
THE PROJECT DISCOVERY CAREER DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM is a hands-on comprehensive curriculum which provides middle through high school special needs students the skills necessary for entrance into the general curricula, workforce and independent life. Designed with the diverse needs of special education students in mind, this system consists of three components — Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced.
Students learn hundreds of real world job skills in many diverse career cluster areas as well as the academic skills needed to perform those tasks. Students also gain important life skills and employability skills. Students exit the program with a better understanding of the job world and the careers that interest them and that they have abilities for. The curricula is ideal for addressing transition services and IDEA requirements.
Highlights
- Academic integration
- Relevant instruction – real tools & tasks
- Knowledge/Performance-based assessment
- Work performance benchmarks
- Comprehensive curriculum
- Customizable lesson plans
- On-site training
- Certificate of accomplishment
- Ready-made IEP documentation
- Engaging and motivating
The Beginning System is designed for those students with critical needs working well below grade level. Ideal for a teacher-assisted approach whereby students watch the teacher perform the activities and then perform them with assistance.
Ideal For:
- Significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning.
- Students on a K-5th grade reading level (with supports for a 2nd-4th grade level).
- Audio components for slow and non-readers and auditory learners.
- CDC Students
- Emotionally Disturbed
- Developmental Delays
- Hearing Impaired
- Mental Retardation
- Multiple Disabilities
- Learning Disabilities
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
Job Skill Tasks and Academics:
Students experience basic academic skills in an applied, hands-on concept. Examples include:
- Students practice basic math with coins as they learn to make change in the Grocery Clerking kit.
- Students read simple instructions and gain basic entry level job vocabulary.
- Students show understanding to carry out simple one or two step instructions as they learn to clean desktops and windows in the Cleaning Maintenance kit or use utensils to set a table in the Table Service kit.

Instructor's Notes contain manipulative and cognitive skill requirements/skills to be attained; math, language, and reasoning skill levels; ten day lesson implementation plan; Pre/Post Tests; Work Performance Benchmarks; reproducible Student Worksheets; and Job Qualifications Profiles.

Community/Parent Involvement Involve parents and the community in the classroom with hands-on activities!
Materials and Tools needed to perform the kit activities, such as 4-cycle engine, rebar box, barometer, sphygmomanometer, screen printing kit, soldering board, wall section, food models, galvanized pipe, wallpaper kit, videos, and software programs.
Internet Sites Unique Internet sites provided to research careers.
Student Instructions lead step-by-step through the activities.
Special Education Editions for Special Needs Students are available for all kits - They contain "First Look" Books that break the concepts and terms down to a 2nd-4th grade reading level and audio support.
Training Nationally-certified trainers will come to your site to provide in-service training on system implementation.
Project Discovery Beginning Level
- Let's Discover Banking
- PD20000
- Let's Discover Construction
- PD11000
- Let's Discover Creative Arts
- PD14000
- Let's Discover Engineering Technology
- PD19000
- Let's Discover Mechanics, Installers, Repairers
- PD18000
- Let's Discover Medical Careers
- PD10000
- Let's Discover Nature's Resources
- PD12000
- Let's Discover Public Services
- PD16000
- Let's Discover Travel, Tourism, & Hospitality
- PD15000
- Let's Discover The World of Business
- PD13000
- Let's Discover Human Services
- PD17000
- Cleaning Maintenance
- PD0800
- Greenhouse Work
- PD1700
- Hair Care and Styling
- PD1900
- Table Service
- PD4000
- Grocery Clerking
- PD1800
- Filing
- PD1400
- Mail Handling
- PD2100
- Child Care
- PD4500


