REHABILITATION UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COLLECTION

This is the portal for Rehabilitation Undergraduate Curriculum. It provides a central location for rehabilitation educators to share information, pedagogy, new developments, and to discussion current issues relevant to rehabilitation undergraduate education. All interested parties are invited to participate in these activities.

Discussion Forums for Undergraduate Rehabilitation Education

AREA 1: ISSUES FACED BY PERSONS EXPERIENCING DISABILITY
Students must be grounded in a thorough understanding of the social, psychological, economic, physical, medical, and other environmental problems faced by the people who are to be helped in rehabilitation. Inefficiencies, difficulties, and frustrations encountered in attempting to assess and obtain services should be included.

AREA 2: THE REHABILITATION DELIVERY SYSTEM
The history, philosophy, legal status, and agencies/facilities of the rehabilitation system should be understood, along with the roles and functions which must be performed and the professions which attempt to perform them. Students should have the opportunity to see how the rehabilitation process brings these bits of information together in Areal life@ rehabilitation.

AREA 3: VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION OUTCOMES
The theme of employment, including vocational adjustment and appropriate job placement, was reaffirmed in the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992. Students should be exposed to this paradigm and the major contributions of community-based rehabilitation programs in facilitating employment, as well as job placement techniques and independent living outcomes.

AREA 4: INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Since rehabilitation depends so heavily upon communication between both client and professional and among various professionals, undergraduate students need to have considerable understanding of the characteristics of helpful communication. An understanding of the potential influence of cultural diversity and individual lifestyle choices should also be provided.

AREA 5: CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT AND SELF MANAGEMENT
Since rehabilitation is typically carried out in a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency context, students should have some understanding of vocational information, assessment, and problem solving. In addition, students should understand methods used in rehabilitation to solve consumer problems and how to utilize available resources to improve consumer access, quality of services, and decision making.

AREA 6: ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM
As rehabilitation professionals, students must be knowledgeable about ethical principles and standards affecting the delivery of rehabilitation services. They must be prepared to assume all of the responsibilities and privileges that accompany the role of a rehabilitation professional.

AREA 7: FIELD EXPERIENCE
A well-supervised field experience component will provide the capstone experience for an undergraduate rehabilitation education program. It will provide an opportunity for integrating classroom principles and developing entry-level skills in a real-life work setting.

AREA 8: SPECIALITY PRACTICES
Undergraduate programs in disability and rehabilitation studies are encouraged to offer courses and curriculum content in areas of special practice. While the availability of specialization options will not take the place of the core curriculum found in Areas 1 - 6, it is recognized that some programs may have necessary resources to offer one or more specializations to disability and rehabilitation studies students. Examples of such specializations include but are not limited to: Addictions, Supported Employment, Gerontology, Pediatric Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Engineering & Technology, and Independent Living.