Abstract
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) offering supported employment services in Taiwan recently have identified a missing link between their programs and the vocational programs students with disabilities received in secondary special education system. Sponsored by a national initiative aimed to enhance public education through crossover trials and social inclusion under the umbrella of “HighScope Taiwan”, academics and mainly senior social workers devoted to supported employment for persons with intellectual disabilities started a two-way outreach program through action engagement in 2007. Action research became the common focus of the joint task forces across social work, public education systems, and academia. The article provides field-based reflections of the action research project and suggests ways in which practice of action research may increase social impact in the professional development of individuals.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agyris C, Putnam R, Smith D (1985) Action science. Jossey-Bass Inc., New York
Bond GR, Drake RE, Mueser KT, Becker DR (1997) An update on supported employment for people with severe mental illness. Psychiatr Serv 48:335–346
Bond GR, Drake RE, Becker DR (2008) An update on randomized controlled trials of evidence-based supported employment. Psychiatr Rehabil J 31:280–290
Chang YJ, Liao RH, Wang TY, Chang YS (2010) Action research as a bridge between two worlds: helping the NGOs and humanitarian agencies adapt technology to their needs. Systemic Pract Action Res 23(3):190–201
Chang YJ, Wang TY, Chen SF, Liao RH (2011a) Student engineers as agents of change: combining social inclusion in the professional development of electrical and computer engineering students. Systemic Pract Action Res 24(3):237–245
Chang YJ, Chen SF, Lu ZZ (2011b) An accelerometer-based handheld system to reduce breaks in performance of young adults with cognitive impairments. Res Dev Disabil 32(6):2530–2534
Chang YJ, Chen SF, Huang JD (2011c) A Kinect-based system for physical rehabilitation: a pilot study for young adults with motor disabilities. Res Dev Disabil 32(6):2566–2570
Chang YJ, Wang TY, Chen YR (2011d) A location-based prompting system to transition autonomously through vocational tasks for individuals with cognitive impairments. Res Dev Disabil 32(6):2669–2673
CLA (2009) Labor status bulletin 2009. Council of Labor Affairs, Taiwan
Crowther RE, Marshall M, Bond GR, Huxley P (2001) Helping people with severe mental illness to obtain work: systematic review. BMJ 322:204–208
Friedman VJ (2001) Action Science: Creating Communities of Inquiry in Communities of Practice. In: Reason P, Bradburyn H (eds) Handbook of action research. Sage, New York
Friere P (1970) Pedagogy of the oppressed. Continuum, New York
Furco A (1996) Expanding Boundaries: Serving and Learning, Florida Campus Compact
Keel JH, Mesibov GB, Woods AV (1997) TEACCH-supported employment program. J Autism Dev Disord 27(1):3–9
Rolfsen M, Johnsen A, Knutstad G (2007) Action engagement: improving researchers’ involvement in action research projects. Syst Pract Act Res 20:53–63
Acknowledgments
This research was granted and supported by National Research Program for the Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), Taiwan, R.O.C (99-EC-17-A-19-S1-163) and National Science Council, Taiwan, R.O.C (NSC 100-2221-E-033 -062 -).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chang, YJ., Wang, F.TY., Chen, SF. et al. When Social Workers Meet Special Education Teachers: Action Research to Implement Curricular Changes in Taiwanese Special Education Systems. Syst Pract Action Res 25, 273–280 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-011-9222-8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-011-9222-8