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…

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 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…

A supported work model has helped 167 persons with mild and moderate mental retardation maintain subsidized competitive employment for a 6-year period. The model features structured placement, job-site training by staff, and ongoing follow-along support. Policy implications of such an approach question traditional placement in sheltered workshops…

This interview between Mark Laird, statewide employment specialist with Missouri Rehabilitation Services for the Blind, and Gil Johnson, director of American Foundation for the Blind West, describes an innovative rehabilitation model that forges relationships with businesses and has doubled the number of consumers with visual impairments who find…

Study of a sample of 93 individuals with disabilities participating in supported employment programs in Connecticut found that monthly wages and levels of integration increased significantly when compared to working situations prior to supported employment placement. (JDD)

This issue brief describes the outcomes of a study conducted by the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) that investigated the effectiveness of a training workshop on using a networking approach to job development for people with disabilities. The two-day workshop focused on teaching how to identify and use connections such as family members,…

This report provides guidelines and a process for people with disabilities living in Massachusetts to follow to evaluate employment service options that will allow them to receive services best meeting their individual needs. Strategies for finding out information about the different programs and a checklist are given by which to evaluate…

To evaluate the vocational rehabilitation program at the Olin E. Teague Veteran's Administration Center, Texas, in relation to client outcomes (i.e., employment status, prediction of outcomes, and services crucial to a positive outcome), 202 former clients were sent follow-up questionnaires. Measured variables included demographic information,…

The Work Incentive (WIN) program is supposed to help recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) to get jobs through a program of training, work experience, and employment while reducing the cost of the AFDC program. Because of concerns raised about the program, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) assessed the program to…

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…

A survey of 27 states receiving federal supported employment grants was conducted. Results indicated that the number of participating individuals increased 157 percent during the 3-year study period; over 1,400 programs of supported employment were authorized by state agencies during this time; and the individual placement model remained the most…

Under proposed legislation to replace the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), business can be expected to assume an even greater involvement in job training programs at the state and local levels. How the private sector is adapting to its new role, particularly through the private industry council (PIC) system, is the subject of this…

In 1996, the City of Phoenix Enterprise Community Job Linkages Initiative sought to increase employment by matching local people with local jobs. Evaluation of the second project at Friendly House found that Friendly House, during the 18 months of the grant, increased residents' employability skills and linked them with Enterprise Community…

The General Accounting Office (GAO) surveyed all Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Title III dislocated worker projects operating between October 1982 and March 1985 to obtain program information concerning (1) results achieved, such as placement rates and average wage levels; (2) assistance provided to participants, including skill training,…