This proceedings contains presentations, workshop summaries, program profiles, and other highlights of a conference on rural disability issues. The major conference theme was the normalcy of having a disability. A plenary discussion developed a list of 17 rural community disability priorities. Keynote speeches were: (1) "Rural Economies and…

This manual presents six papers on the design of community-based employment programs for students with severe disabilities. The first paper is "Community-Based Vocational Preparation for Students with Severe Disabilities: Designing the Process" by Katherine J. Inge et al. This paper details a five-step process for designing such a…

This annual report describes activities under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended) from October 1, 1989, through September 30, 1990. The report presents activities by each section under General Provisions and by each of seven Titles. An executive summary highlights specific activities. These include; continuation of Rehabilitation Services…

Intended for use with personnel in business, industry, and human service agencies, the training module is part of a kit designed to demonstrate how individuals with disabilities and older persons can be assimilated successfully into the labor force. This module explains partnerships between businesses and human service agencies. It emphasizes the…

This manual is written for trainers working in the RehabMark system of employer development in vocational rehabilitation services. Videotapes are available to accompany lectures and other training activities, and materials for transparencies are provided in an appendix. After an introductory chapter, the first half of the manual contains training…

This report on Community Vision, Inc. is part of a series documenting innovative supports for community living for adults with severe disabilities. Community Vision was created as an alternative to facility-based services in Oregon that would intentionally focus on providing inclusive community living for those with the most severe disabilities…

This report discusses the findings of a survey that explored integrated employment services of 643 day and employment service providers for individuals with disabilities. Specifically, the survey investigated: (1) services provided; (2) the prevalence of other nonwork services; (3) funding practices related to group and individual supported…

Designed for individuals with disabilities and their families, this handbook (in both English and Spanish versions) provides information about vocational opportunities in Idaho and how they may be accessed by young adults with disabilities. Topics addressed include: (1) work related and individual and family supports; (2) types of adult service…

This report describes Neighbours, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Franklin Park, New Jersey, that offers individualized supports for people with disabilities. In addition to the CEO and the director, the agency employs five advisors. These advisors each work to coordinate support for between five and seven people. Advisors, who typically…

This guide is designed to provide teachers in King County, Washington, with a single resource for much of the information needed to help students with disabilities transition from school to adult life and to make informed employment decisions. It begins by providing an overview of federal and state regulations that affect students with…

If the lives of adults with disabilities are any measure of the impact of decades of special education, there are serious problems that must addressed. The employment rate among adults with disabilities, for instance, remains low. If a group of students choose paid employment as a goal for adult life, would not those same students want their…

A survey of vocational rehabilitation agencies in 49 states and the District of Columbia identified 74,657 supported employment participants and 2,647 provider agencies. The survey analyzed disability classifications and severity levels of participants, employment model used, availability of extended services funding, and wages and work hours of…

This study evaluated the use of communication books (containing pictures to help a nonverbal individual initiate conversation or respond to questions) by two minimally verbal employees with severe disabilities in a supported employment setting. Results indicated that training in use of the books increased the social interactions of the workers.…

This curriculum on supported employment for individuals with disabilities is intended for case managers in Montana and focuses on programs and processes relevant to the case manager's typical roles of long-range planning, coordination, and facilitation. Part 1 discusses the move toward inclusion, including its value, the concept of normalization,…

This report details the findings of a survey of supported employment directors in the 50 state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies, that sought to identify potential barriers to a variety of supported employment services for persons with severe physical disabilities. Key findings include: (1) 84 percent of the agencies provided services to…