Supported internships are a structured, work-based study programme for 16 to 24-year-olds with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The Department for Education (DfE) aims to strengthen the supported internship programme, by making an £18m investment in activity to allow the supported…

This research identifies the soft (employability) skills that key stakeholders view as essential for young people with intellectual disability (ID) to gain and maintain open employment. The study subsequently examined the work experience opportunities for young people with ID to develop these soft skills during their school years. Qualitative data…

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience difficulty with transitioning to competitive integrated employment following high school. Addressing this disparity in transitioning to competitive integrated employment can be supported through a high school transition program with community-based work experiences for…

Students with significant disabilities typically experience poor postschool employment outcomes. However, when provided opportunities to work and engage within their communities, they can gain necessary work-specific and workplace social skills to improve outcomes. This article outlines a six-step model for community-based employment programs…

Background/Purpose: Autism spectrum disorders encompass a group of neurodevelopmental disorders whose defining features include deficits in social communication across multiple contexts (American Psychological Association, 2011). The prevalence of autism has been increasing at an alarming rate stemming from changes in diagnostic criteria, genetic…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of supported employment in securing and maintaining competitive employment for people with autism spectrum disorder, a group that has typically been found to be underemployed or unemployed. This prospective study followed and collected data on 33 individuals with autism spectrum disorder as they…

One of the major goals in the education and training of individuals with special needs is to prepare them for independence. However, in the Malaysian context, parents who have special adolescents are in doubt as to what would be the future of their children soon after they have finished the vocational training. This case study explores the…

The importance of employment in society is unmistakable, but for many people sustained employment remains elusive. The unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities is staggering, and the consequences of being unemployed affects those individuals, their families, and society. The effects of performance feedback delivered via covert audio…

The aim was to identify factors associated with physical activity participation among active (i.e. more than or equal to 10 000 steps per day) individuals with intellectual disability. Staff at day program and supported employment organizations were asked to identify individuals they believed were physically active. To verify participants were…

The "Making it Work" book is for practitioners and managers working with people with learning difficulties in FE colleges, adult and community learning services, work-based learning and voluntary sector organisations. This book was produced as a result of a two-year project funded by the Department of Health. It provides information…

Interview questions most frequently used and corresponding beneficial responses were derived from an empirical analysis of the "hiring community" and were used in developing a job interview skills training package for adults with developmental disabilities. Training resulted in improved responding by all subjects. Improved quality in responding to…

Recent legislation, especially the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, generated the closure of institutions for people with disabilities and inclusion into community residences and employment. It has been well documented that individuals with developmental disabilities often experience difficulties with employment including both obtaining…

This paper proposes a definition of social skills in order to operationalize the components that need to be considered when teaching social skills to individuals with mental retardation in employment settings. It also presents current approaches to teaching social skills in employment settings. Social skills are defined as goal-oriented,…

Traditional employment often excludes those individuals with severe and moderate mental retardation. This paper describes three strategies that can be used by employment specialists and one strategy that can be used by job coaches in obtaining and maintaining employment for mentally retarded adults, using the supported competitive employment…

Compared supported employment services in two programs: (1) Group Skills Training, a professional rehabilitation agency outside of the mental health center providing pre-employment skills training and support in obtaining and maintaining jobs; and (2) the Individual Placement and Support model, integrating clinical and vocational services within…