Marie has displayed large increases in skills because of her life skills classes and family and consumer science classes at the high school. Staff at the group home has indicated that Marie is very capable of cooking and cleaning, but they aren’t sure about her ability to manage her personal safety. She is very eager to learn new independent living skills and take on new responsibilities. Leslie and the staff at the group home have suggested that perhaps Marie could live in her own home or apartment in the future. Because she doesn’t read, it is expected that Marie will not learn to drive or independently manage her finances.
Through the collaboration between the school, her VR counselor, and the adult agency employment staff, Marie began her first job clearing tables and cleaning the dining room at the local McDonald’s. Although she could independently perform these duties, her behavior made it clear that she did not like the job. She wasn’t eager to complete her tasks without constant job coach support that included verbal prompts. Since Marie is so successful in the kitchen in the group home, the VR counselor and the owner/manager of McDonald’s decided to have her try a job in the kitchen. They thought Marie might be able to make salads since McDonald’s provides assembly instructions that include both text as well as photographs of exactly how the salads should be made and what they should look like when completed.