Sixty-four moderately and severely retarded individuals enrolled in four sheltered workshops learned to assemble a 15 piece and a 24 piece bicycle brake. Training procedures utilized information obtained from the basic psychological research on discrimination learning. One-half of the subjects worked with the parts of the training task brake as…

The Pacific State Hospital conducted a demonstration experiment with 12 severely and profoundly mentally retarded male adolescents, which concentrated on modifying disruptive, bothersome behaviors while developing basic work skills required for daily activity in sheltered workshops. The experiment provided an integrated program for an entire day,…

There is an increasing body of literature on the education of retarded adults; yet it appears to lack visibility because of recent origin, limitation mostly to journals and specialized publications, and general content with sparse references to adults. Three broad interest areas appear in the literature -- the rationale for such education,…

Sheltered workshops for severely disabled persons should be reformed to emphasize job placement, transition to more independent work environments, and retraining and replacement of workshop staff. A national policy on the employment of disabled persons focusing on supported employment, least restrictive work environments, and career development is…

This final report presents conclusions of a study of culturally appropriate employment goals in individual written rehabilitation plans (IWRPs) for American Indians with disabilities. It focuses on goals other than competitive employment and reviews national statistics on work status at closure from all state agencies and 18 tribal VR (vocational…

This report details the findings of a national follow-up survey that investigated day and employment services provided by the mental retardation/developmental disabilities (MR/DD) state agencies for FY 1990 and makes comparisons with services provided during FY 1988. Key findings from the survey include: (1) a substantial increase in the…

Qualitative research was used to examine transition experiences of 9 young adults with severe disabilities during their last year of high school along with their parents and professionals. Students were remarkably articulate about plans following graduation but had few opportunities to fulfill them meaningfully. Differing perspectives of parents…

Data were gathered from 1,119 facilities providing vocational services to 112,996 adults with developmental disabilities, to analyze employment outcomes for persons in transitional training or sheltered, supported, or competitive employment; placements by occupational categories; movement patterns within employment statuses; employment retention;…

The relationship between cost-efficiency and personal characteristics of 111 supported employees were examined. When sheltered workshops were used as alternative placements, supported employees with high IQS benefited more from employment within the community than did supported employees with lower IQS. From society's perspective, African-American…

A national conference on autism, attended by agency staff, organization staff, advocates, and parents of children and adults with autism, consisted of paper presentations, site visits, and small group reports and recommendations. This volume of proceedings includes papers with the following authors and titles: (1) "An Overview of the…

The Community-Based Services Work Adjustment Program provides vocational assessment, work adjustment training, social adjustment training, extended sheltered employment, transitional/supported employment, and competitive job training and placement through on-the-job training at natural community work sites. The program serves mentally retarded,…

The special employment program in Yooralla Society of Victoria (Australia) began operation two decades ago with establishment of sheltered workshops. As part of an overall review of Yooralla's programs, a survey was conducted as a first stage in evaluation of the workshops--Ability Industries and Ability Press. The aim of the research project was…

The document contains 10 papers from a conference designed to establish the relationship between individual creativity and personal development by demonstrating methods for stimulating creativity and the arts among people with disabilities. Entries include the following titles and authors: "The Sheltered Workshop as a Creative Enterprise" (L.…

This report has presented information regarding the average level of wages paid in a sample of 123 workshops. Many complex influences affect a workshop's wage practice. This was illustrated in the brief analysis of association between a workshop's wage level and disability, business characteristics, job structure, and client characteristics. It is…

The book contains the proceedings of the Second International Seminar on Vocational Rehabilitation for Mentally Retarded Persons, held in 1976. The latest advances in the field are discussed by representatives from 25 foreign countries who are actively involved in rehabilitation research or who work in areas closely related as investigators,…