William Crimando

Training and Orientation of Certified Ombudsperson Volunteers for Long-Term Care Facilities.

We report findings on learner retention and satisfaction as a result of certified ombudsperson volunteer (COV) training. Specifically, two research questions were addressed. First, did individuals who completed COV training learn the content? The result of the analysis was significant. Second, were individuals who completed COV training satisfied with its content? Survey results indicated satisfaction with the content, format, and utility of the COV training. In addition, a review of the literature was conducted, and recommendations for further research are offered.

Internet Practices of Certified Rehabilitation Counselors and Analysis of Guidelines for Ethical Internet Practices

TheInternet hasbecomeanintegral partofthepractice ofrehabilitation counseling. Toidentify potential ethical issues regarding the use of the Internet by counselors, two studies were conducted. In Study 1, we surveyed a national sample of rehabilitation counselors regarding their use of technology in their work and home settings. Results suggested that all counselors use email and find information on the Internet, and some also use the Internet to socialize. Some online activities in which counselors engage raise ethical concerns. Study 2wasacontent analysis of ethical codes of three national counseling associations and three states that license rehabilitation counselors for the amount of guidance these codes provide regarding Internet activities. Results indicated that although the ethical use of technology has been identified in the codes, there are still areas in which the guidance is only indirect at best.

Interteaching: Application of an Empirically Supported Behavioral Teaching Method in Distance Rehabilitation Education.

Purpose: Interteaching, an emerging, empirically supported behavioral teaching method, has been recently and successfully introduced in the college classroom. Historically, most interteaching studies have been conducted in didactic classroom settings. To date, no published interteaching studies have used an online course format. Furthermore, no component analysis of the pair discussion component of interteaching has been published. Therefore, this study was intended to examine the pair discussion component of interteaching in an online graduate rehabilitation course. Method: Two conditions were randomly assigned across participants and sessions. The first condition included all key components of interteaching in which student dyads were placed in breakout rooms to discuss the assigned preparation guide. The second condition involved all components of interteaching, with the exception of pair discussion. In this condition, students were placed in breakout rooms to complete the preparation guide on their own. Average student quiz scores were compared across conditions. Results: The pair discussion condition resulted in higher student quiz scores, p < .01. In addition, social validity findings indicated the majority of students reported preference for interteaching with the inclusion of the pair discussion component than without. Conclusions: Finally, limitations of this study and future directions for interteaching technology in online education is discussed.

Addressing the Employment Needs of Persons with Physical Disabilities

In 1873, Dostoevsky wrote, “Originality and the feeling of one’s own dignity are achieved only through work and struggle” (cited in Lee, 1999). The need to be engaged in meaningful activity, whether for survival, self-esteem, or self-transcendence, is nearly as old as humankind itself. Similarly, President Clinton (cited in Rasco, 1996, p. 10) said, “I do not believe we can repair the basic fabric of society until all people who are willing to work have work. Work organizes life. It gives structure and discipline to life.” Thus, work is an “organizing principle” by which we perceive, think about, and plan our activities. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (1997), approximately one American in five has some kind of disability, and one in 10 has a severe disability. Using data from a October 1994–January 1995 survey, the Census Bureau goes on to state that in the prime employable years (21–64), 82% of people without disability had a job or business, while 77% of those with a non-severe disability, and only 26% of persons with severe disability held employment. Furthermore, the 1990 census tables (U.S. Census Bureau, 1999) give these data about civilian, non-institutionalized persons between the ages of 16 and 64: (1) 10.4% have a work disability, mobility limitation, or self-care limitation, with 8.2% having a work disability; (2) 24.3–31.2% of those with a work disability live below the poverty level; (3) 39.3% of those with a work disability are in the labor force, while only 34.1% are employed. This chapter is an examination of the mental health implications of physical disability, especially as they relate to return-to-work, new employment, and career directions for persons with physical disabilities. The integration of rehabilitation and mental health practices will be