The Relation between Programmed Instruction and Task Analysis in the Prevocational Training of Severely and Profoundly Handicapped Persons

Abstract

This article reviews the historical origins and influences of two major instructional approaches, task analysis and programmed instruction, in order to (a) define the essential elements of each, (b) identify important similarities and differences, and (c) specify the functional relations that make programmed instruction and task analysis complementary components of an individualized training strategy. The article discusses the implications of these considerations by indicating that task analytic strategies and programmed instruction in combination are most valuable in training the specific job-related skills necessary for an imminent placement, while programmed instruction across different tasks may be most useful in developing career education plans and curricular sequences that train the generative vocational skills and worker behavior that apply to many tasks and job situations.