
paradox. They have achieved the status of adulthood because they have lived

long enough to deserve the distinction. However, some of these adults are
*2

Baroff G. S. (1986) Mental Retardation. Page 38.

11

unable to attain a level of total independence. They lack the intellectual skills to
meet typical high school graduation requirements and may lack behavioural
charecteristics considered essential for adequate adult functioning.

Many individuals who are mildly or moderately retarded endure the frustration
of childhood and adolscence with the hope and expectation that adulthood will

bring an emancipation from many problems associated with school. While

academic pressures and certain intellectual demands tend to subside on
completion of school, other demands find their way into the life of a retarded
adult.

An adult works, earns money, and buys the necessities of life. An adult
socializes, often marries, has children and tries to be as productive and happy
as possible.

* Can a mentally retarded adult find or hold a job?

* Can an adult retarded person earn reasonable wage?
* Can an adult retarded person achieve competence to socialize with?
* Can a mentally retarded adult become independent?
These are some of the questions usually parents of the mentally reatrded adults

ask and professionals work out solutions. Appropriate answer for possible
solution to these questions is to bring out the maximumpotentials in a mentally
retarded individual, for a purposeful and independent living to the extent he is
capable of being.

Potentials of mildly mentally retarded persons above 15 years

Independent functioning : Exercises care for personal grooming, feeding,

bathing, toileting. May need health and personal care reminders; may need help
in selection and purchases of clothing.

Physical: Goes about the in local neighbourhood withease, may use bicycle
and other equipment requiring coordination.
Communication : Communicates complex verbal concepts and understands
them. Carries on every day conversation, uses telephone and communicates
in writing through simple letter writing.

12

Social: Interacts cooperatively or competitively with others and imitates some

group activities primarily for social and recreational purpose, may belong to a
local recreation group or church group, enjoys recreation (bowling, dancing,
TV., checkers).
Economic activity: Can be sent or can go to shops to make purchases without
a note to shop keeper, can make change correctly, may earn living but has
difficulty in handling money without guidance.

Occupation : Can cook simple foods, prepare simple meals, and perform
everyday household tasks (cleaning, dusting, laundry). As adults can engage
in semi skilled or unskilled job.

Self-direction : Initiates most often own activity; will pay attention to task,
conscientious about work and assumes responsibility.

Achievement of Mr. V. S., a mentally retarded adult

Mr. Y. S. at the age of 18 years was brought to the National Institute for the
Mentally Handicapped in 1985 for consultation for the problems such as lack of

concentration and interest in studies, childish behaviour, inability to handle

money and to tell time.
In Binet Kamat test he scored an tO of 61 with a poor abstract thinking ability.
His social age was 9 years on VSMS. He was diagnosed as mildly mentally
retarded.

During initial special educational assessment he was independent in self care

skills; he was able to go about in the local neighbourhood and he could

communicate fairly well. In the area of scholastic performance, though he
studied upto VIII class, the performance level was: in reading third grade, writing
and arithmetic in the first grade. He was unable to use this acquired knowledge
in handling money, telling time, writing letters, etc.
For prevocational training and job placement, an 80 item criterion referenced
checklist was used. His score was 69% during the initial assessment. After six
months of systematic training the score increased upto 90%. He was placed

on-the-job in a factory in 1986 and since then he is successfully continuing

on-the-job by earning an income of fRs.250/- per month. In comparison with the
normal workers, his work out put was increased from 50% to 60% during the
first year. By the end of 1988, he had a bank balance of Rs.2,500/- which was
deposited monthly out of his earning from October 1986.

13

Potentials of moderately mentally retarded persons over 15 years

Independent functioning : Feeds, bathes, dresses self, may select daily
clothing, may prepare easy foods for self and others, combs and brushes hair,
may oil and shampoo, may wash, iron and store own clothes.
Physical: May have good body control, good gross and fine motor coordination.

Communication : May carry on simple conversation, uses simple sentences,

reconizes words, and signs.
Social: May interact cooperatively and competitively with others.
Economic activity: May be sent for shopping with/without notes; makes minoi
purchases, adds coins with fair accuracy.

Occupation : May do household chores (dusting, dish washing, preparing

simple foods that require mixing), may work in a sheltered workshop.

Self-direction : May initiate most of own activities, attends to tasks, may be

conscientious in assuming responsibilities.

Achievements of Mr. V. F., a moderately mentally retarded adult

Mr. V. F. a 41 year old moderately mentally retarded adult discontinued his
schooling in childhood due to poor scholastic performance. When NIMH started

services in 1985, he was brought to the Institute by his father, seeking some
future arrangement.
During initial special educational assessment, he was independent in self care

skills, and was able to communicate fairly well. He was sociable and
cooperative. After a period of one year of systematic training he scored 80% on
the 80 item criterion referenced checklist. Though he was not able to achieve

in the area of functional academics he improved in job related skills such as

social behaviour, travelling alone to the place of work and attending to a task
without disturbing others.
He was placed on the job after 6 months of on-the-job training. Currently he is
continuing on the job from 1986 and earns a monthly income of Rs. 200!-. He
is engaged in repetitive task (sand papering the machine cut wooden pieces).
In comparison with the normal workers his work out put was 50% during the end
of the first year after job placement.

14

Potentials of 15 years and older severely mentally retarded persons

Independent living: Feeds self adequately, can put on clothes and can button
and zipper clothes; may tie shoes, bathes self with supervision, is toilet trained,
washes face and hands without help.

Physical: Can run, skip and hop, can go up and down stairs alternating feet,
can throw ball to hit target.

Communication : May communicate in sentences, understands verbal

communication including words such as 'because' and 'but'. May reconize
signs and words.

Social: May participate in group activitl's, may eMHage in simple games. May
have friendship choices tat are maiotained over weeks and months.
Economic activity: May be sent on simple errands and make simple purchases
with notes, aware that money has value but does not know how to use it.

Occupation: May prepare simple foods (sand wiches). Can help with simple
household tasks; can set and clear table, may work in a sheltered workshop
under supervision.

Self-direction : May ask if there is work' for him to do, may pay attention to
task for 10 minutes or more; makes efforts to be dependable and carry out
responsibility.

Potentials of 15 years and above profoundly mentally retarded persons

Independent living : Feeds self, may spill some; puts on clothing but needs
help with small buttons and zippers; tries to bathe self but needs help; can wash

and dry hands but not very effectively, partially toilet trained but may have
acccidents.
Physical: May hop 0, skip, may climb with alternating feet; rides tricycles, may
climb jungle gym; may throw ball and hit target.
Communication: May have speaking vocabulary to make wants known. If non
verbal, may use gestures to communicate needs. Understands simple verbal
communication including directions and questions ('put it on the shelf', 'where

15

do you live?), speech may be indistinct sometimes. May recognize advertizing

words: ice cream, stop, men, ladies.

Social : Participates in group activities and simple group games, interact with
others with simple play.

Achievements of Mr. A. H.., a severely mentally retarded adult

Mr. A. H., a 24 year old severely retarded adult was registered at NIMH in 1986.
During initial special educational assessment, he was independent in self help

skills. Though he was shy to speak to strangers, he could communicate fairly

well to the familiar people. He was able to go to the neighbouring places and
come back by himself.

He could not improve in the area of functional academics during the

prevocational training. His score increased from 36% to 50% in social and
vocational areas. After 6 months on-the-job training, currently he continues
on-the-job, earns a monthly income of As. 150/- and out of his earning holds a
recurring deposit in Syndicate Bank from 1987 onwards.

A regular job with a regular income, though it is less than a normal person's
earning, makes a mentally retarded person more competent. It leads him
towards social competence. Thus he becomes a useful person in the family and

society at large. The deviance in him also will be gradually tolerated as he

becomes independent in daily living.

REFERENCES
1. Drew, J., Logem, B. K. and Hardman, M. L. (1984) Mental retardation a life

cycle approach - Times Mirror/Mosby College Publishing; St. Louis,

Toronto.

2. Barroff, G. S. (1984) Mental Retardation : Nature, cause and management

- Hemisphere Publishing Corporation, Washington.
3. Pueschel, S. M., Bernier, J. C. & Weidenman, L. D. (1988) The special child;
Paul J. Brooks, London

4. Thressiakutty, Narayan, J. and Menon, D. K. Systematic training and job

placement of persons with mental retardation - a model - Indian Journal of
disability and rehabilitation, Dec. 1988, pg. 25-33.

16

VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENT
Saroj Aiya

Vocational assessment is pivotal to the rehabilitation of mentally handicapped

persons. Vocational assessment and evaluation play a key role in determining

the eligibility for rehabilitation and hence forms an essential component of

vocational rehabilitation.

Definition
Vocational assessment can be broadly defined as the process of obtaining

information about a worker's skills and performance in order to make

appropriate training decisions (Bellamy. Homer and lnamn, 1979).
Vocational assessment is a comprehensive process that systematically utilises

work, real or simulated as the focal point for assessment and vocational
exploration, the purpose of which is to assist individuals in vocational
development. Vocational assessment incorporates medical, psychological,
Social, educational, vocational, cultural and economic data in the attainment of
goals for vocational training and rehabilitation.

Aim of Vocational Assessment

The main aim of vocational assessment is to help in assessing the indMdual's

skills and capacities and in pin-pointing the strengths and weaknesses for
eventual vocational programming. Vocational assessment needs to address
four major issues, namely:
a) eligibility for services,

b) vocational potential - which involves assessment of intellectual ability,

academic achievement, aptitudes and interests.
c) social adaptation and level of psychological and emotional functioning, and

d) evidence of problems that require treatment.

17

Principles of Vocational Assessment

Some of the important principles of vocational assessment include:

1. The vocational assessment must be ecological. Vocational assessment

must take into consideration the relationship of work related abilities and
skills being measured in the context of a variety of other related factors.

The vocational assessment model should encompass tour major

components, namely the individual, significant others, physical
environment and cultural factors.

2. Vocational assessment must be carried out in settings where the

individual's response can be evaluated in relation to naturally occuring
environmental cues in a work situation.
3. The assessment instruments should have predictive validity for determining

the individual's ability to perform equally well in almost all instances of a

given activity in anticiapted work environments.

4. Vocational assessment must include both quantitative and qualitative

components. Quantitative data include objective measures while

qualitative data may be less objective but useful information can be
obtained by observations, parental information and feedback from
employers.

5. Vocational assessment instruments must reflect placement opportunities

in present and subsequent work settings. The assessment batteries should
reflect competencies that ate necessary for successful functioning within
community employment settings.
6. Vocational assessment should focus on work related skills and behaviours
that could impede the employment opportunities.
Persons with handicap generally remain unemployed due to work-related
deficits in behaviour rather than inability to perform work tasks. Sensitive
instruments should assess work related behaviours, like interaction with
co-workers and general personality characteristics which are significant
predictors of maintaining employment.
7. Vocational assessment must proceed from global to specific measures as
the individual prepares for gainful employment.
Initially, a baseline assessment should be done using criterion referenced norms

to obtain information about the individual's vocational potentialities. Then,

formative assessment should focus on information related to vocational training
programme. The final stage encompasses on- the-job evaluation.
18

Approaches of Vocational Assessment

Since vocational assessment greatly influences vocational training and
rehabilitation, professionals have become increasingly concerned about the use

of appropriate assessment strategies.

Broadly there are two types of assessment approaches; namely : the traditional
and contemporary assessment approaches.
Traditional assessment approach measures abilities and prior learning assuming

that already learned traits can predict subsequent learning and performance.
Traditionally, vocational assessment relied upon standardized techniques, like,

intelligence tests, measures of aptitudes, interests and norm-referenced

instruments to obtain profiles of vocational potential.
In recent years, the concern to develop a close interactive relationship between

assessment and training activities has led to the current move towards a
contemporary assessment approach that mainly relies upon situational
assessment, ecological inventories and criterion referenced measures.

Typically, traditional assessment method is used in eligibilty determination for

vocational services and training while contemporary assessment is useful in
vocational planning and on-the-job evaluation.

Traditional Approach to Vocational Assessment

The traditional approach to vocational assessment mainly encompasses
psychological measurement approach, assessment of psychomotor skills and
work sample.

Several psychological variables, like, intelligence, vocational aptitudes,

occupational interests have been used to predict performance of mentally
handicapped persons.

The commonly used intelligence tests include Wechsler Adult Intelligence

Scale-R, Binet Scales and Maze tests for predicting performance of mentally
retarded workers. Other psychological measures which have been used td
assess and predict performance of mentally handicapped persons included

aptitude tests, like Minnesota Paper Form Board, B'r.. tt Mechanical

Comprehension Test; interest inventories, like Kuder P .ence Record,
Vocational Interest and Sophistication Assessment, Wide Range Interest and
19

Opinion Test, and Picture Interest Inventory; and psychomotor tests, like,
Manual Dexterity Test, Bennett Hand Tool Dexterity Tests and Minnesota Rate
of Manipulation Test and the like.

The work sample approach represents the most popular assessment strategy
used in vocational assessment. Work sample is referred to as a 'sampling of the
activity and other demands of a real job or occupation' (Wright, 1980). The type
of instruments advocated in work sample for vocational assessment refer to well
defined work activity involving tasks, materials and tools which are identical or
similar to those in an actual job or cluster of jobs. The work samples typically
include tasks such as sorting, folding and assembling. Other skills assessed are
counting, measuring and reading. Some of the popular work samples include

McCarron-Dial Work Evaluation System, JEVS Work Samples, the Tower

System, and Vocational Information and Evaluation Work Samples.

There are certain advantages in using work sample methodology, namely:

i) they approximate real life work situations

ii) they assess worker-characteristics, like, following directions, tool usage,

and attitudes associated with work
iii) they are relatively unbiased
However, there are problems assocaited with work sample approach that limits

its generality for the purpose of vocational assessment. Work sample

methodology have been criticised for not evaluating a very critical component

of work behaviour, namely, social competence. Work sample data may be

confounded by motivational variables. The evaluated work sample assessment
has not been established for various categories of mentally retarded persons.

Contemporary Approach to Vocational Assessment

Contemporary approach include three newly developed areas to vocational
assessment of mentally handicapped persons. These are assessment of
adaptive behaviour, survival skills and process assessment approach.
Adaptive behaviour refers to a wide range of appropriate behaviours in diverse

social contexts. MMD defines adaptive behaviour 'as the effectiveness or

degree to which an individual meets the standards of personal independence

and social responsibility expected for age and cultural group. The most
commonly used adaptive behaviour are MMD Adaptive Behaviour Scale,
20

Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale, San Francisco Vocational Competency

Scale, Vocational Behaviour Checklist.
The survival skills refer to those vocational and socail behaviours which facilitate
to obtain and maintain employment. The currently used vocational assessment

instruments include Vocational Assessment and Curriculam Guide and

Vocational Problem Behaviour Inventory.

Process approach emphasizes the importance of direct assessment of actual

competencies in contrast to product approach of relying on measures to infer
performance. The process assessment mainly include two methods, namely,
Learning Potential Assessment and Functional Analysis of Behaviour.
Hence, the process assessment approach in combination with assessment of

survival skills and social competence represents a functional relationship

between vocational assessment and vocational training.

Both traditional and contemporary assessment techniques contribute valuable

information for decision making in vocational rehabilitation.

The use of standardized instruments offers the advantage of providing useful

information regarding potentialities and limitations of mentally handicapped
persons across a number of vocations, settings and time. Standardized tests
also have the advantage of objectivity, reliability and validity which provides
means of obtaining comparative data. These tests can be used as repeated
measures for impact evaluation of vocational training.
Although standardized tests can contribute significantly to understanding and
monitoring individuals with mental handicap, the special consideration must be
given to the selection, administration and interpretation of test results in most
appropriate and maximally useful way.
The contemporary assessment techniques like situational tests and ecological
inventories provide useful situation specific information necessary for making

decisions about vocational training and evaluating employment success.

