Supported Employment and Deaf People: Current Practices and Emerging Issues

Abstract

Deaf youth and adults have unique needs. As a result they experience considerable barriers in attaining access to meaningful employment and independent functioning in the community. Current habilitation and rehabilitation initiatives have enhanced opportunities and options for all people with disabilities. However, some of these initiatives work at cross purposes for deaf persons, particularly the lower achieving deaf person. Special concerns related to the employment of deaf people are overviewed in this article. Transition issues for deaf youth are reviewed, a model for supported employment assessment and intervention is provided, and recommendations are made for system-wide changes.

Rehabilitation Counseling, Special Education, and Vocational Special Needs Education: Three Transition Disciplines

“…The multi-level transdisciplinary concept described herein is not new and parallels the multi-level involvement proposed by Danek, Seay, and Collier (1989) in preparing students with deafness for transition.…”

A Collaborative Process for Planning Transition Services for All Students with Disabilities

“…A multilevel approach to transition planning has also been recommended and described by other authors including Danek, Seay, & Collier (1989), who described a multilevel system of interagency collaboration for transitioning students who are deaf, and Szymanski, Hanley-Maxwell, and Asselin (1990), who recommended a three-level system for improving interagency coordination for transition planning involving rehabilitation counselors, special educators, and vocational special needs educators.…”