Background: We evaluated a transition to retirement intervention that adapted strategies used to support employment of people with intellectual disability in mainstream workplaces. The intervention facilitated their independent participation in mainstream community groups and volunteering. Methods: We randomised 29 older Australians who…

The aim of the present study was to contribute knowledge about how adult L2 learners perceived their possibilities to use and develop the target language (Swedish) when formal language teaching was combined with placements. Situated in the context of Swedish for Immigrants (SFI), the study drew inspiration from action research and ethnographic…

Adults with Down syndrome (DS) experience high risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but there is variability in the timing of transition from a cognitively stable state to prodromal AD and dementia. The present study examined the association between a modifiable lifestyle factor, employment complexity, and cognitive decline across two time points in…

Background: Speech-language pathology students gain experience and clinical competency through clinical education placements. However, currently little empirical information exists regarding how competency develops. Existing research about the effectiveness of placement types and models in developing competency is generally descriptive and based…

Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are versatile task organizers that hold promise as assistive technologies for people with cognitive-behavioral challenges. This delayed randomized controlled trial compared two groups of adult workers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to determine whether the use of an Apple iPod Touch PDA as a vocational…

This report explores mentoring as a tool for supporting the successful reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals within the context of a larger reentry strategy--in this case, the "Ready4Work" model. "Ready4Work" was a three-year national demonstration designed to address the needs of the growing ex-prisoner population and to test the…

Using data from the 1984 Displaced Worker Survey, the authors model determinants of time without work for a sample of workers laid off because of plant shutdowns. They focus on the role of advance notification. Advance notification significantly reduced duration of unemployment of workers who did not draw unemployment benefits. (Author/CH)

As hypothesized, placement of mentally retarded adult workers into competitive employment was predicted by participant's work behavior and job skills, ability to meet job requirements, and the presence of reinforcements within the employment setting. (CL)

Biographic and program information were related to placement outcomes for 75 mentally retarded adults who had completed a three-year training program and up to three years of subsequent community vocational placement. Results suggested an important role for cognitive variables (symbol management and basic concepts) in the overall structure of…

Personal interviews and agency records were used to examine month-by-month vocational histories of 53 sheltered workshop employees placed in competitive jobs. Most participants who were still employed after four to five years had parental support, while those who returned to the workshop or were unemployed did not. (Author/CL)

Explored the experiences of 30 visually impaired adults in finding employment and their explanations for successful or unsuccessful vocational outcomes. Interviews indicated that problems were related to public attitudes toward blindness, employer reluctance, and inadequate vocational training. (JAC)

Although studies of the labour market have concentrated on employment and unemployment, there have been few Australian studies of job search experiences. This study focused on the methods used by people to obtain jobs. It examined the hypothesis that informal job-seeking methods are more likely to lead to employment and that most jobs are obtained…

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…

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…

The relationship between the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Program and vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs was reviewed. Focus was on the extent to which VR services are successful in returning SSDI beneficiaries to productive employment. The review was carried out in 10 states with widely varying practices in referring SSDI…