Situational tests can also serve as method to measure change in constructs, like
adaptive functioning, socialization and life- style satisfaction.

21

Future Perspective

The successful placement of mentally handicapped individuals into an

integrated work setting depends upon a multitude of inter-related personal and
situational variables and hence it is imperative to assess a wide range of personal

skills and vocational attributes.

Professionals are faced with the task of devising vocational assessment package

that adopts the best of both traditional and contemporary approaches. The
package should provide information that is maximally useful for:
a) identification of target population,
b) programme planning for vocational training,
c) placement and gainful employment,
d) monitoring worker progress,
e) progamme evaluation.

The vocational assessment package should be simple and time and cost
effective.

Some of the imporatant areas which can be used as framework for vocational
assessment of mentally handicapped persons include general mental ability,
skill levels, language and communication, adaptive behaviour, daily living skills,

social competence, level of independence and level of integration. These

parameters can be measured by use of relevant assessment techniques which

would serve the purpose of vocational planning, monitoring progress and

evaluating programme effectiveness. Information about occupational interests
and aptitudes will be useful in matching a person with job that is not only feasible
but is also of interest to the employee. In thisway vocational assessment can
be sensitive to the interaction between skill level and job requisites, thus

providing more relevant information for vocational training and vocational

rehabilitation.

Improving quality of life for handicapped individuals should be overriding

concern of all human service programmes and measures of life-style satisfaction
should be the primary yardstick to evaluate success in vocational rehabilitation.

**
22

REFERENCES

1. Becker, Ralph,L. The Reading-Free Vocational Interest Inventory: A

Typology of Vocational Clusters. Mental Retardation. 25 (3), 171-179,
1987.

2. Bellamy, G. T., Homer, R.H., and Inman, D.P. Vocational habiitation of

severely retarded adults: A direct service technology. Baltimore:

University Park Press, 1979.

3. BulIis,M and Foss, G. Guidelines for assessing job-related social skills of

mildly handicapped students. Career Development for Exceptional

Individuals. 9 (2), 89-97, 1986.

4. Halpern,A.S., and Fuhrer, M.J. (Eds). Functional assessment in

rehabilitati;n, Baltimore: Paul H.Brookes, 1984.

5. Menchetti, B.M., Rusch, F.R., and Owens, D.M. Vocational Training. In

J.L.Matson & S.E.Breuning (Eds.). Assessing the Mentally Retarded. New
Yorl: Grune & Stratton, 1983.

6. Wright, G.N. Total rehabilitation. Boston Little, Brown & Company, 1980.

23

PRE-VOCATIONAL TRAINING
OF MENTALLY HANDICAPPED
D. R. Kurani

INTRODUCTION
The ultimate goal of Rehabilitation is to develop optimum personality, potentials
and functions of the individual through treatment and training. Pre-vocational

training is part of a total rehabilitation programme. It is an important phase of

training between School (Education) programme to Vocational (Work)

programme. Many individuals find it difficult to adjust into the vocational
rehabilitation programme directly from classroom situation because of their low

adjustment potentials, physical capabilities and new psycho-social role as a

worker (Emotional, Social and Developmental). Pre-vocational training helps in
developing individual's personality from being a student to a worker. This type
of programme is carried out at our Society since last seven years. It is carried
out in three situations namely:

a) Classroom situation (to teach practical application of academic skills)

b) In the community (to acquire personal and social skills) and
c) In the workshop situation (to acquire work related skills)

DEFINITION (OPERATIONAL):
Pre-vocational training is, systematic training, by which an individual acquires
such skills and behaviours which are necessary for a particular vocation.
ASSESSMENT
The main goal of assessment is to locate or find out skills and behaviour deficits

in an individual and to analyse skills and behaviour deficits in terms of

expectations for entry into vocational rehabilitation programmes. To achieve
this goal it is necessary to research the skills and behaviours that are required
for vocational rehabilitation in a articular vocation.

There are certain skills and behaviours which are essential for any kind of
vocation.

a) COGNITIVE SKILLS : Individuals should have adequate comprehensive

abilities, he should be able to understand oral or written instructions. He

24

should have adequate cognitive skills in reading, arithmetic, time and

money concept.
b) PERSONAL SKILLS: Individual should be independent in self help skills
of eating, dressing, toileting etc. He should have proper personal hygiene

and able to groom himself properly. He should be able to take care of

personal belongings, he should be able to use the telephone and public
transportation.
c) SOCIAL SKILLS : Individual should have good inter-personal relationship
i.e. he should be able to relate or interact healthly with his co-workers and
supervisors. He should have good social language i.e., he should be able

to use phrases such as Please and Thank you. He should be aware of

community facilities and how to use them eg. post office, hospitals, bank
etc. He should coperate with and have consideration for others.
d) EMOTIONAL SKILLS: Individual should be emotionally sound enough to
perform his work and should not have any psychological pressures on him

i.e., family tension, anxiety, worries etc. He should have adequate

frustration tolerance i.e., he should not react adversely to any critcism or
failure in performances etc. He should have good motivation and interest
to work. He should have self confidence and good concentration.

e) PHYSICAL AND SENSORY MOTOR SKILLS : Individual should be

physically fit to take any kind of job. He should have good psycho-social

tolerance to work for the required number of hours. He should have

adequate percepto motor skills i.e., individual should be able to perceive
the environment (work) as it is through tactile, visual, auditory sensation
and understand it properly and then act accordingly.
f) LIFE SURVIVAL SKILLS AND SAFETY SKILLS : Individual should have
adequate life survival and safety skills i.e., he should know how to put out
fires, treatment of minor cuts and burns, basic poison antidotes. He should
be able to read basic signs eg. Danger, Caution, Exit, Keep Off, Explosives,
Traffic signals, Keep to Left, No Smoking, Stop-Look-Listen, Cross Roads
etc. He should be able to take care of his health, eating habits and diets,

good working posture. He should be able to take care of himself while

working with sharp tools or working on a machine etc.
g) WORK RELATED SKILLS: Individuals should be punctual in attendance
and regularity i.e., he should attend the class on every working day and on
time. He should not remain absent without valid reason. He should be able
to work alone as well as in a group. He should be able to seek help from

25

co-workers or supervisors when required. He should be able to take

initiative in his work i.e., he should start his regular work on his own without

waiting for supervisors to tell him. He should ask if there is anything else
to do etc. He should be aware of his safety as well as care for others' safety.

Pre vocational Evaluation or Assessment is a method utilising a variety of

techniques and assessment tools to evaluate or assess individuals potentials
and behaviours in various areas. The common evaluation or assessment
techniques which various disciplines use are:

SOCIAL WORKER (Clinical) : Social worker obtains detailed background

information about the individual from the parents and family members. The
Social worker also makes the home visit for gathering additional data which
helps in psycho-social diagnosis and gives a picture of family interaction
between the individual and his family members, family expectations of an
individual, values, beliefs and communication patterns. The above information
helps in training and selecting a vocation for the individual.

PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION : Psychologist uses various standardised

tests eg. Standford-Binet Intelligence Test, Bender Gestalt Test, Draw a Person

Test and Thematic Aperception Test to get information about individual's

cognitive functionings, visuomotor functioning, self image, emotionality and

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EVALUATION : Occupational Therapist uses

various evaluative techniques and methods to get information regarding
individual's independent functioning, physical disability and his abilities to
perform tasks, his personal social skills, his sensory motor and perceptomotor
functioning. Occupational Therapist does work evaluation by using the work
sampling method and evaluates the individual's ability to work in the workshop
situation. Work sampling method is a method in which Occupational Therapist
simulates, the working situation in the workshop itself and then assesses the
individual by putting the individual into that situation. Occupational therapist
also uses the workshop observation scale (adapted by B. M. Institute of Mental
Health, Ahmedabacj, from the Goodwill Industries, Supervisory Observation
Guide) to get information on individual work attitude, quality of work, reaction

to supervisors and co-workers, personality characteristics and general

observation (Occupational Therapist assessment format is attached).

26

SPECIAL EDUCATION: Special education assessment by special education

teacher consists of assessment of skilis in reading, writing, arithmetic, general
knowledge, orientation of the individual to his surroundings, Time and Money
concept and Language ability.
There are other evaluation and assessment tools also, for eg.
1. ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOUR SCALE : This scale is developed by the American

Association of Mental Deficiency and B.M.lnstitute of Mental Health,

Ahmedabad, has modified this scale to suit Indian population. This scale

provides information on personal social adaptation and indicates

maladaptive behaviour of an individual. This scale provides progressive
assessment which can become the guideline for further training of an
individual.
2. PREVOCATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND CURRICULUM GUIDE : This
scale is also like an Adaptive Behaviours scale i.e., also gives progressive

assessment of an individual. This is developed byMithan, Mar and Steward

1978. This scale provides information in the area of attendance/endurance,
individual independence, production, learning behaviour, communication
skills and social skills
3. JOB ANALYSIS METHOD : This is the menthod in which a particular job
is analysed in terms od academic skills, work skills and behaviour skills. A
particular individual is assessed according to these skills, requirements and
gathers information about individual's abilitites and deficits, for eg.

(Academic skills)

Individual should know measurement, should have

time concept, should do basic planning while sewing,
should comprehend instructions etc.

Work Skills:

Eye hand coordination, folding of clothes, basic

machine functioning, removal of dust and lint,

Activity of Sewing:

lubrication of machine, speed control and posture,

maintaining tension, selection of proper needle,
threading, bobbin filling, sewing, hand sewing

Behaviour Skills:

Good concetration, attention, good frustration

tolerance, good interpersonal relationships, etc.

27

OBJECTIVES: Objectives or goals of prevocational training of any individual is

based on his assessment. Main objectives will be to reduce deficit in the

individual and to improve his behaviour.

1) To prepare mentally retarded Indivudals towards a work oriented

programme.

2) To impart training and create opportunities for development of cognitive

skills, personal social skills, life survival and safety skills, physical motor and

sensory motor skills, psycho-social (emotional) skills, work related skills

and basic work skills.
3) To provide special education emphasizing the development of practical
application of cognitive skills in day to day living and work life.
4) To develop adjustment potentials in the individuals by putting them through
various situations i.e., in the workshop, community, meeting with different
people and to improve interpersonal relationships.
5) To normalize work related behaviours and to develop their work personality
through graded exposure and training in work situation.

TRAINING : Training of an individual in prevocational training programme

should be started with adjustment process. Many individuals find it difficult to
adjust into the new training set up. These individuals should be helped in their
adjustment to the new environment by making it congenial and tolerable to the
individual's limited potentials. In the initial stage of training it would be wise not
to make demands but to create an atmosphere which encourages interactions
with co-workers, teachers and supervisors. This can be done initially by group
introductions so that individuals get to know each other. This can be achieved
by talking about day to day happenings in the home and community through
news papers, TV., introducing group games, singing etc. By this, individual's
emotional need of security and protection will be taken care of and his anxiety
will be resolved. In the workshop situation supervisor helps the individual to
interact with co-workers by accompanying him and giving him simple tasks
which he can perform in the group. Once the individual is adjusted to the new

environment, gradually the demands on him should be increased. As the

training goes on, individual should be put into various situation (environment)
having various work demands, so that he starts adjusting himself into various
working situations and work demands.

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME In the special education

programme teaching n reading, writing and arithmetic should be directly related
28

to practical application in day to day living and work life, for eg. if the special
education teacher wants to teach addition and subtraction it can be directly
related to the activity of monitory handling. This can be done by 'Bole Playing'
in the classroom itself. In this, one can become a shop owner or a bus conductor

and others may become customers or passengers. They should play out their

role appropriately, by actual usage of money and items. Teacher should

supervise and guide them if necessary. In the same kind of 'role playing' you
can also involve reading and writing by preparing a list of items to be purchased
and then reading out the items to the shop owner. Later on same activity can
be carried out in real life situation. By this the teaching becomes meaningful
and motivating for the individual.

In the special education programme you can improve general knowledge by

arranging field trips in the community i.e., to post office, bank, hospitals, movies,

departmental stores etc Later on teacher asks the individuals to write about
their experience, collecting pictures on that topic and pasting them in the
drawing book and then again writing about the pictures and so on.
Similarly the skills of reading and telling time, scales, weights and measurement,

counting etc. should be taught. Their social language should be improved by

teaching them phrases such as 'Please" and "Thank you" etc. By arranging field
trips and giving them an opportunity to interact with various people. You can

improve communication skills as well as the way of interaction, you can also
improve personal skills i.e., they can learn how to buy postal stationary, how to
stand in a queue etc.

PERSONAL SKILLS: Individual should be independent in his personal skills.

Otherwise job skills become meaningless. Individuals should be independent
in self-help skills of eating, eating in public, dressing, dressing appropriately for
the occasion, toiletting i.e., he should be able to care at toilet and control his
toilet needs according to the situation. He should be taught proper personal
hygiene i.o., he should take care of his clothes, cutting nails regularly,washing

hands before and after eating etc. Girls should be taught to take careand
manage herself during menstruation. They should be taught how to take care
of personal belonging how to use the telephone and soon. This all can be taught
by gMng them practical lessons. These things can be well taught when the
individuals are taken for educational tour of 2-3 days. By this practical training,
gradually the individuals will learn how to use public transport and commute by
themselves to workplace etc.

29

LIFE SURVIVAL & SAFETY SKILLS : Training in life survival and safety skills is

also important because this will be helpful in their job. They should be given
practical training in first aid i.e., how to clean the minor cuts, with what to clean,

to apply ointment, what ointment to apply. How to take care of minor burns,
how to tie bandages etc. They also should be given practical lessons on safety
skills, reading basic signs and following them appropriately. Working carefully
with sharp tools and working on machines. They should also be taught how to
seek help when and from whom when in trouble.
WORK SKILLS & WORK RELATED SKILLS: In this training individual should
be exposed gradually to work. They should be oriented with hand tools, their
names and uses and then given training on how to operate them. Gradually they
should be given simple assignments to perform, planned on the skills we have

taught. They should also be taught to operate sewing machines, threading

needles, bobbins etc. They should also be given training in tasks like cleaning
the floor, taking proper care of tools, putting them back appropriately in proper
places after finishing the work. They should be given training in various kinds
of operations for eg. Rotation, winding, twisting, paper folding by matching ends
and corners, pasting. locking, unlocking, screwing and unscrewing, stitching,
cleaning, chopping and pealing foods, scraping dishes and stacking dishes etc.
In the pre- vocational training programme teaching various kinds of work skills
is important. Apart from work skills training, work related skills is also important

because without that, work skills and job skills become meaningless. They
should be trained in punctuality in attendance and regularity. They should be
taught to take responsibility in personal and general responsibility. They should
be taught to complete assigned task, take care of tools, to take permission before
leaving the task, to display proper respect for peers and supervisors, to behave

appropriately in a working situation. They should be taught to work

cooperatively with other co-workers. 'They should pay attention to their own
work and should not disturb others. They should be taught to control their anger
and emotional outbursts. They should not react adversely to criticism or teasing.
They should be taught to follow and adhere to supervisors directions etc.
While giving pre-vocational training individuals should be given orientation about
the activity they are performing, its importance and how it is going to help them

in future. Also give recognition to their work so that they will feel secure and
satisfied. To sustain the interest of the individual in their work, the activities must

be within the individual's capabilities but should also offer some challenge in

30

order to increase the individual's capabilities. This will help in motivating the
individual to put forward their best and will also increase their self confidence.
In the Pre-vocational training it is important to teach various kinds of work skills,
work related skills and behaviour to develop proper work personality. From our

pre-vocational training programme, we have placed fifteen individuals as

apprentices in suitable jobs, in open employment (file manufacturing, tailoring
etc) when they mastered the skills, they were absorbed as workers on a daily
'wage basis. Out of the fifteen individuals, two have faced difficulties in their job,
tor eg. case 'R' is a 19 year old averagely built male. He is a case of borderline

mental retardation. He has gone through our pre-vocational training

programme and became independent in his functioning. He could commute by
himself and has developed adequate psycho-social behaviour and work related
behaviour. He has been trained in work skill of fitting clips in the office file in a
file manufacturing unit of a private concern. He was doing his work of fitting
clips into the office file well, but when that work was over he was free because

he could not do any other work such as pasting, cutting the corner of files,
making creases on files etc. So when there was no work of fitting the clips, he
was free and occupying the place without doing any work which the employer
resented. So the employer complained about this to us during the follow up.
So from the case 'R' it was learnt that it is necessary to train an individual the
whole skill, required for a particular job. So now in our training programme, we
make sure that the individual is taught all skills necessary for a particular job.

