Preliminary Establishment of the Dispositional Development Scale: Incorporating the Working Alliance in Professional Disposition Assessment

This article discusses the initial development of an instrument which was designed to aid educators in assessing professional dispositions in rehabilitation counselor education students, in accordance with the 2016 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Standards. Furthermore, the development of the instrument was embedded with the concept of the working alliance (Bordin, 1979). The current study leads to the introduction of the Dispositional Development Scale (DDS), which was created using a two-phase approach, including content validation by Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (n = 148). The implications for using DDS in rehabilitation counselor education are significant and include a systematic, more transparent method of evaluating students' nonacademic competencies.

The Conceptualization and Assessment of Professional Dispositions in Rehabilitation Counselor Education

Newly adopted accreditation standards within rehabilitation counselor education require the assessment of knowledge, skills, and a set of characteristics known as professional dispositions (PDs). PDs may be regarded as individual characteristics like values, beliefs, attitudes, or interpersonal ways of being that influence professional behavior. Yet, this remains an abstract construct that eludes simple definition and measurement. The purpose of this article is to review existing literature related to PDs in order to assist rehabilitation counselor educators in understanding (a) the conceptualization and identification of PDs, (b) the assessment of PDs within a program evaluation process, and (c) contextual dynamics that may influence the assessment of PDs. To this end, the article explores existing PD definitions; common factors related to counseling outcomes; and the guiding philosophies, codes, and values for the field of rehabilitation counseling. Additionally, the role of PDs are discussed in relation to accreditation standards, the development of standardized instruments, student assessment, and program evaluation. Finally, the assessment of PDs are considered in relation to multicultural dynamics, students with disabilities, and distance education.

Responding to an Emerging Need in Rehabilitation Counselor Education: Development of a Cognitive Disabilities Certificate Program

Overview:The article describes the development of a Cognitive Disabilities Certificate Program (CDC) in a Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program accredited Rehabilitation Counselor Education (RCE) program. Specific areas addressed includes the CDC’s administrative foundations, curriculum design, student outcomes, sustainability activities, and future directions.Methods:The CDC program was established in 2009 with a training grant from the Rehabilitation Services Administration. The CDC requires 18 units of post-baccalaureate coursework and training activities focused on cognitive disabilities.Results:From Spring 2009 through Spring 2017 semesters, 42 students attained the CDC certificate. CDC graduates currently work in settings serving persons with cognitive disabilities in the State/Federal Vocational Rehabilitation System, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, post-secondary student support offices, and community-based rehabilitation provider agencies.Conclusion:The CDC program provides RCE programs a model approach for establishing specialized training to meet emerging rehabilitation needs among persons with cognitive disabilities.

Recruitment, Retention, and Mentoring for Diversity Among Rehabilitation Counselor Educators

Purpose:In this article, the authors discuss best strategies for recruitment and retention among faculty of color, international faculty, and women to diversify rehabilitation counselor education faculty.Method:Based on a comprehensive literature review, we have provided the reader with a brief review of the status of faculty of color, international faculty, and women in academia, issues in recruitment and retention, and strategies that may be beneficial in diversifying rehabilitation counselor education faculty.Results:Researchers in higher education have shown that a diverse faculty is not only beneficial to academia, but to communities as well. The authors have provided recruitment and retention strategies that have been used in other disciplines. Coupled with a sincere commitment by university administrators, faculty, students, and communities, these strategies may be beneficial in increasing diversity among the faculty ranks in rehabilitation counselor education programs.Conclusion:In order to increase diversity in our training and education programs, it is imperative that recruitment and retention plans are created and implemented. Various recruitment and retention strategies were discussed in this article that have been shown to be effective in other disciplines. Future research should explore the presence and use of recruitment and retention plans in rehabilitation counselor education programs. In addition, qualitative research is warranted to explore the experiences of faculty of color, international faculty, and women.

The Status of Technology-Enhanced Education and Service Delivery in Rehabilitation Counselor Education

Purpose:The purpose of this article is to discuss the upsurge of technology-enhanced rehabilitation education programs and telerehabilitation services, to provide examples of these advancements, and to discuss the implications of this technology for education and the field including the unique advantage to developing technological skills through participation in effective online coursework allowing rehabilitation graduates the requisite transferable skills for competent online service delivery.Method:The authors completed a thorough review of the available literature on online technology-enhanced education programs and online telerehabilitation services.Results:Rehabilitation counselor education and the delivery of rehabilitation services have capitalized on recent technological advancements and provide opportunities to reach students and consumers via the Internet.Conclusion:It is clear that technology-enhanced education and clinical services will have an expanding role in the future of rehabilitation counselor education and practice. There is a unique advantage for students to develop technological skills through participation in effective online coursework. The skills learned from completing online courses are transferable skills for competent online service delivery.

Rehabilitation Counselor Education and the New Code of Ethics

The purpose of this article is to discuss recent changes in the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors, effective January 1, 2010, that are most relevant to rehabilitation counselor educators. The authors provide a brief overview of these key changes along with implications for ethical practice in rehabilitation counselor education.