Perspectives on Pathways to Employment
Researchers at the VCU-RRTC sent out a national Delphi survey to see if people agreed about how helpful different methods are for getting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) an integrated job in the community that pays at least minimum wage.
Who We Asked:
- Working-age adults with IDD
- Families of people with IDD
- Employment Service Providers
- Transition Educators
- Researchers
From:
CA, IL, IN, MD, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WA, and WI
What We Asked About:
The survey asked about five methods to help people with IDD get a job they like in their community. These methods are supported employment (SE), customized employment (CE), college programs, internships, and apprenticeships.
What We Found!
- What is Working
- Survey respondents agreed that SE, CE, college programs, and internships are affordable, easy to understand, include reasonable steps, and take an acceptable amount of time to complete when helping people with IDD get a job!
- What Needs More Work
- Survey respondents also agreed that SE, CE, college programs, and internships are NOT EASY TO OBTAIN and are NOT ALWAYS DELIVERED BY TRAINED PROVIDERS.
- What Needs More Attention
- Survey respondents were not familiar enough with apprenticeships to answer our questions. This will need to be examined further in the future!
To Learn More, Read:
Schall, C., Avellone, L., & Wehman, P. (2024). Employment Interventions for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Delphi Study of Stakeholder Perspectives. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 62(1), 27-43.
VCU: The content of this resource was developed under grants from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (90RTEM0003). Content does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government.