This innovative online curriculum is designed to teach job search skills to people struggling to overcome barriers to employment, such as disabilities, gaps in employment history or mental health challenges.
This comprehensive curriculum contains six separate courses – the first five focus on a specific phase of the job search process while the sixth focuses on how to successfully keep a job. Each course is fully animated and all information is presented in accessible, easy-to-understand language. Content is reinforced through fun, engaging videos, simulations, interactive exercises, quizzes, exams and a variety of practical opportunities to apply what is learned. All courses are fully narrated.
The curriculum’s flexible design makes it easy for facilitators to use eTrac® as a self-paced instruction option, to enhance one-to-one training support or to augment group instruction.
eTrac® focuses on the unique job search challenges encountered by people with intellectual disabilities, autism, mental health and other employment barriers. However, thanks to its flexible design, eTrac® can be easily customized to reflect the needs of other specific audiences, such as veterans, students in transition programs, and more.
Whether you’re a self-advocate, a parent of a child with disabilities or a service provider, eTrac® can provide the skills necessary to find and keep a job. eTrac® is designed for use in Transition Programs, Special Education classrooms, Social and Human Services Programs, Workforce Development Organizations, Colleges, Universities, and any other environment where employment and training services are provided.
using eTrac® to provide Pre-Employment Transition Services
View this recent webinar video to learn more about using eTrac® to provide pre-employment transition services.
eTrac for Pre-ETS
eTrac® is a fantastic tool for providing Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS Services). All six courses combined provide a comprehensive Job Seeking Skills Training curriculum while offering content for a number of other Pre-ETS service areas. Pre-ETS service areas covered in eTrac®:
Job Exploration Counseling
Work-Based Learning: Informational Interview
Workplace Readiness Training: Soft Skills Training
Workplace Readiness Training: Job Seeking Skills Training
Instruction in Self-Advocacy
Online Learning
eTrac® lends itself well to virtual learning, remote learning, and distance learning environments.
It can be facilitated in both individual and group formats using virtual meeting solutions and screensharing technology.
Learners complete the courses at a pace that is comfortable for them. Courses can be accessed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
IMPROVE COMPUTER SKILLS
Many job seekers lack the computer skills required by many employers. eTrac® will not only teach learners the skills needed to find and keep a job, but it also teaches basic computer and internet skills and offers ample opportunities for practicing them.
INCREASE RETENTION RATES
eTrac’s® advanced interactive content makes learning on the internet both fun and effective. Learners will retain more information in eTrac® because content is presented and reinforced in multiple learning style formats:
Animation/Video-Based Instruction
Interactive Exercises and Simulations
Practice Assignments
CONVENIENT E-LEARNING PLATFORM
Learners using eTrac® will be provided with over 15 hours of online curriculum to help build the skills necessary to find and keep a job. The eTrac® curriculum is broken down into six courses:
Exploring a Career
Filling Out the Paperwork
Starting Your Job Search
Interviewing for a Job
Evaluating and Accepting a Job Offer
Keeping a job
TRACK RESULTS
eTrac® is accessed through Moodle, a learning management system that is used by over 65 million people worldwide. Moodle will track:
User demographics
Enrollment information
Pre- and Post-Assessments
Grade results
Individual and group reporting statistics
ETRAC® FOR JUST-IN-TIME LEARNING
People with disabilities are major users of mobile devices. According to the Pew Memorial Trust, 72% of individuals with disabilities use a smartphone. eTrac® for Just-in-Time Learning is a new app that can be installed on smartphones and tablets to provide job seekers with quick tips and techniques through a library of job-seeking resources available in the eTrac® for Job Seekers with Disabilities curriculum.
In addition, the app includes the ability to store all master application data and other information for easy access during the application and interviewing process.
Check out the video below demonstrating the features of eTrac® for Just-in-Time Learning.
CUSTOMIZED & ACCESSIBLE
eTrac’s® modular design makes it easy to customize training sessions to meet the specific needs of individual learners and learning groups. Here are a few examples of the way that a blended learning approach can benefit learners with different skills and abilities. Click the plus sign below to read each example.
+ EXAMPLE 1: MODERATE TO SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE DISABILITIES
Learners with moderate to significant cognitive disabilities that impact comprehension and their ability to apply what they’ve learned are likely to benefit most by working one-on-one with a teacher or course facilitator to complete each eTrac® module. A facilitator can use eTrac® to customize the instruction to each learner’s unique needs. This may include:
Reviewing all module content jointly to ensure understanding;
Discussing the content one-on-one with a learner to help him or her “connect the dots” and understand how the content correlates to the learner’s individual experience;
Eliminating topics, exercises or assignments that do not apply directly to the learner’s situation;
Working with the individual to complete exercises or assignments and;
Modifying or replacing existing exercises or assignments to better reflect the person’s goals, needs and situation.
