Analysis of data from more than 1,600 residential facilities serving individuals with developmental disabilities revealed that real wages of direct care staff have declined significantly during the last decade, and the wage differential between public and private facilities (in favor of public facilities) has doubled during the past 10 years.…

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.)…

Sheltered workshops are asserted to be failing to provide mentally retarded clients with appropriate work experiences because of low wage rates, unavailability of work, changing industrial forecasts for blue collar employment, financial dependence, tax returns, segregation, and normalization issues. (Author/DB)

This study examined existing data on 561 individuals with disabilities receiving supported employment services to evaluate questions about gender equity. It found that, although women were perceived as being generally more socially appropriate, they usually worked in jobs traditionally stereotyped by gender. Women also worked fewer hours than did…

A national survey of a sample of 1,600 residential facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities indicated that direct care staff turnover was significantly higher in privately operated community facilities than in public institutions. The most consistent correlate of turnover was wages. Intraorganizational and extraorganizational…

A survey of 13 vocational programs that used natural supports as one of their strategies for securing and supporting people with disabilities in community jobs found that people with more severe disabilities had fewer wage- and integration-outcomes and fewer typical features of employment compared to those with less severe disabilities. (CR)

Visual feedback and ratio scheduling of pay were utilized to train the relationship between work and piece rate for five severely mentally retarded workers. Results show a statistically significant gain in production during training, and a larger gain during the second baseline period when the visual feedback was removed and clients were paid on…

This study of employment outcomes of 869 Illinois supported employees, primarily with mental retardation or mental illness, found that minority-status employees were younger, had higher intelligence quotients, and earned more wages per month than did nonminority supported employees. Few differences among minority subgroups (African American,…

A survey of 49 Maryland service providers offering vocational services found the weekly earnings of persons placed in supported employment were 3.5 times the earning of persons employed on the premises of the service provider. Nevertheless, there was strong evidence that substantial improvements are needed, and possible, in supported employment.…