Case 'I' is a 20 year old well built male. He is a case of borderline mental
retardation. He has been given training in the school and pre- vocational training

programme. He has learnt to read and write and can do arithmetic sums and
money transactions. He can commute independently. He has also learnt the
various kinds of work skills relating to file manufacturing unit since he was
interested in that. His psycho-social skills were not adequate. He used to get
irritated easily, he had fair degree of frustration tolerance. On seeing other
individuals of his group working in the file manufacturing unit, he was showing
a lot of motivation and eagerness to do the same job, so due to his motivation
to work and having the required work skills, he was put into that unit for training,
thinkir1g that by working in actual real open environment, he would improve his
psycho-social behaviour. During his training a regular follow up was maintained.
The owner of the unit used to give us a feedback regarding his behaviour. The

unwanted behaviour reported were thought to be minor adjustment problems

31

which were tolerable, so regular counselling was given to him regarding his
psycho-social behaviour and he was showing improvement. His employer was
satisfied with his work, so after 3 months he made him a regular worker on daily

wage basis. Once due to minor teasing he could not control his emotional
outburst and out of anger he hit the other co-worker. Dueto this the employer
got scared and asked him to sit at home. Hence it was felt that placement of 'I'
into the open employment situation was premature.

Therefore during the pre-vocational training it is our main concern to ensure

overall growth of an individual before placing into vocational training in an open
environment.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT AND RECREATION : They should be given

training in physical exercises to build their proper posture and endurance.
Recreation is a very important aspect in everyone's life. It teaches the individual

how to use leisure time activity. Recreational activities become a media of

socialization by facilitating interaction with other individuals, it also becomes a
good physical activity. Depending upon the need and level of the trainee's
recreational programmes should be organised. Indoor and outdoor games

such as cricket, dodge ball, football etc. are interesting to them. Apart from this
organising specific events or matches boosts their motivation. They should also
be encouraged to take part in District, State and National level events for the
handicapped and integrated events such as dance, drama, picnics etc. which
gives them a status and equal rights as other citizens.

THERAPUETIC STRATEGIES: During thetraining programmes, problems of

individuals are revealed for eg. adjustment problems, emotional problems,
behaviour problems, sensory motor perceptomotor problems and work related
problems, which have to be intervened therapeutically by the Occupational
Therapist, Psychologist and others. If these problems are not intervened with,
therapeutically they could create problems later on and individuals may fail in

their jobs. The therapeutic method to be used in such cases should be

counselling during their work, individually or in a group, behaviour modification
techniques, interpersonal approach i.e., building strong personal relationships

with individuals and helping them in solving their problems. Occupational

therapy for sensory motor and perceotpmotor dysfunction. Apart from this,
group meetings with parents should be arranged so that they can beguided in
solving the problems of their wards. Sometimes Occupational therapist uses

the adaptive strategies to help the individual in adjusting into an environment by

32

accomodating the individual into the environment and making an effort to modify

or develop behaviour patterns which will enable him to cope with the existing
demands of his environment, or by locating a suitable environment for the
individual. Behaviour modification techniques are to be used in day to day
handling of the individual. Undesired behaviour of the individual should not be
reinforced at all. On the occurance of such behaviour, either, it should be
ignored or social reinforcement (mostly therapist stops giving attention) is
withdrawn. For positive and desirable behaviour the individual should be
praised and should be reinforced by extra attention. Sometimes the counselling
is needed for parents in settling the goals for the individual and further discuss
the problems and how to solve them.
Occupational therapy is needed in cases with sensory motor dysfunction and
percepto-motor dysfunction. Poor sensory motor dysfunction meansindividual
does not adequately gather and understand the information from motor, tactile,
visual, auditory senses. Percepto-motor dysfunction means individualdoes not
perceive the items or letters/numbers in the correct perspective, i.e. he may
perceive the items/letters/numbers in a reverse manner. Perceptual dysfunction
itself affects vocational potentials in many ways. Gross motor, fine motorand
tactile problems affect physical skills, visual dysfunction affects visual skills.

Occupational Therapist uses sensory motor training and percepto-mOtor

training to correct these dysfunctions. Hence during prevocational training it is
necessary to assess the overall growth of individuals before putting them into
Vocational Rehabilitation or on a job.

After prevocational training, transfer of an individual to a vocational rehabilitation

unit should be done gradually. This is necessary, because it is an established
fact that Mentally Retarded individuals react adversely to any sudden change,

as the vocational rehabilitation environment is different from the previous

classroom and well protected work environment. The individuals should be
gradually exposed to a workshop atmosphere and the relavant activities. This
will facilitate the adjustment process. As the individual starts adjusting to the
new environment by mixing and interacting with co-workers and supervisors
their duration and time in the new environment should be gradually increased
and then ultimately he will be totally adjusted to the new environment.
The support of earlier workers from the Prevocational Training unit should be

gradually withdrawn, as the individual is totally transferred to vocational

rehabilitation unit.

33

REFERENCES

1. Dorothy L. Kester - Prevocational Training, Willard and Spackmafl'S

Occupational Therapy/Fifth Edition, J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia.
2. Frank R. Rusch - Competitive Employment, Issues and strategies, Paul H.
Brookes Publishing Co.

3. Anwar Ali Dhamani (Coordinator) Centre for Developmentally

Handicapped, B. M. Institute, Ahmedabad - Paper on Vocational Training
and job placement of mentally handicapped.
4. M. R. Kulkarni (Director) 0. T. Dept., B. M. Institute, Abd. Project report on
Development and Evaluation of a programme for vocational assessment,
training and other Rehabilitation assistance to Mentally RetardedYouth.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
I thank Mrs. T. D. Shroff, Adm. Director of the Society, for her cooperation and
necessary guidance. I also thank Mr. P. K. Roy, Principal, Vocational Training

Centre of the Society and my colleagues occupational therapists for their

guidance and encouragement. I also thank the National Institute for Mentally
Handicapped to allow me to write this chapter.

34

VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND JOB PLACEMENT OF

MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS
AnwarAli Dhamani

Preparing the mentally retarded for an adult Work-role.

Theoretical concept by Willian Geliman, Executive Director, Jewish Vocational
service, Illinois.

Introduction
The adolscent and adult mentally retarded are the products of developmental
disadvantagement which results in inability to meet cultural norms and poor
performances of societal roles. This impact of mental retardation is experienced

through the process of disadvantagement which exercises a limiting effect

throughout the retardate's life span. The handicapping area disadvantages the
retardate by depriving him of access to vital cultural experiences. A review of

research on psycho-social deprivation and personality development by the

National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (1968) indicates the
following as significant aspects of disadvantagement.

1. The syndrome quality of deprivation of disadvantagement leads to

associated difficulties in all life sectors for the disadvantaged.

2 The immediate antecedents of disadvantagement are a small set of

interactional variables: parental neglect, failure experience stigma, deviant
models, limited access to opportunity, diffuse rather than specific verbal
reinforcement, and low teacher expectations.

Disadvantagement constitutes a personality syndrome with such components

as low achievement orientation, low perception of opportunity, low sense of

control, poor imaginative capacity, inadequate or inappropriate social role

development and limited interpersonal skills.

The parallel between the developmental patterns of mentally retarded and of

disadvantaged individuals is evident in the similarity of the growth sequence and

outcomes. Both experience deprivation and failure. They face difficulty in

assuming the major societal roles - social, vocational, familial and community.
The developmental equations are similar: disability creates a andicap which
results in psycho-social deprivation leading to disadvantagern. . which spreads

in all aspects of personality and all life areas. The sequence of

35

disadvantagement suggests the need for programmes which enable retardates

to meet social goals by assuming appropriate cultural roles.
The adolescent/adult mentally retarded are usually stigmatized by failure. They
are treated differently by others because of theirpublicly recongnized inability
to meet societal norms at home in school or in society. Dubrow (1970) finds
that the profile of failure of retardates extends to all life areas. If there has been

continuing exposure to failure or excessive overprotection, other attributes

appear such as unrealistic self-esteem, tendency to
underperforni and the
separation of success or failure from one's own efforts. The adult image appears

with culturally appropriate experiences such as working. Its basis is the selfperception of the young adult, that he is a man or woman who can accept adult
responsibilities in his eyes and the eyes of others. The shift to adulthood is

particularly difficult for the retarded because of the halo effect. Poor
performance or incompetency in significant life sectors resulting from
developmental deficits leads to the tendency for others to regard him as a child
in all aspects other than physical size and
physiological functions.
The transition from adolescent to adult requires the retardate to accomplish two
cultural tasks

1. Preperation for the major societal roles

Communal

- social, vocational, familial and

2. Enactment of these roles in society with the concommitant shift from

dependency to partial independence.
While the roles differ from each other in

many ways, there is sufficient similarity

to use the vocational or work role as a developmental model.

Definitions of the concepts used

Vocational adjustment: The compatibility of the work personality to the range
of available work roles in the work sub-culture. Job adjustment, the more
specific term, is defined as on the job work behaviourand is measured by the
relationship between the work personality and the work roles.

Vocational development: A series of changes beginning in early childhood

and occuring throughtout life which results in the formation and modification of
the semi-autonomous work personality and the attributes and competencies
necessary for functioning appropriately in a work or productive role.

36

Work: Goal directed activity directed towards socio-economic ends. Unpaid

volunteer activity is deemed productive work, if the individual and society
consider it socially useful.

Work personality: An integrated, semi-autonomouspart of the total personality

which functions as a constellation of work-behaviour, attitudes and values
manifested in typical work or achievement demanding situation.
Operationally
it is defined as the set of behaviour patterns exhibited ina work situation or the
manner in which an individual enacts a work role.
Work-role : Work role requires the ability to work, theability to secure work and
the ability to adapt to work. The productive role a broader term includes unpaid
activities.

Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) in rehabilitating deaf clients developed five

stages of vocational deveiopment based on Eriksons (1963) formulationson
personal development. Each stage represents a level in the development of the
work personality and the ability to adjust vocationally. These stages appears
applicable for adolescent and adult mentally retarded also.

Stage 1 - Psycho-social Adequacy

The clients usually have experienced extreme experienced deprivation and
presents behavioural problems, which must be dealt with before any steps
towards preperation for employment can be undertaken. Clients need to
develop emotional, cognitive and social capacities for interacting appropriately

with peers or supervisors in a work situation. Clients at this stage frequently lack
in self confidence, they are sensitive to criticism and reacts inappropriately to
work demands. They have limited ability to communicate.

Services to this group includes intensive counselling tutoring which includes

both academic training and social experience. They require a good deal of
attention in the workshop. The main objective is appropriate social behaviour.

Stage 2 - Work readiness

Clients at this stage have overcome most of the behavioural difficulties of the
firststage, particulartywith peersand supervisors. Social behaviourforthemost
part is appropriate. But they lack experience and understanding of the world of
work, like rules of the work place, work habit and attitudes etc. for eg. regularity
in attendance and punctuality, follow and adhere to supervisors direction, ability

37

to concentrate on a particular task and remain with a job for an assigned period.

Understanding of work related concepts like speed, quality, consistency of

performance, cleanliness etc. Relationship between production and earnings.
Measurements such as time, weight, etc.

The first phase is the formation of work-personality. The second phase is the
effective use of the work-personality in work situation.
In practice, the line of demarcation is seldom as sharp as in theory, and individual

clients are provided service on the basis of their needs.

Stage 3 - Vocational Choice

During this stage emphasis is on personal, educational and vocational guidance

and planned exposure to training and employment situations. Counselling

provides the relationship and the process through which the client is helped to
secure further training or select an appropriate job.
Stage 4 - Job Placement
This stage focus on adaptable, well motivated and work ready clients, who are

capable of performing in open employment. Role playing for job search,

interviews, job-orientation and job development with industry are tried.

Stage 5 - Occupational Upgrading

This is a continuous process through which rehabilitatee is evaluated and steps

taken to improve his potential for acquiring the skills needed for higher
occupational performance and position. Emphasis is on improving work
personality and on skill training as well as preperation of the employer for full
use of the client's abilities. On the job training, special vocational classes or
planned job transfers are often used.

The adult mentally retarded faces the challenges and goals in all the major
societal roles. The operational definition for the work-role is functioning as a
worker in a recognised occupation in a competitive or non- competitive work

setting. Work-role performance entails securing a position functioning

adequately, and adjusting to the personal and impersonal demands of the job.
A number of studies (Gold 1972, Ziegler 1966) indicate that the mentally retarded

is able to do complex tasks, given a structured situation and adequate

preperation. The retardate's assumption of work-roles in competitive or
38

non-competitive employment calls for three types of assistance. The first is the

simplification of environment stimulation to those stimuli to which the

retardate can respond promptly and efficiently. The second type of assistance

is preperation of the retardate for work through the formation of a work

personality and through specific preperation of the retardate for the tasks
comprising the position in which he is to be placed. The attitudes of supervisors

and fellow employees may determine whether a retardate with the ability to
perform job tasks will remain on the job. Menninger (1955) states that more
positions are lost because of poor personal relations than because of lackof
skill. The third step in preperation calls for the development of supporting roles
for the retardate in the family, at work and in the community.

The absence of emotional, social and psycho-social supports in the working

environment creates problems for the retardate if he faces job related difficulties.

This may be dealt with by group discussions of working retardates, which can

provide an opportunity to deal with on-the-job interpersonal problems and

prejudices.

Environmental complexity is another cause of work failure for retardates. The

complexity of a job increases with the number of persons in the work area, the
rapidity of job changes, the degree of variability in tasks, the possibilities of the
job shifts and instability in the immediate work group.

The examination of successful and unsuccessful work-role performance

indicates that the work preperation of the retardate requires the use of work
experience and workshops if he is to perform adquately in a work role.

Thus, it is evident that adoiscent and adult retardates emphasize the thrust
towards changing work behaviour to prepare the mental retardate to enact the
work role which society expects him to play. Vocational development for
retardates should begin with a program of psycho-social adaptation. It would
stress coping with the social disabilities of the retardate. The process of work
adaptation which follows requires task orientation as a necessary steptowards
achievement motivation.. Learning how to learn in varied situations which do
not shelter him. Preperation for success at work requires the ability to deal with
failure, emotionally and cognitively. The retardate should learn how to begin a
new task by reanalysing the problem or by asking for assistance.

39

The suggested programme uses work in a workshop as a primary tool for

modifying work behaviour. A work-study programme based on the rehabilitation

workshop integrates the educational programmes to improve the retardate's

work performance. Family therapy is a necessary component if the self-image
of the retardate is to be changed. Placement in industry or a sheltered workshop
should follow completion of the programme. Above all, it is necessary to develop
positive public attitudes towards retardates so that they can live and work more
effectively.

Multicategory Rehabilitation Centre

Aims and Objectives

This programme imparts training to the adolescent and adult mentally

handicapped clients in various work skills and develop their work-readiness so
that they can work either in sheltered employment which may be transitional or
long term, or could be placed in open employment in community, so that they
can work independently and lead independent life in the community.

