This newsletter issue provides rehabilitation professionals with various information pieces concerning consumer leadership in supported employment of people with disabilities. First, a chart lists five questions concerning self advocacy and supported employment, and provides consumer responses to the questions. A second item describes…

This study investigated potential differences between nonminority and minority groups of individuals with disabilities, in terms of employment placement approach utilized and employment outcomes achieved. The 173 minority status individuals represented four subgroups: Black, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian. Dependent variables analyzed…

This document describes the 1988 Search for Excellence in Vocational Programs, which identifies excellence in vocational service programs for persons with disabilities. The three steps of a management strategy to help administrators make changes in programs to achieve excellence are explained: (1) develop an "Excellence Plan": (2) develop a system…

This paper reports on Minnesota's efforts to implement supported employment projects, and reports on community-based vocational activities provided by day training and habilitation centers in 1986. A survey was conducted of 96 providers of adult services throughout the state of Minnesota. Seventy-eight returned completed surveys with information…

This study examined the relationships between Vocational Adjustment Counselors (VACs) and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) in Missouri and identified factors that are related to cooperative programming between special education and vocational rehabilitation. The population for the study consisted of all VACs (n=147), all state-federal…

A database was assembled from data collected on all people served by the Developmental Disabilities divisions of Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming, including state institutions and state-funded programs (n=5,928). Information included provider expenditures associated with each individual, allocations made by individual reimbursement rates,…

This report discusses the findings of a survey of 45 supported employment providers that sought to identify potential barriers to supported employment services for persons with severe physical disabilities. Results are compared with survey results from 50 state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies. Key findings from the survey include: (1) the…

This guide is intended to encourage employers to hire people with disabilities. It notes the value of internship and other work-based learning programs that allow the employer and student to "try each other out." The paper points out that under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are required to make reasonable accommodations for…

This report discusses the outcomes of a South Dakota project designed to develop and validate a natural support system involving typical co-workers providing on the job training and support to individuals with disabilities. The Co-Worker Mentoring in Supported Employment (CMSE) project had the following outcomes: (1) job development activities…

The annual report of the National Council on Disability (NCD) describes major activities of 1998 to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. NCD's major activities for 1998 are grouped into four areas: (1)…

This monograph summarizes national and state level changes in employment patterns for individuals with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. It presents longitudinal data from state mental retardation/developmental disability (MR/DD) agencies covering 8 years between FY88 and FY96, and for federal/state vocational rehabilitation…

This article describes the activities of two consortia that consist of individuals who assist people who are blind and visually impaired to secure employment. Consortia members are direct service employment specialists who focus on five critical activities: preparing consumers for job seeking, job development, placement, follow-up, and job…

This article presents the role of the Job Observation and Behavior Scale (JOBS) in promoting objective employee performance evaluations and summarizes the technical properties of the instrument. JOBS is designed to be sensitive to both the work performance and support needs of people who participate in supported employment. (Contains references.)…

In response to Horner and others (EC 232 976), this paper contrasts the constricted life of their adult son (who has mental retardation, autism, and emotional problems) when he lived in a group home and worked at a sheltered workshop where aversive techniques were used, with his present life with nondisabled housemates and competitive employment.…

The Work Experience Program at the American School for the Deaf (Connecticut) involves students with multiple handicaps spending half of their school week in the classroom focusing on language, practical math, social studies, and science, and half their week at jobs, with the teacher serving as job coach and supervisor. (JDD)