Abstract

This study aimed to reveal the perception gap regarding the skills being taught between special education teachers and vocational rehabilitation practitioners involved in transition support in Japan. Therefore, 126 vocational support providers affiliated with the employment and life support centers (ELSCs) for persons with disabilities, which are vocational rehabilitation institutions in Japan, and 129 special education teachers from schools for students with intellectual disabilities in Akita prefecture, Japan, were surveyed. Participants were asked to evaluate the importance of teaching skills that constitute vocational readiness. A questionnaire comprising twenty-five items across five layers was used: vocational aptitude, basic work habits, interpersonal skills, daily living management, and health management. Responses were collected for two time points: during school and after graduation. To examine whether scores for each layer of vocational readiness differed by affiliation (ELSCs or special education schools [SES]) and period (before and after graduation), a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted. The within-subject factor was the period, and the between-subject factor was affiliation. The results revealed a perception gap in the first layer, vocational aptitude, and the second layer, work habits. Additionally, only in the second layer, work habits, did special education teachers recognize the importance of instruction more during the school period than after graduation. Both institutions involved in transition support must collaborate, focusing on students with disabilities based on the identified gap.