Vocational development training programme of the centre is divided in two

phases 1. Pre-vocational phase, 2. Vocational phase.

Pre-vocational Phase:
During this phase, emphasis is given on the following areas:
1. Extended educational programme in 3R and general knowledge.
2. Socialization and group behaviour.

3. Use of art and craft work, clay work etc. to facilitate motivation and
creativity, improve social skills etc.

4. Short educational visits to places like the post office, bank, garden, work

places, dairy, villages etc. The purpose is to improve their general

knowledge, personal-social skills, awareness about community facilities,
behaviour in public places etc.
5. Recreation.
6. Health education.
7. Self help skill development.

8. Pre-work training like knowledge and use of work tools, work discipline,
basic work skill training in activity situation, orientation of workshop culture.

40

Vocational phase:
The clients who enter in this phase of programme have less psycho-social and
behavioural problems; since these problems are dealt with in earlier phase of
the programme. They are less confused and more emotionally adjusted. They
have more stable relationship with their supervisors and co-workers. Now the
emphasis becomes in making them good workers so that they can meet the
normal work demands, work independently with minimum supervision and also
must maintain quality of work and keep good speed. Work discipline and work
behaviour becomes the important dimensions along with the work training, on
which th adjustment of the client in community depends in future.

Keeping above goals in mind, the clients in this phase have been divided in 3
groups according to their needs and level.

Group 1:
This group comprises of clients who require intensive supervision, training and

behaviour modification strategies for developing work discipline and work

behaviour within the work environment. Usually these clients are newly admitted
and are going through adjustment phases within the work-environment. General
work skill developement is emphasised in this state, in order to refine their motor
skills, coordination and dexterity. This is achieved by giving maximum exposure
to clients by rotating through different work areas, and allowing them to handle
different tools, equipments and material.

Group 2
This group consist of clients who are better adjusted in work environment and
require some supervision for developing their work potentials in production
activities. They are still going through a process of vocational development,
beginning to settle down to a specific work area of their interest and choice.
Their behavioural problems in the workshop situation has reduced considerably
and they begin to observe workshop rules and discipline.

Group 3

This group consists of clients who are well adjusted and settled in work
environment. They are more or less independent in functioning and may require

very minimal supervision and guidance. The emphasis in this group is on

developing their accuracy, quality and speed in production activities. This is
achieved by putting them under constant work demand and pressure for
executing the orders within the stipulated time. It also helps in developing their
41

stamina, tolerance and speed. Simultaneously

these clients are also undergoing

employment experience, where workshop discipline rules and behaviour are

followed strictly. In this process they become

ready for community employment,
self-employment or sheltered employment.

The programme
Multicategory Rehabilitation Centre of the B. M. Institute imparts work skills and
life skills training to adolescent and adult
mentally handicapped clients. It is a
day care programme and most of the clients are independent in transportation
from their residence to the centre.
The training is imparted from 9.30 am. to
4.00 p.m. on all working days of the Institute.
Clients bring their lunch and eat
together with other clients in lunch break. Besides
lunch break, a short recess
of 15 minutes is kept for tea/nasta.
Everyday, as part of recreation, an hour is
set apart for indoor and outdoor games and other recreational activities like
music and drama.

Clients are referred to the centre after assessment from the out patient
department (OPD) of the Institute or the school for

the mentally retarded children

evaluation of the client from the vocational
rehabilitation point of view is done as an extended evaluation. Before admitting
the client in rehabilitation centre, the
client is kept in transitional phase. Here

of the Institute. A multidisciplinary

he/she is attached to one of the clinicians

for providing initial support and
motivation. This period is also used to understand the interest and abilities of
the client; understand motivation and
attitudes of parents towards the clients
and training programme. (For details, please refer the paper Appendix-i, Mental
Health Review, Page 5 to 11).

Once the parents alongwith the clients indicate readiness to undergo the training

programme, the client is admitted for observation for

2 hrs everyday. During
transitional phase individual work with theclients as well as parents continue till

the need is felt. After the initial

adjustment/exploration phase the clients are
admitted to either pre- vocational
phase or vocational phase of the training
programme.
The clients are given work adjustment

to 5 years. After this training as

and work skill training for the period of 2

part of preperation for placement in open

employment/self employment the clients are tried on work station placement or

employment experience phase. The placement of the clients are initiated with

the help and commitment of the parents to be responsible to provide initial

42

support and guidance by them on the actual situation. Follow-up of the clients

in placement are maintained on need basis. In the later part clients are
encouraged to visit the centre to share his employment experiences with his
past co-workers, supervisors and clinicians as part of followup. This also
motivates other work ready clients to initiate for their placement efforts (For
details please see paper Annexure-1, Mental Health Review, page 21 to 27).

All the clients in training area are assessed regularly at six months interval.

Besides work skill training indivdual and/or group counselling, workshop

counselling, occupational therapy, parent counselling are provided to clients
who require it.

Multicategory Rehabilitation Centre Programme Structure Analysis

Time

Activities in
Vocational Phase

Purpose

9. AM to 9.15 AM

a) Morning greetings
between staff and
clients and amongst
client occurs and is
encouraged
b) Signing In muster roll.
c) Preparation for prayer

As in vocational phase
1) Socialization
2) Belongingness
3) Security
4) Practical application
of academic skills.

Activities in FreVocational Phase

Purpose

1) Integration with
vocational phase clients.
2) As in vocational phase.

The main purpose of this activity is to convey and

recognise the importance of all the clients as Individuals'.
9.15 AM to 9.30 AM

a) Assembly and prayer. 1) Improve group

b) Sharing of news and
behaviour
events
2) Self-expression

As invocational phase

t) Integration with
vocational clients.

in group
3) Emphasis on importance of knowledge of
day to day happenings
in the community through
news paper, T.V. etc.
4) To help them integrate
other facets of their
environment besides work.
5) To facilitate speech and
communication skills through
group process. For eg. a Downs
Syndrome adult with minimum
vocabulary seeing of hers praying
started with slight imitation and
during the course of 3 yrs has
acquired the cacacity to participate
in prayer meaningfully.
9.30 AM to 12 NOON

Vocational development Developing work

readiness and
training
independent
living.

43

2) As in Vocational phase.

Preparation for vocatComprehensive educaional development

tional programme
academic skills, general
training.
knowledge, visits, personal
hygiene, self-care, gardening, exercise, art, craft and
clay, work, socialization and
group behaviour)

Time

Activities in
Vocational Phase

Purpose

12 NOON to 1.00 PM

Lunch and recreation

1) Group living and Lunch and Recreation

socialization
2) Recreation
3) Eating habits and
table manners.

1.00 PM to 3.30 PM

Vocational development Developing work

Vocational education
readiness & ode- & pre-vocationat
training

Activities in PreVocational Phase

Purpose

pendent commu- training,

1) Integration with
vocational clients.
2) As in vocational phase.

I) Preperation for vocalonal development

training.

nity living.
3.30 PM to 4.00 PM

Tea/Nasta Recess:

1) Learning kitchen As invocational phase

t) Participation in tea
activities
snacks, preparation,
2) Preparation from
distribution, collection
Work place to home.
of money by a group of
clients in rotation, Washing
& cleaning the cups & dishes
& arranging.
2) Keep the work tools & materials
in their proper place. Changing
the dress, grooming etc. as part
ot readiness to return home.

1) Integration with
vocational clients.
2) As in vocational phase.

Following meetings are organised for better communication and quality control
of the training programme. Presentation of the cases and projects related to
clients training in the group leads to discussions, self- evaluation, comments and

suggestions from the multidisciplinary group members. it also improves

sensitivity and helps in consistant and better handling of the clients.
Frequency of meetings

Members

Purpose

Once a week, 1/2 hr

Special education teachers, Instructor,

occupational therapist, psychologist,

Communication related to clients, parents and

training programme.

Once a Week, 1,12 hr.

Special education teacher, Instructor,

occupational therapist, psychologist,
speech therapist, psychiatrist.

Presentation of evaluation, training reports like

teacher's weekly report, Instructor's report etc.
Discussions of clients's problems, it's understanding
and method of dealing.

Thrice a Week, 1/2 hr.

Occupational therapist, Instructors.

Once a week, 1 hr.

All the members of team along With few

professional members of the Institute
Case conference)

Discussion and planning of work skill training of

clients. Discussion for appropriate approach arid
attitude during work skill training. Obtaining teed
back of each client's progress in workshop
Discussion on production planning and materials
requirement etc.
Presentation of therapeutic and educational work
by members. Case presentation etc.

44

Specific concepts developed and used during the training programme

for vocational development of the clients
1. Adult Education and Postal Training Service:
This service is organised by Special Education teacher to provide a need
based education and orientation to adult clients of workshop, to facilitate
independence in community living and application of academic skills in

practical situations. This is achieved by class room teaching and by

frequent visits to various places in the community such as library, post
office, bank etc.

As part of adult education programme postal service is started in

collaboration and cooperation with G.P.O., Ahmedabad. This service gives
a practical training to clients for purchasing and selling, keeping account
and knowing rates of the postal stationary.

2. Work-site visits:
Industrial and factory visits are arranged to acquaint the clients with normal
working situation in community and to prepare and motivate them for open

employment.

3. Banking Service (1978):

Workshop with the cooperation and collaboration of Vijay Cooperative
Bank, Ahmedabad, started banking service facility for the clients for the
following purpose:
To make them aware about the community facilities like banks, its purpose
and knowledge to use the facilities like operations required in depositing

and withdrawing savings. This service help the clients in practical

application of academic knowledge gained.
Assistance of few capable clients are taken to assist distribution of money;

help other clients in filling pay-in or withdrawal slip etc. This opportunity
provide a work role' of 'Help Giver to these clients.
Banking service has given a status to the clients like any other adults of the
community. They felt proud and secure of having a bank account besides

reinforcing their reading, writing and arithmetic skills. (For details please
refer paper on use of banking service in vocation development training
programme for M. R. - Appendix-4).

4. Work-Station Placement:
Those clients who appear ready for employment in workshop situation are
exposed to work-station placement before initiating outside placement in

45

open market. Clients are placed for few hours in other units of the Institute
such as school for mentally retarded children as helper to teachers, as
maintenance worker, clerical assistant, assistance to librarian, telephone
operator under supervision, etc.

This placement gives an opportunity for trying out and facilitating clients
skills and adjustability under different (unknown) supervisor and work
environment. The link between workshop and work-station supervisor to
facilitate the placement successfully is important, so that clients can be
provided necessary help guidance and training for successful adjustment.
Small shops nearby Institute's premises can also be tried for work-station
placement. Here clients may attain the work station placement for an hour
or two and continue to workshop training.

5. Sheltered Employment:
Those clients who have undergone intensive workshop training and are
ready to participate in productive work benefit from this service. These
clients have limitations in social emotional areas, work quality speed etc.
Because of their limitations they cannot compete and work under pressure,
hence they are allowed to work according to their abilities and within their
limitations. These clients because of their poor work capacity can work
only for few hours and require other facil ities for participation like recreation

and leisure time activities to maintain their work motivation. These clients
are paid incentive wages on piecemeal basis.

6. Recreation programme:
All the clients of workshop are exposed to this facility few hours a week.
Clients at the work-adjustment phase and sheltered employment phase are
exposed to this facility as part of their training. While clients at work ready

phase and who are on the way for job-try-out outside are exposed after
their training hours to this facility as part of normal experience. Howevc,
all the clients get benefit of the recreation and leisure time activities during
lunch break.
This programme proved very useful in exposing the hidden potentials of

the clients which is evident by their active participation in various

recreational activities. Many clients won the prices in atheletic events, are
competitions and in stage performances. They get oportunity to prove their
worth in extra curricular abilities.

7. Vocational Evaluation:
Case representation and discussion by multi-disciplinary team consisting
of psychiatrist, medical person, social worker, speech therapist, special

46

education teacher, occupational therapist, psychologist and work

instructors are important of vocational development training and vocational

evaluation. Occupational Therapist is responsible for the coordination of

multicategory rehabilitation workshop. Use of Workshop Observation

Scale and work and behaviour observation chart are important tools for
assessment of the clients in workshop situation (For details see Appendix

2&3).
8. Psychiatric Occupat!onal Therapy Group:
This service was started by occupational therapist to take care of the

psycho-social and adjustment problems of some of the mentally

handicapped clients, who were unmanagable in the workshop situation.

This therapeutic group consisted a small group of clients to plan the

programme on individual need basis to help them solve their social
emotional difficulties and give them a stable relationship. This group helped

them in developing social skills, they felt secured and their adjustment
potentials improved.
(For details, refer dissertation on Group occupational therapy for self and

psycho-social development of emotionally disturbed mentally

handicapped - A. Dhamani).

9. Group Counselling:
Depending upon the level and needs of the clients three groups were made

for counselling to improve social emotional and vocational adjustment in

the workshop, home situation and in the community. For eq. Group 1
required more of behavioural and discipline oriented discussions. Group
2 required discussion about how to develop good work skills how to solve
the problems arising at work, at home or during social situations and how
to behave at different places. While the Group 3, discussion are directed
towards occupational information, how to get a job, how to hold a job,
expectations in employment etc. Clients of both the sexes were taken in
the group. (For details refer paper, Appendix-i, Mental Health Review,
page 12 to 20). Psychologist and occupational therapist participated in this
responsibilty.
Group of Female Clients : This group is conducted by a female worker to
take care of their social personal difficulties in work situation, home or
cmmunity. Topics like sex education, social attitudes, home management
etc. are taken for discussion.

47

Workshop Counselling: On the spot counselling in workshopis provided

by occupational therapist to deal with social-emotional difficulties of the
clients in work situation like disobedience, aggression, provocation etc.

10. Reception:

Work skill training is given to the clients in the following work areas: wood
work, metal work, pringing, book binding, composing, tailoring, weaving,
spinning, embroidery, typing, clerical skills, gardening, maintenance work,
laundary, kitchen activities, etc.
"Reception' activity is introduced for those clients who are capable of
communicating well and can deal with people. The trained clients arealso
made responsible for training new clients in this activity. The
responsibilities of these clients include receiving and giving messageon
telephone, receiving and guiding visitors appropriately, keeping record of
clients attendance, etc. Being a table chair work, this activity is seen as

'status symbol by many clients.

11. Outing tour and picnics:

Picnic and get together of clients and their parents are organised 2-3 times

during the year. Local visits and movie programmes in theatre are also
organised. The emphasis is on making the clients independent and free
during such social and recreational opportunities.
Week long tour to different parts of the state are also organised. Besides
its recreational value such tours give an opportunity to evaluate the client's
capacity to function independently, sense of responsibilty, client's
behaviour and capacity to manage themselves when they are awayfrom
their family and parents as well as their non-engagement in work- activity.

12. Incentive Money Programme:

The incentive money is paid to the clients based on Daily work and
behaviour observation chart" on once a month basis. Earlierthis money
was paid twice a month. This once a month basis of incentive money
payment brings a normal experience as the workers gettheir salary once
a month in most of the places. But this strategy should be tried with higher
level clients. However with lower level phase clients where incentive money
is used for reinforcing their work output, behaviour, discipline etc., it should
be paid weekly or fortnightly.
Initially the incentive money chart showing work behaviour and work ability
earned on the
are used for writing daily observations and incentive money
basis of these factors.

48

This was useful in providing external control on client's behaviour and

productivity in workshop. It is decided to pay a fixed amount as incentive
money to those clients who are consistent in their work behaviour and
productivity. Thus the use of money as one of the external control is

removed. Many clients were observed for nearly 3 months in this

programme. Those clients who exhibited appropriate and consistent
behaviour and productivity after removing this major external control,
continued in this programme.
The incentive money paid to the clients are utilized for social role training
and developing ability to use one's earning properly, budgeting, selecting

the articles to be purchased and purchasing the required things from

market. However, they are encouraged to save their substantial earning in
banking service.

