SE101 M6L2 – Fading and Follow-Along
Knowing When to Fade:
How do you know when you can fade from a job site? Consider the criteria that was set for mastery.
You can start to fade when the person meets the criteria established by the employer….did I teach this task sufficiently? (Refer back to Module 4 if needed.)
- Task (ex., making copies)
- Level of accuracy (ex. with 95% accuracy)
- Speed (one copy within 2 minutes)
- Duration (for 9 of 10 trials or 5 of 7 days)
It is also essential to consider productivity and efficiency on the job. A person may meet the criteria, but could they be working more efficiently? Is it possible for them to be even more productive? Part of the job coach’s role is to examine each task discretely, then work as a whole to determine the best strategies for moving forward with decreasing support.
Another consideration is supporting the person in developing self-regulation strategies, and using assistive technology and job accommodations to support overall job independence.
Follow-Along:
When the fading process reaches a threshold of supporting someone approximately 20% of the time (this may vary from person to person) start planning for follow-along. Follow-along typically involves the job coach stopping by the job site to “check-in” with the employee, checking in with management to ensure all is going well, and more.
Here are a few other points regarding the follow along process:
- It ensures ongoing employment success – is all going well?
- It assesses changes in job responsibilities – have new tasks been included in a person’s daily, weekly or monthly routine? If so, are additional supports needed to learn new tasks? Will natural supports suffice?
- It assesses management changes – are there new supervisors or managers? Do they plan on making changes in how things are done? It is vital to connect with new managers and supervisors as soon as possible to ensure they know who you are, what your role is, and how the person has been supported.
- Always search for natural connections and supports…from the beginning of the process. Who are the person’s most prominent supporters on the job? Who works near the person? Who has a general interest in naturally supporting the person? What are the supports to be provided?
- It assesses overall work performance….how are things going?
- Identify related interests/activities…..has the person learned about new tasks? Does the person have ideas about different types of work they would like to try? This might be within the same company, but might be a new endeavor.
- It is an opportunity to plan for future jobs/experiences. A job coach spends much focused time working with a person to ensure they have success on the job. Most of us have had multiple jobs over time. We have to expect that those we support will do the same! Expect that the person you are supporting will want to move on, try something new and explore a variety of types of work. This is what most people do! Support them as they make choices to move forward on their career path.
Reading:
- Fading Job Coach Supports – Institute for Community Inclusion
- Job Site Fading: Why job Coaches Find it Difficult to Leave Job Sites – Dale DiLeo, Training Resource Network
- Fade Plans: How to Increase Independence On the Job – Oregon Department of Human Services Employment First Presentation
- Fading Gracefully – Institute for Community Inclusion
Assignment:
- Part 1 – Upload an example of a fading plan you have written or may use in the future
- Part 2 – Complete the Dave and Busters Fading Activity. This activity pulls together ideas and plans for fading job support, and provides invaluable practice in using these tools.
Discussion Forum Post:
Post 26 – How do you know when you can fade from a job site?
Post 27 – Read the article “Fading Gracefully” from ICI. How can the tools you have learned throughout this course allow you to “fade gracefully.” Please name some of the tools and why they would be helpful when fading is reached.