Background: Paid employment represents a challenge for people with an intellectual disability and/or autism. This paper analyses the quality of jobs offered by the Engage to Change project and their relationship to the 'typicalness' of the employment offered. Method: Data on the quality of 384 paid jobs were collected, including hours worked and…

Background: Supported employment is intended to facilitate and promote participation and integration of intellectually disabled citizens in society. This study investigated their view of the programme. Methods: Q-methodology was used. Eighteen respondents with a mild intellectual disability rank-ordered 22 statements representing five main aspects…

This study investigated the possibility that high levels of direct support in supported employment programs are associated with less typicalness, integration, and wages. The study found that wage and integration outcomes can be increased, even if there is a high level of direct support, if there is coworker training. (Contains references.)…

This paper reports results of a qualitative study of the workplace experiences of eight young adults with developmental disabilities. Four characteristics of supportive workplaces were identified: (1) multiple context relationships; (2) specific social opportunities; (3) a personal and team-building management style; and (4) interdependent job…

This study examined the social interactions and activities of 15 workers with mental retardation employed in supported competitive employment positions and 15 co-workers. Although the supported employees and co-workers did not differ in the total number of interactions, co-workers interacted more frequently during breaktime whereas supported…

A survey of 53 employers found they were quite capable of providing workplace accommodations for workers with significant disabilities, drawing on existing employer resources. Employers are going beyond compliance with federal law and responding to needs in areas such as career advancement, changing something about a job, and social integration.…

This monograph discusses findings from a 3-year project that investigated strategies that could be used to promote the social integration and relationships between young adults with and without disabilities in supported employment settings. Four studies were conducted. The first study was a descriptive study that described the nature, development,…

This paper defines natural workplace supports for individuals with severe disabilities and proposes a working model for future research and practice. Emphasis is placed on natural supports as an outcome of successful employment rather than a distinct model for support and as a contributing factor to the quality of life. (Author/CR)

A study involving an adult with severe mental retardation and other disabilities found that the addition of a communication device, job coach social facilitation training, and eliciting co-worker support for social integration increased the social interactions of the employee in a supported employment setting. (Contains references.) (CR)

The Pioneer-Syracuse University Project was designed to help people with severe disabilities find community jobs and become integral participants in their work places, using on-site and off-site resources and supports from job personnel and other community members. Specifically, project staff who had directly trained and supported people with…

This study, involving 85 workers with and without disabilities, found few differences in coworker relations and interactions. Of nine interaction categories, coworkers without disabilities interacted more among themselves in only one--befriending off the job. Individual workers with disabilities in light industry occupations experienced less…

This final report briefly describes activities of a project which developed and evaluated specific natural support intervention procedures to increase the social integration of employees with severe disabilities using single-subject, clique analysis, and social validation methodologies. The project resulted in the publication of 6 journal articles…