You also may want to consider completing content or exercises and discussing key concepts as part of larger group sessions.
+ EXAMPLE 2: LOW READING SKILLS
Learners with low reading skills or minimal independent learning skills will benefit from eTrac’s® fully narrated text. Text appears on screen simultaneous with the narration, helping to increase learners’ comprehension of the material presented. Learners with reading challenges also benefit from eTrac’s® modular approach. Because each module stands alone, learners can complete each course at their own pace, module by module.
Facilitators have the option to customize the learner’s experience by assigning specific modules, topics, exercises or assignments that relate to each person’s learning needs. Facilitators also can vary how each learner completes eTrac® exercises and assignments. For example, facilitators may opt to require a learner to complete them independently or ask several learners to work together to complete an assignment or exercise.
+ EXAMPLE 3: TYPICAL READING SKILLS AND COGNITIVE ABILITIES
Learners with typical reading skills and cognitive abilities, but who have a mental health challenge or other issue, typically will be able to complete the course independently with minimal support. Again, learners can set their own pace because eTrac’s® modular structure offers natural breaks in the content.
These learners may benefit from suggestions outlined in the Facilitator’s Guide that focus on different ways to apply and practice new and existing skills.
+ EXAMPLE 4: VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS OR OTHER PHYSICAL DISABILITIES
Because eTrac® complies with all Section 508 requirements, it is fully accessible to learners with physical disabilities who require assistive technology, such as screen readers, to facilitate learning. eTrac® goes further than most online training by allowing learners to choose between a graphic intensive version and a text-based version at the outset. The text-based version contains no illustrations, interactivities, etc., thereby creating a smoother, more streamlined learning experience for users of assistive technology devices. This version also is optimized for use with mobile device technology.
ENDORSEMENTS
EXEMPLARY RATING FROM CARF
For over 30 years, MSS has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), the international accrediting body for rehabilitation facilities. Our 2012 accreditation included an “exemplary” rating for the development of eTrac®. Exemplary ratings are reserved for programs that go far beyond the requirements outlined by CARF’s rigorous standards.
This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to CARF’s high standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation is subjected to a rigorous peer review process that requires the organization to demonstrate that its programs and services are of the highest quality, measurable, and accountable. eTrac® was singled out by the team of peer surveyors as worthy of the organization’s highest national rating.
ACCREDITED BY CENTURY COLLEGE
Century College has certified the eTrac® vocational curriculum as part of its Continuing Education program, Minnesota’s largest provider of Continuing Education and Customized Training. In certifying eTrac®, examiners said: “This educational program was found to be well designed and strong in both its curricular structure and instructional technique. An examination of the computer-based courseware revealed it to be well suited to its intended audience and interesting in its approach.”
Examiners evaluated eTrac® against six certification criteria and eTrac® passed all criteria with flying colors. The examiners concluded: “In short, the eTrac® program is well resourced, well designed and professional. It represents the quality associated with Century College.”
MINNESOTA GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities evaluated eTrac® and identified many opportunities for using it to further employment among people with developmental disabilities, a group that has the highest unemployment rate in the United States. Colleen Wieck, Executive Director of the Governor’s Council noted: “The six module program focuses on developing and building soft skills, the skills that are common to all work environments and all types of jobs. Accessibility and ease of navigation were considered at the outset, and the immediate feedback feature helps to assure that skills are acquired and the purpose of each module successfully achieved.
The fact that this is online training, eTrac® can also improve computer skills and confidence in working in a technology environment. eTrac® was designed for many audiences and can be used not only by individuals with developmental disabilities, but also job coaches, either independently or as a team. Since each of the modules is standalone, one or more can be used to support the employment goals of the individual and the skills needed to meet those goals.”
SUPPORT
MSS is here to help you with all of your support needs! Whether you have a question about operating Moodle and the eTrac® online curriculum, need help figuring out how to best roll out eTrac® to your students, or if you just want to brainstorm what tools or techniques could make eTrac® even better, our support team is here for you every step of the way.
If you need help, please contact us at etracmss@mssmn.org.
PRICING
ONLINE VERSION OF ETRAC® PLUS MOODLE
Organizations can purchase one-year licenses that provide access to all six eTrac® courses, plus the complete tracking capabilities of Moodle, eTrac’s® learning management system.
Price: $149 per 1-year user license
Questions? Contact etracmss@mssmn.org to discuss your needs. Contact us if you’re a nonprofit or school to receive a discount.