13. Health Education:

Health education is provided to the clients in small groups by Special
Education teacher under the guidance of medical person. The purpose is
to orient them in some of the common ailments and their causes, preventive

measures, how and when to seek help of a medical practitioner.

Knowledge about hygiene and nutrition, nature, quantity and content of the

food to be consumed for balanced diet, etc. Few high level clients were
given training in use of First Aid', so that these clients cannot only help
themselves but also other clients in minor injuries.

14. Client's Library:

As a leisure time activity at home and encouraging reading habits, the
library is maintained and run by the clients under the supervision of a special

education teacher. Clients who cannot read, use and enjoy this facility by
listening to stories read by their family members. Few clients enjoy picture
reading books.

15. Night Stay Programme:

Night stay programmes are organised 3-4 times a year. Clients are required

to bring their beddings along with materials needed for morning activities

like bathing, toilet, brushing, dressing etc. Clients are expected to eat
dinner. Recreational programme for a short period is organised before they

go to sleep.
The purpose of this activity is to prepare clients to spend a night away from
their parents, learn to take care and manage their belongings like bed,
clothes, towel, etc. This activity is also used for observation and on the

49

spot training for self help skills like brushing, bathing, combing, dressing,
etc. Trained clients are used for assisting in this activity.
Besides above mentioned purpose, this activity is used for observation and

preparation of the clients for their readiness to participate in week long

educational tour. This also becomes a motivational factors for learning in

self help skills and taking care of the belongings during night stay
programmes by the clients, since long educational tour is an exciting events
for all the clients.

16. Communication Skill Development:

A small group of clients who have ability to speak but their communication
is not effective and clear are taken by Speech Therapist. Practical help by

demonstration and group participation is used to improve their

communications with each other. (For details please see paper
Appendix-i, Mental Health Review, Page i4to 15).
CONCLUSION

Preperation of adolescent and adult mentally retarded persons for vocational

training and job placement is a comprehensive developmental process involving
multidisciplinary approach. The adolescent and adult mentally retarded persons

because of their disadvantagement not only need to learn work skills, but
requires a comprehensive workshop training involving experiences through
different activities and work to develop their social, emotional, personal,
vocational and recreational potential. This workshop training would prepare
them for work readiness and independent living in the community, so that they
should not only have opportunity to participate in open/sheltered employment,

but should also be able to hold the job and participate in the community
meaningfully as an 'adult. Such vocational training workshop should have
Production as one of the purposes beside imparting training for work readiness
and independent living in the community. This will help in making the vocational
training workshop economically self-sufficient and the production work would

also provide the clients an employment experience to improve their work

capacity, work quality and speed.

50

Diagram representing vocational training workshop:

its purpose and involvement of workers.

1) Work readiness for placement as

_________________

'Worker'.
Vocational training

2) Independent living in the community.

workshop

3) Production for self sufficiency of

protect and employment experience
of clients.

Involvement of Workers:
Work Readiness

Occupational therapist
Special Education Teacher
Work Instructor

Production

Independent living in the community

Total Team consisting of:

- Social Worker
- Speech therapist
- Occupational therapist - Medical Recreational Instructor
- Sp. Ed. Teacher
- Psychologist

Work Instructor
Occupational therapist
Production incharge
(Marketing, Industrial
relations, maintenance
of tools etc.)

Work readiness: Here the workers are expected to work directly with the clients
in the actual workshop situation. Use of relationship, activity and work by the
occupational therapist along with the integration of educational concept in the

activity and work as well as work caliberation to impart work skill training to
develop work personality and work behaviour is part of the work readiness
programme.

51

Independent living : Here the memebrs of the team individually as well as with
the help of other team members takes the clients individually or in group to
develop their personal, social, emotional, psychological, recreational and
communication skills. Eg. Group and Individual Counselling, Recreational
programme, outings, etc.

Production: The workers with the help of few trained and employment ready
clients concentrates on production from profit point of view to make project
economically viable. Other concept like speed, capacity, quality etc. are
emphasized.

52

EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS WITH MENTAL

RETARDATION
Jayant/zi Narayan

The ultimate aim of any education and training is gainful employment. This is
true with every individual including the mentally retarded persons. Because of
their limited abilities, it requires additional efforts from the trainers in effectively
training a mentally retarded person for a gainful employment. There is a general
belief that mentally retarded persons cannot be gainfully employed like those
with other disabilities. This is not true. With appropriate training and provision

of opportunites for employment many mentally retarded individuals can be

gainfully employed.
EMPLOYMENT AVENUES FOR MENTALLY RETARDED PERSONS
There are three major areas where the mentally retarded individuals can be
employed.

1. Sheltered Employment : The one that is very popular is sheltered

employment. A sheltered workshop trains a mentally retarded person in
an occupation and employs him in the workshop itself. Moderate and

mildly retarded individuals also benefit from sheltered employment

because they are trained in specific tasks matched for their ability and they

work under supervision. As they work under sheltered environment,

developing social competence required for such a situation is relatively
easier. Examples of sheltered employment are assembling and packing
units in workshops, carpentary units and spray painting.
2. Open Employment : There are certain routine repetitive jobs in the market
which can be successfully performed by the mentally retarded individuals.
With initial support from the trainer a retarded person can function gainfully
in an open employment situation provided he has developed the necessary
social competence also. For open employment the jobs must be carefully
selected so that the retarded individual cannot be exploited. For instance,
a job that requires interacting with varied customers everyday will he less
suitable for a retarded person as he is more suitable for a routine job which

will have minimal changes in his daily activities. The mildly retarded
individuals are relatively more suitable for open employment. The suitable
jobs for open employment are office boys, helper in canteens, helper in
stationary and grocery shops, helper in vehicle workshops and in printing
53

press, photocopying and cyclostyling machine operator and washing

machine operator.

3. Self Employment : There are certain families of mentally retarded

individuals with resources for ensuing self employment. If the mentally
retarded person has been given appropriate training in the particular job
task that the family has in mind and when the family is ready tosupervise
his work and support him, self employment can be very successful.. India
being a country predominantly with rural areas, self employment can be
counted as a good prospect for mentally retarded individuals. Dairy farms,

poultry and agriculture are good examples of self employment. In urban

areas there is documented evidence of some families having taken efforts
to employ the retarded persons successfully using their own resources.
This includes envelope making, agarbathi and candle making and ensuring
a small pan shop for their retarded child.

STEPS INVOLVED IN EMPLOYMENT

OF MENTALLY RETARDED PERSONS
1. The abilities of the retarded person has to be assessed based on which a
vocational skill should be selected for training. Selection of a vocational

skill and then trying to fit a retarded child to the skill will prove to be
ineffective as the individual may not have the aptitude or ability for the given
skill.

2. The job in which he is trained should be systematically analysed and then

the training should be given.

3. The mentally retarded individual needs to be simultaneously trained in

appropriate social competency skills such as routine, discipline, good
manners and inter-personal relationships so that he functions effectively in
the given job.

4. Time and money skills need to be taught which are necessities forgainful
employment.

5. Before placing the mentally retarded individual on job the prospective

employer should be suitably oriented with regard to strengths and
limitations of the retarded person. The trainer should initially monitor the
employees work regularly, clarify any problems that the employer might

have and in short be a support to the employer and the employee.

Gradually, as the employer and employee are comfortable with each other
the help of the trainer may be faded.

54

IDENTIFICATION OF JOB
the resources available in the
The potentials of a mentally retarded person and
extent.
Therefore, identification
family and/or given community vary to a great
of job cannot be uniform. It is ideal to use an ecological inventory. By this, one
can find out what are the kinds of job being done in a given area and what are
the retarded individual lives
the roles of those employed in the jobs identified. As
in this area, it is likely that he will be expected to perform a job pertaining to his
area. The job identified should then be matched for the potentials that the
retarded individual has and analysed to see if he could perform effectively or he
needs any kind of adaptation so that he can efficiently perform the job. This rule

will hold good for all avenues of jobs namely, open,

sheltered and self

identification based on the needs of

employment. The advantages of such job
the environment are that the retarded individual's acceptance will be better, what
the activity that he needs to
he needs to learn is very specific and focussed to
be developed based on the
perform and the compensatory skills needed can
requirements.
FUTURE PROSPECTS
While employment is the ultimate goal for everyone in life, countries like India
with high unemployment rate even among normal individuals pose specific
However, there are a
problems for employment of the handicapped persons.
number of jobs which, given an opportunity, a mentally retarded person will
those that are routine,
perform as effectively as normal individuals especially,

contact. Such jobs can be made

repetitive and requiring relatively minimal social
It could be further enhanced
available in sheltered, open and self employment.
by the Government. The
by developing certain specific policies for employment

Incentives can be offered to those

employers who are ready to employ the mentally handicpped individuals.
Incentives can be in the form of awards, tax reduction and access to easy
availability of raw materials if needed, for the trade; (2) Sheltered employment:
Sheltered workshops can be encouraged by the Government by making loans
such as transport or access
available, by providing support services if needed
awards
to the workshop; (3) Self
to raw materials and incentives by way of
suggestions are: (1) Open employment:

employment: Self employment can be highly beneficial if the parents/family are

encouraged by loans for starting the self employment scheme and providing
them for the materials made wherever possible by having the government sector,
procuring them for their use in the offices.

55

RESERVATION OF JOBS
In public sector 1% jobs can be reserved for the mentally handicapped

persons.

In addition certain rules should

be relaxed to make it suitable for the
mentally
retarded individuals. For instance, the
minimum literacy of passing 8th standard
as it is existing now will not hold
good for a mentally retarded person, because
they can not be educated till class 8, but when it comes to job
competency they
would be able to perform certain

jobs without the required educational

qualification as mentioned above. The rule could be relaxed on such

aspects
basing the selection for job, only on the job and social
competency of the
individual.
Such efforts will

encourage the private and public sector to give job opportunites

to mentally retarded persons and find that they too are capable
of
perfroming
jobs if given right kind of Opportunity.

56

SHELTERED EMPLOYMENT
D. J. K. Cornelius

The role of useful and gainful employment in providing for meaning to the life of
any individual, be he complete or handicapped, needs no elaboration. The
knowledge that one is contributing to the home, community and society, in
whatever measure, fulfils a basic need; which additionally provided for their
acceptance by Society. The economic aspect of employing the handicapped
is a matter of national concern. Their employment could save the exchequer
hundreds of thousands of rupees which would otherwise be spent on
maintaining a large segment of the population on Welfare subsidies.

The work environment of today has been essentially developed for the nonhandicapped person. Only if one considers the handicapped as a different type
of people, they could be assisted to function most adequately in work and living
environments, specially designed to meet their needs.

In looking at the assets of the trained mentally retarded person, ready for
employment, one would be struck by the following :(1) The productivity of a fairly large number of persons located near the work
place.

(2) lndividuas who will be willing to start off for a minimum wage.
(3) A stable population with low potential for mobility.
(4) A positive desire to work, relating the same to a reward, through a wage.

(5) With no dispute on methods or procedures to be followed and

(6) With a desire to learn and accept instruction in good faith.
It will be seen from what has been stated, that in the mentally retarded person.
we have the potential of an almost ideal worker; waiting to be utilised.
Having identified a productive useful set of persons straining, as it were, towards

gainful vocations; it is left to the habilitator to develop effective training

programmes for them. It should be remembered that, to the largest extent, the

severe to moderately retarded persons will be those for whom sheltered

employment would be essential.
57

In planning for Sheltered Employment, the two essential aspects; habilitation as

a total concept and sheltered employment as one essential step in it, along with
the ultimate objective should be kept sharply in focus. Meaningful programmes

for the adolescent adult mentally retarded person, would desirably include a
supportive aspect to gain skills for living in the limited community in which they
would be placed and a vocational aspect for developing a high degree of

manipulative coordinated motor skills, to equip them for productive

employment. Depending on the job opportunities that are available and those
which can be created, the training methods most suitable will have to be evolved.

The area which will be considered in the chapter will be light engineering
assembly and it is hoped that it will serve as an illustrative example for other
avenues of training and employment.

The programme should take into account that quality and output are the two
principal parameters for their design. Only then, the training would enable the
mentally retarded person to maintain consistant quality (to given standards) with

outputs closely approximating standard industrial norms. Only then, will it be

possible for the retarded person to earn a reasonably self supporting wage.
Although ideally, it will be most desirable to suit the job to the person, through
appropriate aptitude tests etc.; in a developing country such as ours, where a

variety of jobs are not generally available, this approach would appear
unrealistic. We would therefore have to develop in the mentally retarded person,
skills that are generally transferable.

They would need to be trained in eye-hand, hand-hand and hand-foot

coordination, the use of small hand tools, specially protected light power tools,
working in groups and individually, in work sections specially planned forthem.
Taking a priority in training would be the preperation of Position templates for
each of the trainees, based on anthropometric measurements taken. This would
determine the extent of hand arcs and the optimum position of Bins and fixtures.
Theywould have to be trained in symetric movement in two handed coordination
for sequenced operations. Simulated training manoeuvre for placing of small
components in copied patterns leading to PCB assemblies would equip them
for assembly of electronic components. They would be exposed to the use of
small hand tools and special tools including forceps for minute parts, used in
assembly work. All the training would be progressed from coarse to finer and

even finer movement. Every training mode should be time referenced, as

productivity is a function of accuracy and the least time in which thetask is
completed. The need for practice and over learning in this context cannot be
58

too strongly stressed. The learning rate and the developing of skills is highly
individualised in the case of the retarded person and every opportunity needs
to be afforded to them to avail of the potential within them. Time, consequently
should not be a constraint and the duration of training programmes should not
be circumscribed.
Recent work in the field and the experience of many workers have shown that
the mentally retarded persons are quite capable of considerable achievement,
given the opportunity and to pursue meaningful vocation activities and that there
are potentials in them that can be enhanced through the application of carefully

prepared training programmes and job design. Some workers have even
advanced suggestions that no specific change beyond our attitudnal one, is
needed. One may have to, however, accept such over optimistic impressions
with caution. It must be recognised that an optimal interaction between training
and opportunity needs to be planned for meaningful contribution by them. In
developing proper training programmes, it should be remembered that motor

defects in physically intact persons is related to cognitive processes. A

theoretical distinction can be made between memory processes which are
susceptible to training (termed - Control) and processes that are unchanged

(termed - Structural). Maintenance and generalisation are requisite to

fundamental behaviour change. Accurate distinction between structural and
functional deficits hold great potential for the training of the mentally retarded

persons to perform skilled motor tasks. Tasks which require structural

processes for their successful execution would require significant alteration of
the task itself. Tasks which were within the difficulty range of retarded persons

or which could be modified to be placed within this range, would be

representative of the control processes and will be an essential part of the
training. Task analysis may be divided into three phases viz. Method, Content
and Process. The method would refer to the procedural aspects of the task
assembly: Content to the sub-division of the task into teachable components
that are within the competency of the retarded person and, the process, to the

strategies to be developed that will enable the planning of an effective

programme.

Task analysis requries the recognition of the functional capacity of the subject

and training, the developing of optimal programming for the use of these
capacities. Considerable research has been carried out since 1975 in this field
and many papers have been published on Studies on Reaction Time (RT) and

Movement Time (MT). This showed beyond doubt that training exerted an
59

improved influence on both the rate of response initiation and the speed of
accurate movement. It is necessary for trainees and job designers to make use

of all available knowledge about the performance of the mentally retarded.

Progress in integrating the Mentally Retarded Person into regular contexts of
vocational and leisure activity would depend on the opportunities, as much as
on developing techniques of training and task analysis. Most workers in the field
believe, rightly, that there exists a very considerable interface between training

and Opportunity. They, including the writer, have based their work generally
on these principals and have, added their contribution to creating a greater
awareness of what the trained mentally retarded person is really capable of.

