Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

This study investigated the costs accrued by all supported employees (i.e., 192,756) funded by Vocational Rehabilitation from 2002 to 2006 throughout the entire United States and its territories. Costs were examined in relation to the number of hours supported employees worked, and total wages that they earned, per week. The impact of disability, presence of secondary disabilities, the supported employee's level of education and employment history were also examined.

Persons with severe physical disabilities are disadvantaged in the postsecondary education and the workforce due to inadequate education and educational supports. One of these educational supports is the availability of reliable and trained 24/7/365 personal assistance. Without adequate access to personal assistance, individuals with severe physical disabilities simply cannot attend and graduate from postsecondary degree programs. It is clear that if individuals with high support needs cannot live within the educational environment, they will not be able to succeed in the educational environment. This article examines the nature of this problem, describes current models of postsecondary disability support structures, and explores the difficulties and challenges inherent in personal assistance service provision. It is hoped that this discussion will prompt broader discourse regarding postsecondary services for students with severe physical disabilities and impact their participation in higher education.

Customer satisfaction is an important construct to measure within One-Stop Centers. Workforce Investment Boards have used mystery shoppers and various ad hoc measures of customer satisfaction to evaluate and monitor services and accessibility issues within the One-Stops for persons with disabilities. This paper describes an empirically derived, multidimensional customer satisfaction scale that can be used by persons with or without disabilities. Items were administered to a sample of 200 One-Stop customers, many of whom had numerous visits to the One-Stop setting over a 6-month period. A principle component factor analysis resulted in the development of a brief scale containing 24-items and four factors. Chronbach alpha reliability estimates are good. Concurrent validity studies are reported. Differences in customer satisfaction between persons with and without disabilities are examined.

Post-school outcomes are measured by how successful students are integrating into their communities as productive citizens. Halpern's [10] "quality-of-life" transition outcomes were examined in this study using a mixed method research design of quantitative and qualitative measures. This study investigated a post-school outcomes survey administered in a southeastern state for the academic years 2003–2006 of former students who received special education services while in high school. The majority of the participants who provided data for both the survey and focus group methodologies had high incidence disabilities (i.e., learning disabilities, mental retardation, and emotional disturbance). Results from each data analysis method supported the findings of the other and each method contributed to the understanding of quality-of-life attainment as perceived by participants. Overall, the results of this mixed methods study illustrate that the use of focus group methodology compliments the post-school outcomes survey results by revealing the many reasons for participants' responses by answering how and why questions.

Transitions from school to work are particularly difficult for students with cognitive disabilities. Job placements in appropriate inclusive community work settings have proven to be possible yet job retention is poor. This article focuses on using customization as a strategy for successful transitions. Six students in rural Kentucky will be receiving resources from vocational rehabilitation and special education to create a discovery portfolio, individualized job development, and customized employment. Their transition will be part of a ten year follow-up study that will track their employment history, inclusion in their chosen community, and asset building. Our goal is to place them in full-time employment that provides a living wage.

This article presents the results of research on one case of employment for an individual with autism in a Chinese city. The research investigated the context of this employment, including family and local leaders' and coworkers' responses to it. Interviews and participant observation were conducted and almost daily work notes collected. Two major themes resulted. First, community efforts led to employment for an individual with autism providing a situation that was seen by all as mutually beneficial, to both the individual and her family as well as to the Community and local government, the Street Office. Second, despite this opportunity provided by the government, the mother's role continued to be essential and primary, including a main goal of making sure her daughter with autism could adapt herself to the coworkers' expectations and job requirements.