Background: Paid employment represents a challenge for people with an intellectual disability and/or autism. This paper analyses the quality of jobs offered by the Engage to Change project and their relationship to the 'typicalness' of the employment offered. Method: Data on the quality of 384 paid jobs were collected, including hours worked and…

Background: Obtaining employment for young people with learning disabilities remains challenging, and people may not be able to experience work that offers them the opportunity for broader and deeper social inclusion. Supported internships (SIs) offer a possible solution to this problem, providing a bespoke, structured study programme designed for…

Individuals living with anxiety disorders often face significant obstacles in their day to day lives. While trying to manage the physical and emotional symptoms associated with these disorders can be a challenge, sufferers also encounter barriers by way of social exclusion from key life domains: family life, relationships, education, employment…

Background: Supported employment is intended to facilitate and promote participation and integration of intellectually disabled citizens in society. This study investigated their view of the programme. Methods: Q-methodology was used. Eighteen respondents with a mild intellectual disability rank-ordered 22 statements representing five main aspects…

This study examines the roles of co-workers and job coaches in providing natural supports to a worker with a disability. Review of research related to co-worker involvement in work settings is followed by a proposed framework for a continuum of support strategies for co-workers and job coaches and suggestions for selecting appropriate support…

An intervention had three phases: (1) a worker who was taught instructional skills then taught a disabled worker a new task; (2) the nondisabled workers encouraged others to interact with the disabled worker; and (3) the disabled worker was taught appropriate conversational exchanges. Coworker instruction alone did not increase the disabled…

This study investigated the possibility that high levels of direct support in supported employment programs are associated with less typicalness, integration, and wages. The study found that wage and integration outcomes can be increased, even if there is a high level of direct support, if there is coworker training. (Contains references.)…

A telephone survey was conducted of eight rehabilitation organizations pursuing changeover from facility-based to community-integrated services (i.e., supported employment). This paper provides information on the experience of these organizations related to their reinvestment and agency changeover to supported employment and offers…

This topical newsletter focuses on ways to convert segregated day programs for people with disabilities into community integrated employment programs. Individual sections cover: common "conversion" myths and appropriate responses; a national status report on conversion; Florida's innovative use of the Medicaid waiver to fund conversion;…

A study examined the effectiveness of coworker instruction, a natural support strategy, in improving the integration of four adolescents with disabilities transitioning into a competitive-employment setting. Results indicated the intervention strategy increased the social integration of the students with disabilities. (Author/CR)

Background: "Supported" employment stipulates that disabled people should have real jobs for real pay. This paper models kinds of supported employment, assesses how the support and placement features affect its outcomes and its quality from the perspective of the employees, and provides a dynamic model to help explore what types of interventions…

A study of co-worker involvement among 264 supported employees found that, of 7 types of involvement, "associating" occurred most often, followed by "evaluating" and "training." Employees in mobile work crews experienced less co-worker involvement than those employed in clustered or individual placements, and more…

Challenges to supported employment programs for people with disabilities include conversion of day programs to integrated work options, expansion of program capacity, the need to ensure consumer choice and self-determination, and the achievement of meaningful employment outcomes. Specific recommendations are offered for each challenge. (Author/DB)

The study reported in this paper investigated the type and level of co-worker involvement reported by employment specialists who placed 264 Illinois supported employees individually, in groups, or in mobile work crews, and also investigated the relation of level of disability to type of placement. The study found that co-workers associate with…

This article presents case examples that illustrate strategies for promoting natural job supports for employees with disabilities. Strategies include, among others, collaborating with work-site personnel to develop modifications and providing general consultation on person-environment factors that promote the success of the supported employee and…