A Career Counseling Model as a Therapeutic Approach for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64420/ijcp.v2i3.377Keywords:
Career counseling model, Therapeutic approach, Students with intellectual disabilitiesAbstract
Background: Career counseling is crucial for students with intellectual disabilities, enabling them to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for future employment. These students require personalized career guidance that addresses their unique abilities and challenges. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the planning and implementation of career guidance for students with special needs at the senior high school level. Method: A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to examine students' experiences and perceptions of the career guidance process. The research, conducted in 2025 at government secondary schools within the Brunei-Muara district, involved 14 students. Data were collected through observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation, and analyzed using Miles & Huberman's interactive model. Result: Career guidance was highly individualized, focusing on each student's abilities and needs. Demonstration methods were commonly employed, with clear and instructive steps to ensure comprehension and skill acquisition. Conclusion: Career guidance at government secondary schools within the Brunei-Muara district was effectively implemented using individualized, instructive approaches with demonstration techniques to meet students' unique learning needs. Originality/Value: This study contributes novel empirical insights to the fields of special education and career counseling by uncovering an individualized, demonstration-based career guidance model utilized as a therapeutic approach for enhancing vocational skill acquisition among students with intellectual disabilities within the context of government secondary schools in Brunei-Muara, an area currently underrepresented in the literature. These findings enrich the existing empirical evidence and serve as a strategic reference for special education educators, school counselors, and policymakers in designing tailored transition programs and inclusive career development policies.
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