A Study on the Improvement Direction for the Post-secondary Vocational Program for Students with Special Education Needs

The purpose of this research was to suggest the improvement directions for the post-secondary vocational program for the students with special education needs both in special and general school. For the purpose, quantitative and qualitative research methodology were used. For quantitative methodology, the survey instruments were developed for school administrators, teachers and parents in three factors; input, process, and output based on the related legislation. The input factor was divided into five categories, and the process and output factors were consisted with two and four categories respectively. This survey were conducted during 2 weeks(from September 2 to September 16, 2015) through e-mail and post with the support of the Ministry of Special Education Policy division to all schools both in special and general school where post-secondary vocational program for the students with special education needs were running. A total number of 1,051(158 school administrators, 367 teachers, and 526 parents) from 88 schools were responded. For qualitative methodology, school visiting and face to face interview were conducted with four special schools and teachers for getting more detail information about how to improve the post-secondary vocational program for the future. This research suggests four improvement of basic directions as follows. First, the identity of post-secondary vocational program for students with special education needs is to provide the vocational rehabilitation training. Secondly, the core curriculum of post-secondary vocational program should be focus on the employability of students on the specific job training, career management skill, successful job-seeking skill, and follow-up management after graduation. Thirdly, the criteria of selection of student in post-secondary vocational program should be focus on the personal who have higher degree of the motivation and desire for worker. Lastly, local government and community should provide the strong life-long education program including the independent living training for individual who could not be included on post-secondary vocational program. In addition, finally this research suggested the directions on the various improvement of the program based on the survey results, interview with teachers, and consulting with professional person with input, process, and output of the post-secondary vocational program accordingly. The post-secondary vocational program for students with special education needs must be have the clear identity for vocational rehabilitation training, and provide the curriculum to be the independent quality of life after graduation as the last stage of the post-secondary educational level. It must be the ultimate purpose of the post-secondary vocational program for the success and effective education