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…

The paper describes the efforts of Stepping Stones Growth Center, a vocational training organization which places persons with developmental disabilities into competitive employment. Two programs within Stepping Stones feature training for boat maintenance and janitorial and grounds maintenance. Placement preparation is described in terms of its…

The monograph describes "Boatworks," a subsidiary of Stepping Stones Growth Center in Oakland, California, which trains developmentally disabled adults to clean and maintain pleasure boats, and "Cleansweep," a janitorial and grounds maintenance training program for the same population. A brief history of the programs is followed by client profiles…

An increase in the number of adult women in the paid work force, many of whom are returning to work after a period as homemaker and parent, appears to be one of the major social changes of the past decade. As part of the Project HAVE Skills program, which was designed to develop career counseling materials for reentry women, questionnaires…

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…

The paper describes a demonstrative project designed to help 52 mentally retarded or otherwise developmentally disabled adults obtain and maintain competitive employment. The trainees were first evaluated in a situational assessment covering seven areas: (1) attendance and stamina, (2) independence, (3) productivity, (4) learning style, (5) work…

Intended for teachers, counselors, job placement specialists, employers, and disabled persons, this publication provides information about jobs performed in business and industry by persons with disabilities. Each of the 71 job descriptions presented specifies the type of job, disability of the person performing the job, company information, job…

The Skills Map, a comprehensive classification of occupations based on their competency requirements, was developed to assess the employability of individuals and of various groups of individuals in different types of occupations. The data on which it was based were the ratings of required worker traits as given by the Dictionary of Occupational…

Designed for professionals in the field of mental illness and staff involved in providing on-the-job support for persons with mental illness, this book provides an overview of employment issues relevant to such workers. The 23 chapters of the book are organized in 5 sections. The first two sections provide background information about the clients…

A research project addressed the high unemployment rate of Workers' Compensation claimants by the formation of a job-seeking club. Unemployment statistics for this population were compiled. Five percent of the workers were skilled, 14 percent semiskilled, and 60 percent unskilled; 84 percent were male, 91 percent were white, and almost half lacked…

Presented are results from a survey of 2,530 sheltered workshop programs serving handicapped persons. Initial sections review the historical development of workshops, federal regulations affecting workshops, and previous related studies. Data are provided on the following topics: characteristics of workshops and clients (including a table on…

Evaluations of programs effective in improving ex-offenders' educational scores, helping them find permanent jobs, and reducing recidivism are reviewed. There is evidence that full-time, relatively well-paid employment can help reduce recidivism, thereby reducing costs of incarceration. Assessments are limited but promising; replicating selected…

The purpose of this guide is to provide procedures, ideas, and examples that will insure the successful use of job sites to the evaluator who chooses to use job site evaluation to assess client potential outside of the rehabilitation facility. The first part gives some very precise reasons for and examples of the different uses of job site…

Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs impart job-related skills to economically disadvantaged individuals to improve both their immediate post-program employment and their long-term employment potential. To assess the quality of the training currently provided under JTPA, a study looked at program designs and service delivery practices in…

This report explores how private sector employers are reacting to, responding to, and participating in welfare-to-work (WTW) efforts. Chapter 1 explains the study background and approach. Chapter 2 examines the environment, perspectives, experiences, and role of business in the WTW process and presents findings about employment patterns of welfare…