The quest for ordinary lives: The integrated post-school vocational functioning of fifty workers with significant disabilities | Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center

Authors:	Browne, D. J. & Waghorn, G.
Year Published	2006
Publication	Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities
Volume	31
Number	2
Pages	93-121
Publisher	TASH Publishing
Background	More individuals with significant disabilities are entering and exiting schools and outliving their parents than ever before. As these individuals age, many are presenting more longitudinal, complicated, and expensive difficulties than their chronological age peers (Bittles and Glasson, 2004).
Purpose	The purposes of this study are to: (1) share information about the integrated vocational functioning of 50 adults with significant disabilities, (2( celebrate their vocational achievements, and (3) affirm the feasibility of integrated vocational functioning.
Setting	All participants were clients of Community Work Services, an employment services program in Madison Wisconsin.
Sample	The 50 participants were assisted into integrated jobs prior to 2005. The sample included individuals with a variety of disabilities, including autism, intellectual disabilities, and cerebral palsy. All were at least 15 years out of high school.
Data Collection	The data consisted of service records maintained by Community Work Services during the course of services. Additional information was collected from interviews with participants, family members, employers, and others.
Control	There was no comparison condition.
Findings	Job retention ranged from 2 months to 27 years and 6 months. Job changes occurred for a variety of reasons, but primarily to enhance opportunities and create better job matches. Work hours ranged from 6 to 30.5 hr/week, with an average of 20.15 hr/week. Hourly wages averaged $5.76, six cents above the prevailing minimum wage at the time of placement.
Conclusions	The study findings provide evidence for the feasibility of integrated employment for individuals with severe disabilities in need of long-term employment supports.
URL	https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3172/5be67b88b211fb2d73faa67d50824d704104.pdf
Disabilities	Autism Spectrum Disorder \| Intellectual disabilities
Populations	Male & Female \| Urban
Outcomes	Increase in tenure \| Wages
NIDILRR Funded	No
Research Design	Case reports
Peer Reviewed	Yes

Year Published

2006

Publication

Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities

Volume

31

Number

2

Pages

93-121

Publisher

TASH Publishing

Background

More individuals with significant disabilities are entering and exiting schools and outliving their parents than ever before. As these individuals age, many are presenting more longitudinal, complicated, and expensive difficulties than their chronological age peers (Bittles and Glasson, 2004).

Purpose

The purposes of this study are to: (1) share information about the integrated vocational functioning of 50 adults with significant disabilities, (2( celebrate their vocational achievements, and (3) affirm the feasibility of integrated vocational functioning.

Setting

All participants were clients of Community Work Services, an employment services program in Madison Wisconsin.

Sample

The 50 participants were assisted into integrated jobs prior to 2005. The sample included individuals with a variety of disabilities, including autism, intellectual disabilities, and cerebral palsy. All were at least 15 years out of high school.

Data Collection

The data consisted of service records maintained by Community Work Services during the course of services. Additional information was collected from interviews with participants, family members, employers, and others.

Control

There was no comparison condition.

Findings

Job retention ranged from 2 months to 27 years and 6 months. Job changes occurred for a variety of reasons, but primarily to enhance opportunities and create better job matches. Work hours ranged from 6 to 30.5 hr/week, with an average of 20.15 hr/week. Hourly wages averaged $5.76, six cents above the prevailing minimum wage at the time of placement.

Conclusions

The study findings provide evidence for the feasibility of integrated employment for individuals with severe disabilities in need of long-term employment supports.

URL

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3172/5be67b88b211fb2d73faa67d50824d704104.pdf

Disabilities

Autism Spectrum Disorder | Intellectual disabilities

Populations

Male & Female | Urban

Outcomes

Increase in tenure | Wages

NIDILRR Funded

No

Research Design

Case reports

Peer Reviewed

Yes