It is necessary, that throughout the training programme and as cardinal

guidelines for supervision in the Sheltered Workshops; the following aspects
should be paid special attention to

(1) The assisting of setting up of individualised goals and adequately

reinforcing their attainment.
(2) Taking into account that the mentally retarded (like every one else) are very
responsive to social approval.

(3) The fact that the "Work-atmosphere has a profound effect on motivation
(as the demand for output is emphasised by the rate of overall production).
(4) Individual behavioural change (in preference to group behavioural change),
with an emphasis on success.
(5) Recognising that the ability to improve with practise, bears little relationship
to intelligence.

(6) Accepting that since social age is generally higher than mental age; their
potential for social learning is much greater than is indicated by their mental
age.

It would consequently appear that mental age and 10 of minor

importance in vocational training; and finally

(7) That temperament, partly determines the outcome of training.
The training period for each student is related to his capacity and is determined

by him attaining his, 'Plateau of learning", Consequently there should be no

"Academic year" and broadly the training period should be extended from a
minimum of two years to a maximum of five years, depending on individual
needs. The ability of the mentally retarded person, to generalise and transfer,
is often limited. The aids should be so designed that they take into account, the
60

very significant fact, that a change in one function alters any other, only in so far
as the two functions have, as factors, identical elements.

A Sheltered Workshop may be defined as a work facility, structured specially to

meet the emotional and physical needs of the employee, offering individualised
working goals. It is planned differently from those obtaining in open industry,

only in areas of personal relations and the aids and fixtures used. Complex

assemblies with a variety of parts/components are perhaps the most

remunerative - and one should always opt for them. The myth that only simple
repetitive jobs need to be handed out to retarded person should be realised
and effective task analysis and job simplification should be undertaken by the
habilitator to simplify complex jobs for them. Fixtures and methods should be
so devised that the assemblies are principally based on the assembly techniques
acquired by the employees during his vocational training.

A variety of work opportunites may be offered to the severe to moderately

mentally retarded persons in sheltered workshops, with most rewarding results.
Work in this area has proved beyond measure that sheltered workshops when
well planned can employ solely the trained mentally retarded person, to great
advantage. There is really no case whatsoever for the view point that they can
be contributive only when placed in multicategory workshops or amongst the
normal. There is considerable scope for employment of the moderately mentally
retarded person in Sheltered Workshops - with perhaps the greatest potential
for rewarding employment in the sphere of light engineering industrial Assembly.
Industrial requirements are similar, no matter what comprises the end products.

In large Scale manufacture the basic components are produced in large

quantities and the maximum labour is required in bringing these parts together,

Almost all this work is highly repetitive in nature, and in admissible suited to

Sheltered Employment. The fixtures on which the assemblies are to be

completed would have to be designed keeping sharply in focus the latent abilities
which are available in the mentally retarded person and those which have been
brought out by means of the vocational training afforded earlier. The staff, would
of course have to be specially trained to handle the generally poor emotionality

and low frustration levels of the mentally retarded employees. Many of the

employees in a properly organised sheltered workshop have outputs

approximating the normal and often times even exceeding them.

Most sub-contracting industries are highly satisfied customers who have

discovered for themselves that jobs need not be handed out to the retarded out

61

of pity and that a comprehensive contractural obligations of a realistic business

relationship can truly exist between them and the Sheltered Workshop.

Sheltered Workshops (for the severe to moderatley retarded persons - as the

mild and borderline retarded persons can generally find open placement), set
up as a direct continuation of the training programmes and having continuing
close links with it, in terms of feed back, innovation and data banking, would
yield most fruitful results in truly goal linked habilitation programmes.

62

OPEN EMPLOYMENT
Jayantlzi Narayan

Open employment is the most competitive one, among the employment

avenues, It is well known that in a country like India with high unemployment
rate, the opportunity for open employment for the mentally retarded individual
is limited. Even in developed countries like the U.S.A., 50% - 70% of disabled

are unemployed and the mentally retarded individuals are below the poverty line
(Pietruski, Everson, Goodwyn and Wehman, 1987). However, the doors for the

mentally retarded individuals are not totally closed in the open employment
market. In rural areas the mild and some of the moderately retarded ones are
sponteneously integrated in job setting in agriculture, dairy farm or poultryfarm
without getting identified and labelled as mentally retarded. In urban setting with
appropriate identification and matching of jobs, quite a number of retarded
individuals can be placed in open employment.
the basic
addition
to the
consideration should be the social competence of a person in
workskill. Many a time, a mentally retarded person tends to lose his jobs, not
due to poor work skill, but due to inappropriate and undesirable social behaviour.
While selecting the job attention should be paid to work skill that is not socially
challenging and as far as possible routine involves work with interaction in a
To place a mentally retarded person successfully in open employment,

limited circle.

While identifying the job for the mentally retarded person in the open market,
certain considerations should be made. The latest trend in career education of
handicapped individuals which shows promise is ecology based training. The

primary step in this approach involves, identification of common, daily,

functional tasks to be performed by non-handicapped and handicapped
persons in a particular environment (Baine 1988). The tasks are then analysed
for age appropriateness, frequency of need for performance in the environment
that

in which to be performed, compensatory skills or adaptive equipment

should be developed if a particular mentally retarded indMdual should perform
the task and the method of training the person. Whether it is for vocational

trainirici or other activity training, Baine (1988) suggests developing and using a

comprehensive ecological inventory guide. This clearly would indicate the

specific tasks in which the mentally retarded persons needs to be trained. Tasks
thus selected would be totally functional and trained in the environment in which
would

it has to be performed. Therefore, for open employment the training

63

directly be on the job site after identifying the tasks

to be performed and matched

to the abilities of the individual

requiring training. This minimizes transfer of
learning and the person is prepared for the job he needs to perform. Such a
preparation and training, it is assumed, would increae the chances of sustaining
of jobs by retarded individuals in the
open employment market.
However, successful placement of
mentally retarded persons in the open market
largely depends on the acceptance of retarded
individual as a co- worker by the
rest of the employees. This necessitates
preparation of employer, co-workers,
and also provision of support in the initial stages to the retarded employee, which
may then be faded off when both the employer,
employee and co-employees

are adjusted to each other. For this purpose, the concept of supported
employment is quite popular in the western

country. In supported employment

model, the handicapped individual is placed in a competitive work, in an
integrated setting and is provided with on going support services (Federal
Register U.S., 1987). This essentially means that under this programme
extended services must be provided to each
individual by the government. A
job coach would follow along a number of
handicapped individuals in their job
sites and function as a link between
the employer, co-employees and the
handicapped employee.

While this supported employment

model is documented to be effective in the

western setting (Wehman & Moon, 1988) the feasibility of such an approach for
Indian conditions is debatable. When
there is a high rate of unemployment even

for the general population

employing mentally retarded individuals and

Consequently employing another normal individual to provide support for him

at Government's cost is obviously not
a suitable proposition for our setting.

Under such circumstances when

open employment is proposed for retarded
individuals, the following points may be considered.
1. Initiate open employment
programmes for mild and some of the moderately
retarded individuals.

2. Inform the employer and

co-employees regarding the abilities of the
retarded person to be employed. Worker Education Centres under the
Ministry of Labour, which are situated in various parts of India can be
involved in education of the
co-employees Give importance to the
employer's angle of the situation and incorporate his suggestions if
possible.

64

3. After placement, follow up for a while and gradually fade assistance.

4. As far as possible select such jobs that do not require changes in daily
routine, does not have socailly challenging situations and does not involve

customer demand counters. Tasks involving problem solving, delivering

goods following multiple instructions and frequent handling of money may
not prove to be very successful with mentally retarded persons.

5. Routine tasks which are repetitive and involving interaction with limited
number of people will be appropriate.
Some of these tasks can be performed by mentally retarded individuals more
accurately than the normal individuals.
As Conley (1985) notes the most important characteristic of the job market is
that there are thousands of different types of jobs, each requiring a particular
combination of training - vocational and academic, physical strength, dexterity
and so on. He further states that in competing for unskilled jobs, a physically
healthy person with limited intellectual capacity might be seen as actually having
a slight advantage over his highly skilled counterpart who would be bored and
frustrated by such jobs and who might not continue in this job if another better

one is available. Problems specific to open employment situations include:

following rules, understanding circulars and memoranda, participatng in social
activities and/or activities of the association or union and guarding against
exploitation of the retarded individual. One way of assisting the mentally
retarded individual in open employment situation is to have him appointed
through special employment exchanges. Any adverse issues regarding the
retarded persons should be informed to special employment officer or one
appointed for this purpose. He and the guardian inturn can further enquire for
the details and arrange for legal help if necessary. This, to some extent would
safeguard the rights of the retarded person.
Relaxation in certain rules should be considered, for instance, changes in rules

for relaxation of minimum qualification requirement exclusively for mentally

retarded individuals and selection criteria modified appropriately. A scheme on
incentives for the employers of mentally handicapped will enhance employment
opportunities in the open market for mentally retarded individuals. However,
one should keep in mind that scope of open employment for mentally retarded
is limited in the existing conditions in India and therefore attention should be

focussed more on sheltered and self employment for habilitating mentally

retarded individuals.

65

REFERENCES
1. Pietrusk4 W, Everson, J., Goodwin, R. and Wehman, P. (1987) Vocational
Training and curriculum for multi handicapped youth with cerebralpalsy.
School of Education, V. C. U., Richmond Virginia, Page 1.
2. Federal register (1987, Aug 14), Wash. D.C., U.S. Govt. Printing office.

3. Baine, 0. (1988) Handicapped children in Developing Countries,

University of Alberta, Faculty of Education, Alberta, Canada.

4. Wehman, P. and Moon, S.M. (1988) Vocational Rehabilitation and

supported employment, Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co.

5. Conley, R. W. Impact of federal programme in employment of mentally
retarded persons in K. C. Lakin and R. H. Bruininks (Eds) (1985) Strategies
for achieving community integration of developmentally disabled citizens,
Baltimore: Paul Brookes Inc. Page 196.

66

HOME BASED SELF EMPLOYMENT

A Trend in Vocational Training of the Mentally Retarded Persons
Slzalini Pereira *
*
Saifuddin Bijliwalla *

More than 50% of the years that a person lives, he spends while working to earn
a living. A mentally retarded individual ak.o has to work to earn a living and the
time he takes to learn vocational skills, is much more than a normal individual.

Though few of them, especially borderline cases may adjust to open

employment, most of them require a partially or totally sheltered working
environment all their lives.

Every workshop has a limited capacity to train and employ mental retardates

and is continously faced with the problem of taking new clients into the
workshop. Even an Institute as large as ours, catering to over 500 mentally
retarded individuals faces precisely the same problem viz, admitting more
retardates into the training programme.
Our Institute was started in 1944 and till today, we still have our early clients
working in our sheltered workshop. The work capacity of these elderly clients
is still good (even at their age of about 50 years) and as they continue working,
it is difficult to accomodate younger clients.

At the diagnostic-cumresearch centre of our Society, we assess approximately

400 cases per year and as required, recommendation for vocational training,

sheltered workshop etc. are given. Table-i shows the number of cases
recommended vocational training as compared with the number of clients who
we can admit to our workshop every year.

TABLE-i
YEAR
1983-84
1984-85
1985-86
1986-87
1987-88

CASES RECOMMENDED
VOCATIONAL TRAINING

NEW CASES ADMITTED

60
83
78
79
77

23
24
15
13
8

* Occupational therapist, Jai yak eel School

** Psy., Occupational therapist, Smt.M.T.lnst. of Research in the field of Mental Retardation
(Authors did not attend the seminar, but sent the paper)

67

As can be noticed, a large number of cases are refused admission and referred

to other workshops, but most of them come back to our Institute as other
workshops in the city face the same problem and there are no vacancies. Hence
it has become necessary to rehabilitate the mentally retarded beyond the walls
of the school and workshop.

Open employment is another alternative for rehabilitating individuals especially

the mild and borderline retardates. Unfortunately unemployment rates are so

high, that even a normal person finds it difficult to get a job, even after being
trained in a particular vocation. With their handicap, the retardates find it even
more difficult and are faced with stiff competition. Moreover no jobs or posts

are reserved for them nor does the Government give subsidy or provide outlets
for the sale of goods made by them. Our Mentally retarded clients rely more on
family contacts or sympathetic friends to employ them. In case they have not

received any systematic psycho-social and work personality development

training, they have difficulty in adjusting to the work and its environment.
Moderate and Severe retardates are usually unsuitable for open employment.

HOME BASED SELF EMPLOYMENT; is a trend for meeting the vocational

training and employment needs of the mentally retardates. Home-based means
that the individual works at home under supervision of family members or even
along with them. Working under supervision or even along with them is a very
important aspect as it might be difficult for Mental Retardates to work individually
by themselves. Another family member working along with them would motivate
them to work for longer hours and also act as a control. Self employment entails
that the family member is responsible for procuring the raw materials,
completing the order by a specific time and finding outlets for the completed
products.
The type of work selected should be appropriate to the retardatescapacity and
the family's ability to manage it. On a broad classification thereare 3 categories
of work that one can choose from;

I SMALL SCALE PRODUCTION

a. Aggarbattis
g. Wire baskets
I. Chalk making
b. Envelopes
h. Screen printing
m. Kite making
c. Paper bags
n. Xerox machines
i. Hangar making
d. Embroidery
o. Plastic bags
j. Stationary printing
e. Stitching
k. Preparing edible goods
f. Tailoring
Squashes, Chivda, Pickles

68

II CONTRACT WORK : This work is more suitable where investment of

capital and retail of goods is a problem, but such work needs to be delivered

within short spans of time and hence the retardate should be a speedy

worker:
a) Assembly
b) Sorting
c) Packing
d) Moulding, punching, typing

Ill EXISTING FAMILY OCCUPATION : After surveying the occupation of the

family members it may be possible to train the retardates to adjust in the
business

a) Tailoring
b) Farming
c) Peons
d) Delivery boys

The following points would be an important consideration for this kind of

programme to be effective:
1. Attainment of Basic Skills: Through a pre-vocational programme in the
Institute the individual has to master skills like folding, cutting, pasting,
sticking, matching, sewing, sorting, assembly, etc. It is advantageous to
expose and train every mentally retarded individual in various skills during
the pre-vocational training period, so that a wider choice of activities is

possible later. Besides developing manual skills it is also important to

develop work habits and personality traits eg. the ability to work individually
or in a group as the task demands, work with minimum supervision.
Motivation and involvement in work, ability to handle tools carefully, work
for prolonged periods of time etc., concepts of money, the ability to use it

meaningfully, independence in commuting, some basic knowledge of

reading and writing, ability to count or calculate are also assets to

successful vocational rehabilitation.
2. Parent Cooperation : At the outset most parents do not want to be involved
in such a programme, the responsibility of their retarded child is once again
shifted back to them. With counselling and training it is possible to lessen

their apprehension and get them to cooperate in this programme. The

following factors when present are advantageous to theprogramme:
a) Parents or family members should be in good health, motivated and
resourceful for such a programme to be carried out at home.

69

b) They should be able to obtain raw material and find suitable sale
outlets.

c) The interpersonal relationship between parents and their child should

be good, so that parents can control and get their ward to work as
desired.

d) Atleast one member of the family is required to be present at home

and should be able to spend a good amount of time on this

programme.

3. Socio-Economic background of the Family: As the initial investment of

buying raw material, tools or machines required for the work, has to be
done by the family members, their socio-economic background has to be

taken into consideration. A job which does not require buying of

sophisticated machines or expensive tools is suitable for lower or even
middle income group parents. An evaluation of the financial resources of
the parents becomes essential. If a parent can afford to invest sufficient
capital, the scope of activities that an individual can be trained for are many
eg. installing a xerox machine etc.

