| A large majority of adults with intellectual disabilities are unemployed. Unemployment of adults with intellectual disabilities is a complex multidimensional issue. Some barriers to employment of individuals with intellectual disabilities are the lack of job experience and skills training. In recent years, video-based interventions, such as video self-modeling (VSM) and video modeling, have been receiving substantial attention as viable methods to teach skills to individuals with intellectual disabilities. Initial empirical evaluations have demonstrated that VSM and video modeling, when used in combination with in-vivo instructional strategies, are effective methods to teach chained task to individuals with intellectual disabilities. However, few studies have investigated the effectiveness of VSM or video modeling as stand-alone interventions, without the addition of in-vivo instructional strategies, for teaching chained tasks. While research utilizing video-based interventions to teach independent daily living skills is gaining momentum, the use of video-based interventions in the area of job skills training is still lacking. This study investigated the effectiveness of VSM to teach chained job tasks to individuals with intellectual disabilities in employment settings. The purposes of this study were to (a) evaluate the effectiveness of VSM to teach chained job tasks to individuals with intellectual disabilities, (b) explore the effectiveness and feasibility of VSM alone or in combination with feedback and practice, and (c) evaluate the social validity of VSM in employment settings. Particularly in this study, the VSM intervention (i.e., VSM alone or in combination with feedback and practice) did not include an in-vivo instructional component in order to evaluate if the VSM intervention can lead to generalization of the job tasks to the actual job setting. Three adults with intellectual disabilities participated in this study. A within participant multiple probe design across targeted job tasks, replicated across the three participants, was used to evaluate the effectiveness of VSM in this study. All of the participants demonstrated increased task acquisition with the VSM intervention; however, the effectiveness of VSM alone, or in combination with feedback and practice, varied across participants and job tasks. In terms of social validity, the participants, their job coaches, and the supervisors of the supported employment program, reported overall positive perceptions of the videotaping procedure and VSM intervention. Limitations of the study and implications for future research are discussed. |
