Background: This study investigated perceived quality of life (QoL) of community-dwelling middle-aged adults (30-50 years) with an intellectual disability and/or developmental disability living in rural or urban areas in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. The specific aim of the current paper was to provide a descriptive evidence base of…

Policymakers, researchers, and state vocational rehabilitation administrators share an interest in the long-term outcomes of individuals participating in the public state vocational rehabilitation program. Yet, there is limited research in the area of job retention or the service delivery practices used to support individuals with disabilities to…

Project SEARCH is a unique program for young adults with intellectual disabilities to transition from high school to work. This program teaches individuals with intellectual disabilities (interns) job skills in an inclusive work environment, such as a hospital. The purpose of the study is to understand the involvement and perceptions of supported…

To explore strategies to build employer capacity to support people with DD in meaningful employment from perspective of employment support workers. A grounded theory study was conducted with 34 employment support individuals. A theoretical sampling approach was used to identify and recruit participants from multiple sites in Ontario and Alberta.…

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognises the right to independent living. Given the lack of studies carried out in Spain, the aim of this research is to explore the barriers and supports that people with intellectual disability (ID) themselves believe affect their exercising of this right. To this end, an in-depth…

This study examined the percentage of 21,257 supported employees served by 74 state-federal vocational rehabilitation agencies in 2013 who would have earned more wages in sheltered workshops than in the community. It found that the overwhelming majority of supported employees earned more in their communities at all wage comparison points; however,…

This study examined the vocational outcomes achieved by 9,432 transition-age (17-26 years old) supported employees with intellectual disability served by state-federal vocational rehabilitation programs throughout the United States in 2015. It found that individuals who had completed at least some postsecondary education were more likely to be…

According to the British Association for Supported Employment (BASE), employing people with disabilities can enhance a company's reputation, lead to innovation in products and services and can be a great way to demonstrate corporate social responsibility in employment. This growing body of evidence showing that there is a strong business case for…

At the national level, integrated employment has become an important policy priority. Greater expectations are being placed on those charged with delivering employment supports, and disability systems are responding. However, the promise of integrated employment has yet to be realized for individuals with intellectual and developmental…

Progress toward competitive integrated employment (CIE) for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) over the last 40 years has been mixed. Despite evidence showing that supported employment interventions can enable adults with IDD to effectively get and keep jobs, national rates of integrated employment remain below a third…

The employment rate among persons with autism spectrum disorder has been noted as unacceptably low. Employment-support services are increasingly linked to the potential for favorable job outcomes, yet little is known about employment-support practices and the outcome of these interventions. This mixed-methods study examined employment-support…

This paper utilises the national "Survey of Disability Ageing and Carers" to summarise the educational disadvantages and vocational inequalities for those with disabilities in Australia. Amongst persons with a disability, there is a decidedly lower rate of school completion. Distinctly fewer persons with a disability obtain degrees.…

Students with significant disabilities typically experience poor postschool employment outcomes. However, when provided opportunities to work and engage within their communities, they can gain necessary work-specific and workplace social skills to improve outcomes. This article outlines a six-step model for community-based employment programs…

Background: The study reports the findings of an evaluation of Project SEARCH UK. The programme develops internships for young people with intellectual disabilities who are about to leave school or college. The aim of the evaluation was to investigate at what rate Project SEARCH provided employment opportunities to participants. Methods: The…

Background: After 21 years of age, adults with a profound intellectual disability (PID) have limited access to specialised services. An important concern that emerges is the potential decrease in their social participation. Knowing the benefits of social participation for adults with PID, it is relevant to address this issue. Method: This scoping…