PRE-VOCATIONAL INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS TRAINING
Students who wish to attend the WSB campus in Little Rock for their training will be required to complete a series of pre-vocational training courses prior to becoming eligible for admission to a career training program. These courses are designed to ensure that a student can be successful in their career training program as well as being able to independently support themselves in their future life. Students learn a myriad of skills that will assist them long-term and are necessary for their ultimate success. Our goal at WSB is to provide students with a well-rounded set of skills that will prepare them to live and operate in any environment. Students can also experience various aspects of the career training programs during this time in order to gain an understanding of program expectations as well as deciding which program will be the proper fit for them.
client and staff member meeting at a desk
MORE DETAILS
The following classes are included in the in the pre-vocational independent skills training and successful completion of each is required for admission into a career training program.
instructor showing a client how to use a magnifier
Assistive Technology
Topics covered in this class will depend largely on a student’s training goals. Students hoping to gain admission to a career training program must show proficiency in Windows desktop navigation, File Explorer, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, internet navigation, and Microsoft Excel. Other available topics of study include VoiceOver for IOS mobile devices, TalkBack for Android, use of smart speakers, and use of the Ray Ban Meta glasses. Students will be assessed for use of a screen reader and/or magnification software and can be assessed on a number of other devices, such as video magnifiers, CCTVs, and refreshable Braille displays.
client smiling using a braille display
Practical Braille Skills
Students are given the opportunity to learn both Grade 1 and Grade 2 Braille. Lessons are primarily taught using refreshable Braille displays, but can include use of paper as well. Students will learn to read and write Braille using either a refreshable Braille display or a Braille writer. This class is available to all students, but successful completion is required only of those students intending to enter the Assistive Technology Instructor program.
Keyboarding
Using the Fun with Typeability software, students will learn touch typing, a skill that is required for success in a career training program as well as in many potential employment opportunities. Students will be able to learn the layout of the keyboard and the proper finger positions on the keys.
up close photo of a white keyboard
client leaning into a computer using a low vision aid
Financial Literacy
Core principles of good financial literacy are the focus of this class. Using a curriculum that is designed for persons with visual impairments, students will have the opportunity to study basic banking and budgeting, learn about the importance of credit and the effects of debt, gain an overview of available programs to assist with entry into the workforce provided through the Social Security Administration, and will receive an introduction to taxes. WSB also partners with a local bank to provide additional targeted finance training.
Orientation & Mobility
A major benefit of on campus training is access to our orientation & mobility instructor. Students will not only learn to practice good white cane techniques while learning routes through the campus, but will be able to experience a variety of travel environments off site. I partnership with the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, students will have access to the Fitness Center, where they have access to a full circuit of equipment as well as a pool and indoor track. As part of orientation & mobility training, students learn to travel independently to the fitness center, whether by a walking route or by use of the fixed city bus route. Students will also be registered for paratransit services, and will learn to use this system for transportation needs. Anything from street crossings, to escalators, revolving doors, and roundabouts will be covered in this class.
client and instructor walking side by side outside
client putting cookie dough on a tray
Techniques of Daily Living
Students in this class will be able to learn and practice the skills that they need to support themselves in their homes on a daily basis once they leave WSB. Students are trained in home maintenance tasks such as cleaning, laundry, and creating an organization and labeling system for their home. Students will learn other basic skills such as medication management and sewing. They will then be able to move into the kitchen, where they will learn to prepare healthy meals safely and efficiently. Students can learn to use either a gas or electric stove and will be exposed to a wide variety of countertop appliances.
Adult Education
Students take assessments for writing, reading comprehension, and math. A minimum score of 80% must be achieved on each of the three assessments in order to successfully complete Adult Education. The assessments are designed to determine whether a student has 12th grade level skills in the topics being assessed.