INTERACTIVE MEDIA TO PROMOTE JOB READINESS SKILLS

PERSONS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH ABILITIES AND LIMITED EXPERIENCE WITH MAINSTREAM CULTURE WOULD BENEFIT FROM TRAINING IN THE PRACTICAL SKILLS NECESSARY TO OBTAIN AND RETAIN JOBS. THE ACTIVE CLIENT PARTICIPATION FOUND NECESSARY IN JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS CAN BE ACHIEVED IN A COMFORTABLE ANDEFFECTIVE MANNER BY THE USE OF INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A USER-FRIENDLY EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY SYSTEM INCLUDING CONVENTIONAL COMPUTERS PLUS SOFTWARE AND MANUALS TO EFFECT JOB READINESS TRAINING. USERS WILL OBSERVE AND SELECT INPUTS AND BEHAVIORS ILLUSTRATING CORRECT AND ERRONEOUS RESPONSES FOR INTERVIEWS, DOCUMENTS, PERSONAL BUSINESSINTERACTIONS, AND OTHER JOB RELATED FUNCTIONS. THE MOUSE-DRIVEN PROGRAM WILL USE SIMPLE ENGLISH PLUS MULTILINGUAL TEXT AND VOICE-OVER TO AID COMPREHENSION, AND SELF TESTING TO REVIEW AND REINFORCE THE MATERIAL. TECHNIQUES WILL INCLUDE COLOR, SOUND EFFECTS, AND ANIMATION-VIDEO TO SIMULATE SITUATIONS SUCH AS INTERVIEWS, DRESS, ETC. CONTENT AND APPLICATION MODES WILL BE DEVELOPED IN COOPERATION WITH UNIVERSITY, BUSINESS, AND COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES TO ASSURE IMPLEMENTATION, AND TESTING WILL BE INSTITUTED TO MEASURE EFFECTIVENESS. IN PHASE I SAMPLE LESSONS WILL BE GENERATED FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING ADULTS AND PRELIMINARY TESTING CONDUCTED. PLANS WILL BE CREATED FOR FULL DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING CONTENT, AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS. A PLAN FOR TEST AND EVALUATION OF THE SYSTEM WILL BE ESTABLISHED, AND DISSEMINATION METHODS WILL BE GENERATED. IN PHASE II, THE PROGRAM WILL BE COMPLETED AND INITIAL TESTS CONDUCTED IN TWO OR MORE LANGUAGES. COMMERCIAL AVENUES FOR DISSEMINATION WILL BE EVALUATED AND INITIATED IN COMMUNITY, STATE AND FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS AND IN SCHOOLS AND OTHER YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS.