A model for the development of instructional materials for the handicapped

Abstract

Exceptional children frequently encounter difficulty acquiring new skills. For these children, the learning process can prove frustrating for both themselves and their teachers. Regardless of the difficulty, however, it is important that children master various specific skills so as adults they might lead independent lives. It is apparent to educators that a relationship exists between the number of specific life skills an individual possesses and his ability to function in society. If persons are to successfully hold jobs, they must have mastered many different skills including ability to arrive at the job sites on time, perform jobs required, prepare or purchase lunches, cooperate with peers, and return home. Many related skills are necessary to complete this chain. For example, successful performance in a job situation often interlocks with the ability to drive a car or read bus schedules, tell time, handle money (deposit pay checks, budget expenditures, purchase items), and recognize survival words such as men, women, and danger. Most of these life skills, if systematically taught, most children can master.