APSE Updated CESP Exam Questions and Answers by alanna

 Disability sensitivity training is a form of education that aims to increase awareness and understanding of the needs and experiences of people with disabilities. It can help employers and employees to foster a more inclusive and respectful work environment, where people with disabilities are valued and supported. Disability sensitivity training can also help to prevent discrimination, harassment, and stereotypes that may affect people with disabilities in the workplace. Disability sensitivity training is consistent with the core values and principles of the CESP certification, which include promoting the dignity, rights, and full inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce1.

The other options are not correct because:

• A. special treatment for employee with a disability may imply that the employee is not capable of performing their job or that they are entitled to privileges that other employees do not have. This may create resentment and stigma among coworkers and undermine the employee’s self-esteem and autonomy2.
• C. inclusive hiring policy is a good practice, but it is not enough to ensure a diverse workforce. An inclusive hiring policy should be accompanied by other measures, such as disability sensitivity training, reasonable accommodations, mentoring, and career development, to support the retention and advancement of employees with disabilities3.
• D. separate lunchroom for employees with disabilities is a form of segregation that violates the principle of integration and inclusion. It may also create a sense of isolation and alienation for employees with disabilities, who may feel excluded from the social and professional networks of their coworkers4. References:
• 1: CESP Candidate Handbook, page 5
• 2: Disability Sensitivity Training: What is it and Why is it Important?
• 3: How to Create an Inclusive Hiring Policy
• 4: The Importance of Inclusion in the Workplace

 People First Language is a way of communicating respectfully and appropriately with and about people with disabilities. It puts the person before the diagnosis, describing what condition a person “has” rather than asserting what a person “is”. It avoids using labels or adjectives that define or dehumanize someone based on their disability. Forexample, instead of saying “a diabetic”, we can say “a person with diabetes”. This way, we emphasize the person’s individuality, personhood, and dignity, not their disability.

In the given options, only D. He is a person with autism follows the People First Language. It refers to the person first, and then to the condition that he has. The other options use offensive, insensitive, or outdated terms that imply negative stereotypes or limitations. For example, A. He is disabled suggests that the person is defined by his disability, and does not acknowledge his abilities or potential. B. She is brain damaged is a derogatory and inaccurate term that does not respect the person’s cognitive or intellectual abilities. C. She is confined to a wheelchair implies that the person is trapped or restricted by their mobility device, rather than empowered or assisted by it. References: 

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/materials/factsheets/fs-communicating-with-people.html

https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/science-health-public-trust/perspectives/writing-respectfully-person-first-identity-first-language

Customized employment is a process that involves individualizing the relationship between the employee and the employer to meet the needs and preferences of both1. One of the core valuesof customized employment is that the individual has the right to choose the type, amount, and frequency of employment support services they receive1. Another core value is that the individual has the opportunity to earn competitive wages and benefits that are commensurate with their skills and abilities1. Therefore, the statement that the individual can earn sub-minimum wages if this is part of the negotiated job description process is not consistent with the core values of customized employment, as it violates the individual’s right to fair compensation and economic self-sufficiency1. The other statements are consistent with the core values of customized employment, as they reflect the individual’s autonomy, self-determination, and inclusion in the workforce1. References: 1: Customized Employment | U.S. Department of Labor

According to the CESP Candidate Handbook1, Domain 2 of the CESP certification covers Individualized Employment and Career Planning, which includes the following tasks:

• 2.1 Conduct person-centered career planning and discovery activities to identify the job seeker’s skills, interests, preferences, and support needs.
• 2.2 Assist the job seeker to develop an individualized employment plan that reflects his or her employment goals and support strategies.
• 2.3 Assist the job seeker to explore and access education and training opportunities related to his or her employment goals.

The best initial step for an employment support professional to help a job seeker who is interested in doing auto body work, but does not know much about it, is to help him visit with the auto body garage to better understand the work. This would be an example of a person-centered career planning and discovery activity, which would help the job seeker to identify his or her skills, interests, preferences, and support needs related to auto body work. It would also provide the job seeker with an opportunity to learn more about the work environment, the tasks and responsibilities, the qualifications and requirements, and the potential earnings and benefits of auto body work. This information would help the job seeker to decide if auto body work is a suitable and realistic employment goal, and to develop an individualized employment plan accordingly.

The other options are not the best initial steps, because they either assume that the job seeker has already decided on auto body work as an employment goal, or they do not provide enough information or exploration for the job seeker to make an informed decision. Helping the job seeker research the career’s potential earnings (option A) is important, but it is not enough to determine if the job seeker is interested in andcapable of doing auto body work. Helping the job seeker fill out an application at a local auto body garage (option B) is premature, because the job seeker may not meet the qualifications or requirements, or may not enjoy the work once hired. Helping the job seeker enroll in the auto body course at the local community college (option C) is also premature, because the job seeker may not have the necessary prerequisites, or may not find the course relevant or useful for his or her employment goals.

References: 1: CESP Candidate Handbook, page 10.