title: "They want to come to school": Work-based education programs to prevent the social exclusion of vulnerable youth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes and compares exemplary work-based education (WBE) programs in Ontario Canada designed to meet the needs of two groups of vulnerable youth - at-risk youth and youth with severe disabilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two focus group interviews were held, one with professionals from exemplary programs designed to meet the needs of at-risk youth and one with professionals from exemplary programs for youth with severe disabilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standard qualitative analyses were conducted on each focus group transcript to generate themes which were subsequently grouped into larger patterns. Then cross-case analyses identified consistencies and unique features within the two types of WBE programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two major patterns that characterize the WBE programs emerged from the analyses: the first pattern described the programmatic approaches to WBE appropriate for each type of type of student (which included themes such as the need for an alternative learning environment for at-risk youth), and the second pattern highlighted the rationale for each kind of program (which included themes like ensuring equity for youth with severe disabilities).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that schools should continue to provide distinct WBE programs for each of these groups of vulnerable youth - at-risk youth and youth with severe disabilities.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont, Canada. nancy.hutchinson@queensu.ca
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Versnel
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Poth
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Jenn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: deLugt
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Dalton
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Hugh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Munby
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000193:education*; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D009864:Ontario; D012929:Psychological Distance; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D017132:Workplace