For most youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), employment upon graduation from high school or college is elusive. Employment rates are reported in many studies to be very low despite many years of intensive special education services. This paper presented the preliminary results of a randomized clinical trial of Project SEARCH plus ASD Supports on the employment outcomes for youth with ASD between the ages of 18-21 years of age. This model provides very promising results in that the employment outcomes for youth in the treatment group were much higher in non-traditional jobs with higher than minimum wage incomes than for youth in the control condition. Specifically, 21 out of 24 (87.5 %) treatment group participants acquired employment while 1 of 16 (6.25 %) of control group participants acquired employment.

This article describes return to work outcomes for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) through a selective review of the published literature and an examination of TBI labor force participation from the Rehabilitation Services Administration 91l and the Social Security Administration Benefits Planning, Assistance and Outreach databases. Implications and recommendations to further our understanding about the different parts of the work outcome profile of individuals with TBI are offered.

This article describes the key features of a supported work approach to providing vocational placement and support to persons with moderate and severe handicaps in competitive employment settings. This approach is based on an ongoing longitudinal study of persons with mental retardation who are competitively employed through the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. The importance of competitive employment is emphasized and the four major components of the supported work approach (job placement, job-site training, ongoing monitoring, and follow-up) are outlined in detail. Specific proposals are made for integrating a supported work approach into community-based adult services and secondary special education programs.

ABSTRACT. Wehman P, Kregel J, Keyser-Marcus L, Sherron-Targett P, Campbell L, West M, Cifu DX. Supported employment for persons with traumatic brain injury: a preliminary investigation of long-term follow-up costs and program efficiency. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2003;84:192-6. Objective: To investigate the long-term follow-up costs of supported employment as well as the wage and employment characteristics for individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) who participated in supported employment services over a 14-year time period.Design: Longitudinal design with prospectively collected data.Setting: A university-based supported employment program that uses the individual placement model of supported employment.Participants: Fifty-nine individuals with moderate to severe TBI who were consecutively referred for supported employment services. The sample was restricted to individuals who were placed into a least 1 supported employment position during the study period.Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Data were collected on clients placed into at least 1 competitive supported employment position from 1985 to 1999. Analyses were performed to examine the costs of supported employment, employment characteristics (eg, wages, length of employment), and benefit-cost ratios of supported employment for individuals with TBI.Results: The average length of employment for the current sample was 42.58 months. Average gross earnings were $26,129.74 for individuals during their entire duration of employment. Billing charges accrued for employment services averaged $10,349.37. Individuals with TBI earned an average of $17,515 more than the costs associated with their supported employment.Conclusions: Our investigation provides additional support for the conclusion that supported employment is cost effective for individuals with disabilities, including individuals with TBI, and that the costs of supported employment decrease over time.

The purpose of this paper is to present a three-stage vocational transition model for h~ndicapped youth as they move into adulthood. The model is characterized by the need for secondary programs which reflect a functional curriculum. integrated services. and community-based instruction. The transition process should be initiated weJJ before graduation, should involve parents and adult service representatives. and should be formalized. Postsecondary vocational alternatives should reflect paid employment outcomes and there should be a diversity of options available for mildly. moderately. and severely handicapped youth. FinaJJy. greater foJJow-up of handicapped students into adulthood by school systems is mandatory if we are to assess how effective our programs are in reducing the extraordinarily high unemployment rate of disabled persons in this country today .

Supported employment has grown rapidly within the past decade, fueled by the consumer empowerment and inclusion movements. The program has resulted in thousands of people with severe disabilities entering the labor force for the first time. Many consumers have expanded their vocational expectations, and employers have developed a new appreciation of the potential contribution individuals with disabilities can make to the workforce. Unfortunately, despite these dramatic gains, the supported employment movement appears to have lost much of its early momentum and is increasingly at a crossroads. This article addresses major challenges that consumers and professionals alike must face. Conversion of day programs to integrated work options, expansion of program capacity, the need to insure consumer choice and self-determination, and the achievement of meaningful employment outcomes in a highly competitive economy are among the challenges that those dedicated to the supported employment movement must solve in the years ahead. Specific recommendations are offered to meet each challenge. Ultimately, the way to expand and reenergize the supported employment initiative will be to educate and empower more consumers and families.

College and university students with disabilities were surveyed to determine their levels ofsatisfaction with accessibility, special services, and accommodations at their schools. In addition, students were requested to identify barriers to postsecondary education, improvements in services, and otherconcems. Respondents generally expressed satisfaction with the services that they had received. However, the majority indicated that they had encountered barriers to their education, including a lack ofunderstanding and cooperation from administrators, faculty, staff, and other students; lack ofadaptive aids and other resources; and inaccessibility ofbuildings and grounds. Recommendations were made for improving the delivery of services and self-advocacy ofstudents with disabilities.

Although recent federal legislation has led to a proliferation of supported employment programs throughout the country, little information is available that documents the success of these programs. In the present study, we examined the effect of different consumer characteristics and alternative supported employment service delivery models on key employment outcomes including hourly wage, hours worked per week, increase in earnings after supported employment participation, and level of integration on the job. The employment outcomes of a sample of 1,550 individuals receiving supported employment services through 96 local programs in eight states were analyzed to determine the effects of the key independent variables of primary disability and type of employment model. Results indicate that all groups of individuals, regardless of their primary disability, benefited significantly from supported employment participation. Further, data indicate that the individual placement model generated employment outcomes superior to those resulting from group employment options, particularly work crews. Implications of the results for future program development activities are discussed.