Besides financial ability, one should also consider the social background
of the family, eg. it suggestions to train an individual to do washing and
ironing clothes or making paper bags is given to families of higher socio-

economic groups the family members resent, are reluctant and even
uncooperative to follow the programmes. Hence it is essential to select
jobs which suit the socio-economic status of the family.
4. Work Space: It is obvious that the kind of work suggested will have to be
done at home, within the space available. Hence this factor should be kept
in mind. Raw and finished material should not occupy too much space, or

it will inconvenience the family. Space should also be available for

intermediate processes like cutting, drying, etc.

5. Availability of raw material and outlet for finished products : Raw

material required for the job should be easily available. Parents or their
ward have to be trained to select the appropriate material, know where it is

available at wholesale rates and know when it it advantageous to buy in

wholesale. Sometimes scrap material too may yield return. Hence parents
have to be taught to work efficiently and economically.
An important aspect of any prodcution is the saleabiiity of the product and
outlets for its sale. To ensure that sales are easy for the parents, items
suggested should be those which are in constant demand in the market.
70

Items where the style or fashion vary or are seasonal are not ideally
recommended as the family needs to keep abreast with the changing trends

and the retarded person would have to be trained whenever the product
style is changed. Handicrafts too are not suitable items for production, as
they are not articles of daily use and specialised outlets are necessary. The
quality of goods should have a consistent standard to increase saleability.
The packaging too should be neat and attractive.

Initially our Institute helps in developing contacts in the neighbourhood of

the parents for selling and finding outlets for the finished product, or even
buying from the families and marketing through the school.
In cases where the family is unable to manage the purchase of raw material
or sale, contract work is a suitable alternative. Here too, the Institute helps

by introducing families to prospective employers.

6. Remuneration : Jobs selected should be able to fetch profit on sale or
generate sufficient sum on the amount of work completed at the end of the
day. As the programme is in the developing phases, most of the students

work in the evenings after returning from school or workshop or on the

weekends, and are able to earn upto Rs. 100/- to Rs. 150/- per month. As
they put in more time for this programme and develop better contacts, it
may be possible for each client to earn about As. 500/- to Rs. 600/- per

month. At times the efforts of the retarded person may not be very
remunerative, but this programme can be seen as a method of occupying
them meaningfully.

CASE HISTORY: 'S is a 28 year old mildly retarded worker (10 - 66 pts). He
has been attending special schools and came to our Institute at the age of 15
years. During the next 7 years he learnt to read and write in English (Approx:
11th Std), could solve arithmetic problems, do money transactions, tell the time
and travel independently. He interacted with other students and got along well.
He left at the age of 22 years and took up a job outside (Cable Corporation).
Reportedly at work he could not put up with the teasing and harrassing of his

co-workers and though he tried to make many friends, he could not interact
adequately. At this time he also started developing epileptic fits, which on closer

evaluation was noted to be malingering. As the frequency of fits increased to

3-4 per day, a year later he was asked to discontinue work. He returned back
to our sheltered workshop. He was exposed to various activities like weaving,
paper bag and envelope making, mat and basket weaving etc. He showed an
aptitude for basket weaving and longs to get them. His interaction skills have

71

improved. He now buys his own material, choosing and matching colour
combinations and experiments with new designs. He gets his own orders mainly

through social contacts and says that it is not difficult to sell off the bags. His
mother too is happy that he has developed an interest in a constructive activity
and is continuously busy making or selling his bags. Though he works at home
in the evenings and on holidays, during the day he prefers to do his work at the
sheltered workshop as he gets a chance to meet other workers and enjoys their
company.

This programme is being followed at our Institute since the past 3 or 4 years.
For such a programme to achieve its full benefits, requires long term planning,
training and follow-ups. Our experience in developing this kind of a programme
have been mixed. After training the worker and assessing his aptitude and the
parents' capacity, a suitable vocation is chosen. In order to be able to guide
their child, the parents too need to be trained in the job. To get parents motivated
and involved in this programme is one of the most difficult aspects we encounter.

However, with regular follow-ups and guidance, more and more families are
begining to show an interest in this programme. The main difficulty that they
face is getting their ward to work at home, but with more home-visits and at
home training by the teachers and therapists from the Institute, parents gradually
learn to control and get their wards cooperation.

Our long term aim is to get out clients to work full time at home, independent of
the Institute. This would creat a vacancy for new clients in the workshop. As
retardates begin spending more time working at home, the time to socialise or
maintain contacts with their friends is gradually reduced, and we already feel the

need to develop the programme further so as to include a recreational

programme or a facility where they can bring their job and work at the Institute.

We are aware that though this programme creates suitable sheltered work
environment at home, it shifts the responsibility of the retarded back to the
parents or family membets, and is not suitable in every case. Yet if sincerely
followed, it can be a solution to the problem of difficulties in open employment
and the small number of sheltered workshops and vacancies in these workshop
available in our country.

72

JOB PLACEMENT, JOB ANALYSIS, JOB PROFILE AND

EMPLOYMENT OPERATIONS
A. Joshi

Job placement is a process of matching the skills and abilities of a particular

individuals with the skill requirement of a job. Before any indivdual with disability

is placed in a particular job critical information is necessary from 2 distinct

sources i.e., 1) Client Assessment,2) Job Requirements. For adequate
community job placements to occur, placement agencies must have intricate
knowledge of the community, of actual local community job/services demand,
environment as well as the individual waiting for job placement.
To work most efficiently, a skilled employment/placement specialist has several

client referrals waiting for job in mind while involved in the on going job
developement in the community. When a job opening is found in areas of clients
compatability, then a placement is arranged by employment specialist.

The skilled placement/employment specialist gathers informaflon on individuals

waiting for jobs/placement through individual assessment and information on

jobs/services in the community through community market suveys

Client Assessment:
Individual assessment information is necessary in order to gain thorough
knowledge of individuals waiting to be placed. The information is gathered
through uncomplicated process of assessing skills, abilities and interest of client
referrals. Developmentally organised instruments are inadequate in predicting
vocational skills. use of formal evaluation instruments such as Velpar, Singrod
and other extensive packages is minimised. These instruments usually succeed
in screening individuals out of employment opportunites rather than providing

information useful for identifying jobs for people. Appendix 1 is a sample

assessment form providing a list of questions that might be used to gather
information to consider different opportunities for individual with disabilities. The
assessment areas listed in the figure assist the job placement professionals in

matching individuals skills with specific jobs. The best way to compile this
information is by direct observation and interview of client which may be
supplmented and validated by consulting significant others - parents/Guardians,
homemates, school and rehabilitation personnel, workshop staff etc.

73

Job Requirement : As indicated earlier the information on job demands is

gathered through community market screening/surveys which may progress
from assembling general information about employment opportunities to a
microscopic analysis of jobs.

1. Community job market analysis:

Checking the business and labour market needs of a local community.
What type of business and occupation are present? (Appendix-2)

2. Job Development:
Contacting local employers to gather first hand information on specific jobs,
assessing specific job placement possihilites in the community.

3. Job Analyss:
Breaking down the work day(s) of a specific job into separate tasks that are

required and gathering information on actual job requirements work

environment and so forth, to use in matching with client assessment. (Task
Analysis - seperate tasks may be broken down into step by step sequence
of behaviours required for complete task. It is used for training or enabling
the person to do all work).

A sequential process of Community Job Market Sc'ening

Before exploring employment situations in community for individuals with mental
handicap, it is helpful to do the following

) Briefly review the professional literature/experiences to find out what

vocations have been successful for individuals with mental handicap.

ii) Conduct a simple follow up study to see in what type of jobs other
individuals with mental handicap are already engaged, its success
claims/failures can be ascertained from local rehabilitation personnel and
employers.
iii) Examine client interest survey data from client assessment to get an idea
of what type of job they want? All mentally handicapped may not give but

it is fair to obtain their choice. However, choices shall fall within the
suitability criteria.

iven a general idea of some vocations that have been successful in the local
;ommunity and other geographical areas and a notion of the career goals of
;tleast some of the individuals, a community analysis of job possibilites can be
itiated. In fact, these provide clues for job development and not set limits.

74

Job Development
After gathering general information on the local labour needs, the employment

specialist begins a process of more specific job development by using and

scanning various resources like telephone, news papers, employment offices
etc. and contacts the Employers to gather first hand information on specific jobs.
Unmet labour ne2ds and record of expansion is tracked. Job development for

persons with mental handicap is more fruitful in service areas such as, food
service (Hotel/Restaurant) janitorial, house-keeping, laundry, automobile
service stations and porter service. The jobs in service sector of this type require
more mobility and do not make use of higher cognitive abilities and have nearby

supervision. Appropriately, clients in mind are discussed with potential

Employers in relation to specific job.

Job Analysis:
It the employer is receptive, the further exploration of specific job requirement

is done. Specific job opening will need to be broken and evaluated from a
number of angles to ascertain the skill and requirement for its successful
execution. The process is referred to as JOB ANALYSIS (Rusch and Mithaug
1980, Schutz & Rusch, 1982, Vanderpool and Warrol, 1979). It is the counter
part of work assessment. It provides information on
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Physical demands of Job

Mental Demands of Job
Social Demand of Job
Job related stress factors/skills
Characteristics of work
environment
Existing & Potential hazards

:
:
:

What the job is?

Where it is?
What the job entails?
Names of supervisors/co- workers
Name of employees at job site

The critical factor is that adequate details be provided in terms of job

requirements providing a complete task by task analysis of job, characteristics
of job environment and other features like projected time frames in which specific
tasks are to be completed prospectus work related desired behaviours, contra

indications that may facilitate job placement and influence job retention.
Adequate emphasis be given on work related behaviours since workers are more

apt to lose their jobs due to work related deficits than inability to perform job
tasks. Work related task s any activity outside the actual performance of the
jobs which have a bearinci on success of employment. Some work related tasks

75

are performed simultaneously with job orders at homes or in community. For

eg.

1. Getting ready for work and arriving at work.

Setting time,
Performing grooming routine.
Select appropriate clothing.
Preparing eating/cleaning after breakfast,
preparing and taking lunch for work.
Carrying necessary items to work.
2. Emergencies.
3. Taking time off.
4. Money management.
5. Appearing busy during dawn time.
6. Transportation/Travel

The factor of equal importance is that material collected shall be presented in

such a way that any placement professional will find it understandable and
useful, however, remembering always that character of jobs can change and
that no home made reference file on such a topic can be comprehensive.

The books like National classification on Occupations publised by DGE & T,

Ministry of Labour which lists jobs by name and itemizes the process involved
and publications like job information manual which gives cross reference with
different titles but for which skills required are same - may be referred. However,

neither touches functional aspects. To secure relevant information about the

demand of specific job employment specialist may structure an interview with
employer, supervisor or co-worker and gather the details. Public relation is
significant part of it. The best way is to observe the job being performed by a
fellow worker and if necessary work in the position for sometime. When the
information gathered is through fellow workers or directly by performing the job
it is necessary to consult the Supervisor/Employer to ensure the way employer
wants it to be done. Careful attention should be given to employer's standards
of performance with regard to quality and productivity. (Appendix 3) The sample
interview with a supervisor of cleaning persons at a Hotel industry reflects the
subjective appraisal of the vital skills related to the position under consideration.

As a result of conducting interview with additional hotel supervisors in local

community, more information is gathered and more objectively qualif led analysis

76

error, ensures
can be documented. Accurate job analysis decreases placement
also
allows for
effective and successful placement. Further, such information
(Appendix
4)
possibility of replacement job notification/individual adaptations.

Job match - Placement:

Results of the analysis can be used to determine fit between client and job. The
employment specialists examines all aspects of job and determines which client
from existing pool is best suited and jobs in question. The following is the outline
of fuctional relationship between client assessment and job analysis.

Functional Re'ationship between Client Assessment and Job Analysis.

A)

Physical Requirement

Physical Description
Hand control
Arms extension
Mobility

Hand use
Hand resistance
Lifting carrying
Mobility

Communicatiol Abilities

Communication Requirements

Hand use

B)

Must talk with co-workers

Alternative communication mode Must talk with Supervisors
Must use telephone and follow
Follows multiple compound
Oral speech

instructions

Academic Requirements

C) Academic Information

D)

Reading skills
Maths skills
Perceptual skills
Visual acquity
Manages/tells time

Approximate reading level required

Writing/Typing skills
Perceptual skills required
Visual acquity required
Time management skills required

Endurance Strength
Endurance

Demands of Jobs
Length of working day
Lifting requirement

Physical strength
Manipulative capabilities
Speed of operation/manipulating
of material/equipment

77

Fine motor skills required

Equipment used

E) Work Behaviour/Responsibility Work Environment

Employee rules
Production requirements
Degree of supervision
Absenteeism policy
Dress requirement
Distraction in work space

Promptness
Completes work in time
Ability to work independently
Attendance record school

Appearance
Distractibility
F)

Accessibility

Transportation needs
Ability to board transportation
vehicle

Type of transportation
available to job site
Architecture in work environment

Mobility
G)

Others

Others
Work interest
Social skills
Medical needs Self help
/lndustrial Living skills
Financial needs

Type of work
Social interaction required
Provision for medical care
Financial assistance

If compatibility appears between specific individual assessment and job

prescription, the client is recommended for the specific job. Thus, individuals
with mental handicap found primafacie (in table) appropriate for a job are not
expected to start performing all of the jobs requirements without assistance.
The placement professional/agency helps the client through necessary means

to close the gaps between clients abilities and ultimate job expectations.
However, clients with negative indications of compatibility in areas critical to this
position with no reasonable means of eliminating the discrepancy should not be

considered for placement in this position. While considering placement for

individuals with mental handicap, the placement professional must explore wide

variety of avenues. Broadly all job avenues suitable to them can be grouped
under

1. Sheltered employment
2. Salaried employment (wage paid jobs)
3. Self employment

Their gross analysis on factors like level of protection, initiative required,

capabilities for expansion, range of tasks, social atmosphere, economic viability,
and participation in decision making is given with the examples in Table.

78

Hitherto held views and options that individuals with mental handicap would
benefit from sheltered and segregated service options have fallen into disrepute.

Although it may be inevitable in some cases, empirical studies on institutional

residential settings deinstitutionalization (Bruininks, Meyers, Singford and Lakin,
1981), and facility based vocational settings (G reenleigh Assocaited, 1975, While

Head, 1979) have indicated that individuals with disabilities do not grow more
or prosper within specialized but isolated environments. The importanceof
social interaction (Chandsey - Rusch, 1986, Shores 1987, Vogelsberg, Askin and
Schonfeld, 1987) in addition to simple physical integration has been recognised
asa vital contributor to full community participation. Therefore salaried jobsand

in view of growing unemployment, shortage of wage paid jobs even amongst

non-handicap self employment of simple nature also should be explored. Job
market surveys and analysis should not be limited to find only jobs but also
search for product or service, job contract of simple nature be kept in mind so

that certain clients exhibiting some requisite enterpreneurial skills may be

encouraged for it and thus optimum possible placement can be achieved.

