PERCEPTIONS OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING WITH ELEMENTARY SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY

The present study sought to determine the perceived utility of initiating vocational training in primary education by implementing a student-operated restaurant. Specifically, this study examined the extent to which vocational education training affected school professionals', parents', and elementary special education students' perceptions of knowledge, performance, and self variables. Participants included 32 school professionals, 19 parents, and 16 students. At the conclusion of the vocational training, researcher constructed surveys were distributed to school faculty and parents. Additionally, students participated in a semi-structured interview conducted by the researchers. Findings suggest that parents and school professionals perceived the intervention as producing a very significant effect on students' knowledge, performance, and self variables. School professionals, as well as parents, perceived the training as worthwhile, worthy of continued implementation, and as age appropriate. Non-parametric analyses revealed that school professionals' and parents' perceptions of the training's effect on students' outcomes were not significantly different. Student surveys suggested the training produced a positive effect on students' perceptions of knowledge and performance variables.