This brief is based on the 2014-2015 National Survey of Community Rehabilitation Providers (CRPs) funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. This brief presents findings on people with all disabilities and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who receive employment and non-work services…

This study investigated whether sheltered workshops help prepare individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for competitive employment within the community. Two groups of individuals were compared: (a) 215 supported employees who were in sheltered workshops prior to entering supported employment and (b) 215 supported employees who were not in…

Western governments have emphasized paid work as a key route to social inclusion for disabled people. Although the proportion of disabled people in "mainstream" employment has increased in recent decades, rates remain significantly below those for non-disabled people. Moreover, disabled workers continue to face discrimination and a lack of…

This report describes the post-high school educational and occupational activities for 66 young adults with autism spectrum disorders who had recently exited the secondary school system. Analyses indicated low rates of employment in the community, with the majority of young adults (56%) spending time in sheltered workshops or day activity centers.…

This study explored the effect of utilizing natural supports strategies on the cost of supported employment in the state of Wisconsin. Data presented here suggest that the use of natural supports reduced annual per capita costs by 57.6%. Further, supported employees trained via natural supports generated cumulative costs of $5,063 over 6.04 fiscal…

Evaluation of pricing practices of sheltered workshops in Australia indicated that most workshops undercharge for their services with the consequence that they are unable to pay realistic wages to disabled employees. (Author/DB)

Evaluation of the effect of three conditions (reinforcement, self-monitoring, and self-monitoring plus reinforcement) on the productivity rates of three mentally retarded adults employed in a sheltered workshop indicated that reinforcement was most effective when combined with self-monitoring. (Author/DB)

The project addressed the discrepancy between research (documenting the vocational potential of severely handicapped adults) and current services (which include an expanding national program of nonvocational day activity centers) with five coordinated components designed to improve, implement, and evaluate vocational services. The first component,…

Benefits and costs of supported and transitional employment services are compared with those of adult day care and traditional sheltered workshops (including work activity centers) for the severely disabled. Evidence indicates that all forms of employment (supported, transitional, and sheltered) are more productive and less costly than adult day…

Case study data are presented from two programs designed to teach mentally retarded adults to answer the telephone, transfer calls, and relay telephone messages in a workshop setting. (DB)

The report evaluates the functions and effectiveness of sheltered workshops for handicapped students in Minnesota. The initial chapter reviews the history of the workshops, discusses participation in state workshops, describes programs and services of vocational rehabilitation, and summarizes funding of rehabilitation facilities. A chapter on…

Data from surveys of 2,071 facilities providing vocational services to adults with developmental disabilities were used to analyze: employment placement patterns in sheltered, supported, competitive, or transitional settings; employment retention rates; occupational categories; rehabilitation costs; integration with nondisabled coworkers; effects…

A social skills training program using self-instruction to facilitate the acquisition and generalization of two social behaviors in the work setting effectively increased the percentages of occurrence of target behaviors for five mentally retarded employees working in a sheltered workshop. The training generalized across work settings. (Author/CB)

This program at New York School for the Deaf serves students of average intelligence and slow reading ability between ages 15 and 21. The program gives students both the expertise available in a school for the handicapped and a practical education combined with a mainstreamed vocational setting and appropriate career guidance. (PB)

This project attempted to develop competitive employment opportunities for people with mental retardation with Greater Cincinnati (Ohio) businesses and industries. The Employment Initiatives Project was designed for persons with mental retardation, functioning in the moderate to severe range, who are located in either an adult work activity or…