Details on employment avenues

AVENUES OF
EMPLOYMENT

BROAD
GROUPS

Analysis

Sheltered

Level of
Protect

lion

Pa,ticv
Capacities Range of Social
At mon Economic patron in
Tasks
to
Decision
Viability
phere
Required expand
Initiative

High

Low

Very

Limited

Segre-

Employment

limited

Salaried
Service Sec.
Employment

Limited Moderate Moderate Moderate Good

gated

Difficult Minimal
some
subsidy
support
required

Inbuilt

Some

Low

Very high Unliriri- Unlimited P055,ted

wide
range

bility of
family &
community
participation

79

9
Agency provides training &
work, shelter & supervision.
Job works of simple nature
procured. Finished product
to workers. Example Paper
envelops, assembly of linen
to a bottle cap, candle ,mrak
rig, packing, etc.
Manufacturing
Pr,vate Sec.
Government
Rural
Urban
Non. AgrI.
Agricultural
Dustman, Littman, Shop
Assistant, Day care aid,
Waiter. Linen keeper. Gardener, Cleaners, Crop Hay
hatchers, Waterman. Dairy
attendant.

possibility
of integration

CrNage paid jobs)

Self
Employment

Examples

makinG

Very

Total

Manufacturing. Chalk,
crayon making, candle,
agarbatlit makrng.
Trade; Selling items like
papad, candle, agarbatfri.
Service: Air filling, porters,
valcanizing, PCO attendant.

Systematic client assessment and Job Analysis are pre-requisite for selective
placement of mentally handicapped persons. Its advantages to demonstrate
that persons with mental handicap are also effective manforce in selective jobs

and to develop appropriate atmosphere for their job placment cannot be

over-emphasized

The employers play a control and dominant role in placement of handicapped

persons and represent a third leg along with handicapped employees and
placement agency in the placement triangle.

Social environment influences employer and employee positive and negative

ways and social environment is influenced effectively by

feedback/demonstration on successful placement and helps to bring more
success. A determining factor is that the employers acceptance of the mentally

handicapped as a prodcutive and contributing member of his business.

Therefore employment provider must assume primary responsibility to train and
support to fulfill the expectations of the employers.

SELECTED REFERENCES:
1. Foundation of Vocational Rehabilitation process, Ressler R. T., Rubbin,
SE. (Joint author) Ill Edition.
2. Competitive employment issues and strategies, F.R.Rusch - Lond, 1986.

3. Vocational Rehabilitation and supported employment P.Wehman and

Moon MS., Lond 1988.
4. Occupational therapy in Rehabilitation, Mc Donald, Edition-Ill.

80

Appendix -

SAMPLE CLIENT ASSESSMENT FORM

1. Personal Data

a) Name
b) Address
c) Date ot Birth
d) Parent/Guardian name
e) Evaluation
f) Date of Evaluation
2. Description of Client

a) Disability
b) Medical Needs
c) Use of upper extremities
d) Voluntary Head Control
e) Use of Lower Extremities

f) Mobility
g) Vision/Hearing
3. Communication
a) Oral speech
5

Intelligible to strangers

Very difficult to understand

b) Alternative Communication Mode

c) Follows multiple verbal commands
4. Adaptive Behaviour skills:
Independent
a) Eating

Require assistance

b) Grooming
c) Dressing
d) Transportation needs

Ability to board independently

Automobile Bus
requires assistance.

5. Academic Information (brief Grade Level)

a) Reading
b) Maths
c) Perceptual/Learning skills
d) Manages/tells time
e) Manages/uses money
f) Communicates per data
81

6. Clients work interest (summarise from the interview from the

guardian/significant other)
a) Jobs state as desirable
b) Jobs stated as undesirable
c) Expressed feeling about work
d) Limitations stated concerning work

e) Past work history

7. Related Vocational Skills (Gathered from Training staff and Officers)

i) Social skills
a) With Teacher/Therapist in authority role
b) With Peers
c) With Family
ii) Appearance
iii) Desirable Social Skills
iv) Generalization of skills from one task to another similar task
v) Perseveration/Distractibility
vi) Utlizes the equipment
vii) Type of prompts needed for learning
viii) Statement of Attendance Record
ix) Endurance/Physical Strength
x) Speed of manipulation/operation of materials/equipment
xi) Level of supervision
8. Other pertinent information:

82

Appendix -2

RESOURCES FOR IDENTIFYING LOCAL LABOUR NEEDS

I) Business Bureau
ii) Business and Trade News Letters
iii) Chamber of Commerce
iv) City and Country Employment Offices
v) Clubs & Organizations
vi) Friends, Family & Associates
vii) Local Employers
viii) News Paper Classical Sections
ix) Private Retail Group
x) Professional Journals
xi) State Employment Directorate/Commission
xii) PrivateNoluntary Placement/Agencies
xiii) Telephone Book (Yellow pages)
xiv) Trade Union
xv) Department of Labour (State/Central)
xvi) University and College Job Placement Office
xvii) Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies

83

Appendix - 3

SAMPLE JOB ANAYLYSIS FORM

JOB TITLE:

I Firm Overview
i) Name of the firm.
ii) Address

iii) Phone:
iv) Type of Industry
v) Name & Title of person interviewed/contacted.
vi) Total no. of people employed:
vii) Employees in position:
viii) Reasons for previous accidents:
ix) Architectural Barriers

II Job Overview
i) Duration & Title of the Position:
ii) Stability of position: RepetitiveiVariable/Shifts etc.
iii) Pay of the Position
iv) Reasons for previous abandonments: schedule default, less
pay, home problem, etc.

v) Work environment:
vi) General Social environment:
vii) Hours of work:
viii) Contacts at work:
ix) Supervision available:
x) Cooperation of Co-workers available:

xi) Travel:
xii) Prospectus for advancement:
Ill Job Innerview
A. Personality Requirement :
(Mostly work related
behaviours fall here)
(Specify)

dress, appearance motivation, meticulous-

ness, perseverence/ destractibility attention, details of integrity, consciousness of

time, work, interpersonal relations (courtesy politeness, friendliness etc.)

B. Routine Physical Demands: Ability/Stamina, StandingNvalking/Bend(Specify)

i ng/Reachi ng/Grasping/ Carrying/Lifting/Dexterity etc.

84

C. Sensory Skills required:

(Specify

D. Cognitive Abilities :
(Specify

Vision
Hearing
Tactile
i)
ii)

General Intelligence
Comprehension of written &

iii)

spoken material
Reading level
Writing level

iv)
v)

Perception of form, colour

Speed and accuracy
Maths required counting, calculations
Any other

vi)
vii)

E Communications:
(Specify

IV Contra indications:

viii)
Must follow simple instructions
Must speak with customers
Must speak with supervisors/Co-Workers
Must use Telephone
Any other

Restricted Mobility
Impaired hand functions
Impaired hearing
Impaired vision
Impaired speech
Severe enough to cause
anxiety/embarrassment

85

Appendfr -4

Sample interview with a Supervisor of Hotel Industry reflects the

subjective appraisal of job - the cleaning personnel.
Job Title Cleaning Personnel
Date
I

: 15-4-1989

Firm Overview
Name of the Firm
Address
Phone
Type of Industry
Name & Title of the
person interviewed
No. of Employees
Fire/Accident

:
:

:
:

Haridwar
Lakdi-ka-pool Hyderabad
Hotel
Mr. X
200
Nil in last 2 years

II Position Overview:
Duration & Title

Stability
Reasons for previous
abandonment

Full Time-Maid
Rotation in shifts once a week
(2 shifts in a day)
Low Pay, scheduled default

Not a desirable job says Supervisor. The only thing is we work out a basement
and there is always work to be done.
1. 60% occupancy per month. Special week ends/Project's Seminars in areas
increase occupancy.

2. Worker must be able to completely clean a room/bathroom to standard in

half an hour.

3. Contacts work: Trainee worker work directly with Direct contact with
executive house keeper, 2 Assistants, trainees and 11 maids.
4. Supervision: Executive house keeper with minimal supervision runs checks

from time to time as well as front desk checks to see if rooms are ready
from time to time.
5. Cooperation of other employees: Co-workers have their own schedule of
work in design and 8 hours of shift but would help in necessity and if free.

86

6. General Social Environment: Family environment within department,

hotel

friendly warm-pleasant.

Ill Job Innerview

A. Work related behaviour
White shirt, foot shoes, Apron, clean hair, no odour,
ppearance
must make good impression on public being served.

B. Task Analysis:
1.

800A.M.

Punch in

(9.00 A.M. on Saturdays & Sundays)

2.

9.05 AM.

3.
4.

910A.M.
815A.M.

5.

8.20 A.M.
8.25 A.M.

6.
7.

8.30 A.M.

8.

830 A.M. to

9.

900A.M.

10. 930A.M.
11.
12.

1100A.M.
11.30A.M.

Comments:

Load chart with all maid supplies

Check vaccuum to see
Sign out master key for room entry/sign time
Pick up linen sheet
Begin room check to see what rooms are vacant/
ready to be completed
Begin cleaning rooms that is vacant
Check list of things to be done in each room in
half an hour
Move to next room
Move to next room so on till lunch till 11.00 A.M.
Lunch
Moves to next room till 4.30 P.M. with a break of
10 minutes for tea. Makes sure all 15 rooms are
cleaned and ready for sell out.

i) Timings are appropriate.

Supervisor emphasized importance of cleaning
rooms quickly and control areas.
ii) Linen Sheet: Lisiting 15 rooms to be cleaned by
shift and accounts maids work.
iii) Maid Supplies: Safe guard body towels, hand
towels, Toilet paper, cleaning supplies.

87

Objective qualified Job Analysis collected from more cleaning

supervisors of the same and other hotels.
Job Title: Cleaning Personne,
Job Locations: Hotels/Metal Industry

Job Overview:
I) Regular

ii) Job of routine nature but persons may be rotated in shift once in a
week/fortnightly.
iii) Pay ranges from As. 400/- to As. 1,000/- p.m.

iv) Work Environment: Indoor good.

v) General Social Environment - Friendly, Family environment within

Department

vi) Supervision: Checking time to time done by supervisor. No close

supervision during task.

vii) Cooperation - Workers usually busy in their work.

Viii) Contacts at work - co-workers, supervisor, customers

Job Innerview
a)

Personality Requirement
(work related behaviour)

i.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.
b)

Routine Physical Demand

i.
2.

3.
4.
5.

c)

Sensory Skills Required

88

Good appearance & dress

Courteous to customers
Gets along with Supervisors &
co-workers
In-time to work
Willing to work hard
Has got good attitude

Walks a lot upstairs/in corridors

Pushes carts with supplies
Carries bundles of linen
Bends all day
Moves room furniture
Vision - Tactile - Olfactory needed.

d)

Cognitive

General Intelligence
- Reads charts/Linen sheet
Reading
reads labels for work products
- Counts linen - needed for
Maths

round required
- Should follow instructions,
oral communications not much

Communication

e)

Contraindications: Restricted mobility, impaired vision, impaired hand

function, severe enough to handle work.

89

EMPLOYER-UNION-FELLOW WORKER-ADVOCACY AND A

MENTALLY RETARDED EMPLOYEE
T. Madha van

Considering the current focus on the 1% reservation of jobs for the mentally
retarded individuals and the thrust on opportunities to be created for them in the
open job market, it is necessary that certain issues specific to open employment

should be considered. Self employment and sheltered employment provide a

certain amount of protection to the mentally retarded persons unlike the open

employment. Though the Government of India has made a number of

concessions with regard to employment opportunites and on-the-job conditions
for the disabled in general, the fact remains that they compete with others in the

society for their livelihood. Individuals with visual, hearing and orthopaedic
handicap have proved their competence in open job market, while it is yet to be
seen for a mentally retarded person. It is well known that it is relatively easier to

develop support services for those sensory or motor impairment when

compared to intellectual impairment. Before sending a mentally retarded
individual in the job market certain aspects regarding their suitable jobs,
protection of rights, relationship with employer and co-workers and provision
for advocacy need to be considered.

Job Selection
It has been discussed in detail in the earlier chapters with regard to selection of
suitable jobs in the open market for the mentally retarded individuals, whatever

is the job selected. Guarding the retarded person against exploitation is the

responsibility of the employing authorities. To reduce the chances of

exploitation, the jobs that are thrown open for the mentally retarded persons
should be such that they are repetitive and routine, do not involve customer
dealings and require minimum need for decision making.

Employer & Co-worker Relationship

The nature of relationship among the co-workers depends largely upon the job

mentally retarded person is in. Whatever is the job, the relationship will be
relatively smoother if there is an understanding of the condition of the retarded
person among the people around him. Therefore, the placement officer should
be actively involved at the time of placement, to prepare the people in the job
site.

90

Workers Education Programme

One way of preparation of the co-workers and employer is to include coverage

of information on mentally retarded persons and their work potentials in the

worker's education scheme of Government of India. This nation wide

programme of workers education serves the trade unions in industrial

undertakings, mines and plantations, in public, private and cooperativesectors

under the auspices of the Central Board of Workers Education. The objective
of the programme is to stimulate and promote all sections of workers including
rural workers in social and economic development of nation, develop strong,
united and more responsible trade unions and to develop leadership among the
There are 40 such
rank and file of workers (Workers Education Scheme, 1979).
units in the country and they conduct short and long term trainingcourses for

all levels of workers from directors to labourers. Inclusion of a course on

mentally retarded workers would certainly help the employers and co-workers
in preparing themselves for working together with the mentally retarded person
with better acceptance.
In addition, the retarded individuals and their custodians may alsobe included
for special training programme to make them aware of their rights, special
provision made by the Government for them and the legal and ethical issues

Union

In the workers' union, there are possibilities of a mentally retarded person being
exploited. This is especially true when it comes to the casting of votes, putting
up strike and participation in dharnas and bandhs. Under such circumstances
the mentally retarded person must be explained of the event in such a manner
that he understands the event and its consequences. It is advisableto have his

custodian or appointed placement officer while he is being briefed, and his

opinions/reactions are obtained and when he expresses his views regarding

involvement. Ideally the custodian and the placement officer should have legal
provisions to make decisions on behalf of the retarded personkeeping in view
his welfare, so as to check against manipulation of the ignorance of mentally
retarded persons.

Advocacy
Article 41 of the Constitution of India emphasizes equality of opportunity of
citizens. It directs the State to make effective provisions for securing the right
to work, education and public assistance in case of unemployment, old age,
sickness, disablement and other cases of undeserved want. This necessitates
91

the legislature to have laws mat make the rights and priviliges effective for the
disabled individuals. There are certain legal provisions for persons with vision,
hearing and orthopaedic disabilities. Ramamani (1988) reports that Trade Union
Act 1926, Industrial Disputes Act 1947, Industrial Employment Standing Orders
1946, Minimum Wages Act 1948, Payment of Bonus Act 1965, Employees

Provident Funds and Family Pension Fund Act 1952 do not apparently
discriminate between the normal and disabled persons. The Apprentices Act
(1961) does not provide any relaxation on the required physical and educational
standards and therefore the industries are not obliged to consider the disabled

person for employment. The 3% reservation for the visual, hearing and
orthopaedic disabilities does not provide for employment chances to mentally

retarded persons. Specific relaxations in educational standards must be

provided for the mentally retarded persons and selection criteria need to be
developed for them exclusively. Care should be taken to see that the borderline
or dull-normal persons do not have access to the jobs reserved for the mentally
retarded persons.
When the retarded persons are on the job they and/or their custodian should be
aware of the rights and privilages of the retarded person.

International Labour Organization (lLO, 1955) as quoted by Ramamani (1988)

recommended guideline for vocational rehabilitation. It covers the essential
elements and scope of vocational rehabilitation, principles and methods to be

applied, the vocational guidance, training, placement and followup of the

disabled and an outline of the administrative organization and vocational
rehabilitation service and ways to enable disabled persons to make use of these
services. The conscious efforts for employment of mentally retarded are on the
increase in the country. For success of such an effort it is imperative that there
is coordination and co-operation among the planners, policy makers, trainers,
various service providers, employers, co-workers and the retarded person and
his family members.

REFERENCES
1. Chandrasekhar MA. (1979) Worker Education Scheme, Central Board of
Worker Education, Nagpur.

2. Ramamani (1988) Physically Handicapped in India, Delh New prints,

pp.46-49; 87.

3. Article 41, Constitution of India 1950

92