VIDBE-Q Volume 65 Issue 2
80
comfortable interacting in a group setting with their peers. Putting Your Best Foot
Forward is suitable for implementation in various settings, including schools,
private agencies, and VR agencies. It was designed as an intensive, short-term
standalone program (e.g., five 8-hour days, ten 4-hour days), but it can be
implemented as part of a larger transition program or a semester course if a short,
intensive format is not the best fit for a particular group.
Effectiveness
We conducted a research study with 92 transition-age youth with visual
impairments to evaluate the effectiveness of Putting Your Best Foot Forward in
improving both short-term and long-term outcomes. We partnered with one VR
agency and three specialized schools for children who are blind to implement the
program in three states. Some youth in our study participated in Putting Your Best
Foot Forward, and some received usual services. Our findings support Putting
Your Best Foot Forward's effectiveness in improving short-term outcomes; youth
increased their knowledge about searching for jobs, job search behaviors (e.g.,
contacting employers, filling out applications), and confidence in their ability to
accomplish specific job search behaviors (Cmar & McDonnall, 2020). Our
research study has also underscored several potential negative consequences of
offering repeated work experiences to youth who are capable of searching for a job
