Expectations from different perspectives on future work outcome of young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Stakeholder views on young adults with intellectual disabilities as a workforce: A qualitative study on students' performance in upper secondary education and their employment potential

People with intellectual disabilities are the most disadvantaged group among all disability types when it comes to employment. In Sweden, special needs upper secondary schools prepare students with intellectual disabilities for the labour market using practice periods at workplaces. This study targets stakeholder involved in their school-to-work transition (i.e. teachers, employers, employment agency officials). The aim is to identify how they view: (1) the working capabilities of students during practice periods and (2) their employment potential. We base the analysis on interview data with the stakeholders using Grounded Theory. Our results identify three student types whose preparedness for the labour market differs considerably. One student type performs well during the practice period and represents a high potential to enter the workforce. The other two student types have the lower working capability and employment potential. Our study highlights stakeholders as resources to improve the labour market preparations of students with intellectual disabilities.

Understanding PROMISE Participant Transition Experiences Using Qualitative Data: Reflections on Accessing Services and Employment Outcomes

Youth with disabilities transitioning from high school to adulthood experience barriers in achieving competitive integrated employment outcomes comparable with peers without disabilities. Promoting Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income (PROMISE) in the state of Wisconsin (WI) serviced 2,024 youth and families, with 1,018 accessing services and supports, including, but not limited to, soft skills, self-advocacy, benefits counseling, career counseling, and paid work experiences. This qualitative, multiple case study purposively selected four youth participants and their families to represent one of four categories: engaged and acquired paid employment, engaged and did not acquire paid employment, unengaged but did acquire paid employment, and unengaged and did not acquire paid employment. Results indicated that participants across all four case studies expressed the desire to work and were optimistic about the future resulting from their experience with WI PROMISE. This study will go beyond the results and provide lessons learned and implications for future research.

Career aspirations and workplace expectations among youth with physical disabilities

PURPOSE

Youths with disabilities have lower employment rates than youths without disabilities, which are often a result of inaccessible environments, employer's lack of knowledge about people with disabilities and discriminatory attitudes. Exploring youths' career aspirations is important because it can prompt or hinder career planning, and contribute to youths' preparation for adult life. The purpose of our study was to explore the career aspirations and workplace expectations of youths with physical disabilities.

METHOD

We drew on qualitative discussion forum data from a larger study focusing on employment preparation e-mentoring intervention for youths with physical disabilities. Our sample comprised 44 youths aged 15-25 years (mean age 18.9, 47% female) with physical disabilities. We analyzed the data using a qualitative, content analysis approach.

RESULTS

Youths described several areas that helped to develop their occupational capacity including self-advocacy, pursuing post-secondary education, volunteering/co-op, family support, and social networks. Areas where youths anticipated encountering occupational constraints involved: transportation, attitudes and discrimination, physicality of work and self-care, communication skills, and finding work or volunteer positions. Youths' expectations for the workplace included: disability disclosure and requesting accommodations, and a respectful environment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlighted that youths with physical disabilities had diverse career aspirations that are shaped by various occupational capacities and constraints.Implications for rehabilitationYouth with physical disabilities may need further support with accessing and navigating public transportation independently to gain employment, and also developing their communication skills, specifically how to disclose their condition to employers and coping with potential discrimination.Clinicians and educators should help youth with disabilities to gain exposure to a variety of career options (including STEM) while supporting them to find accessible positions that are compatible with their abilities.Clinicians and educators could consider helping to foster self-advocacy skills among youth with disabilities which are needed to disclose their condition and request accommodations.

Differences in Youth and Parent Postsecondary Expectations for Youth with Disabilities

BACKGROUND

Parent expectations are known to be significant predictors of postsecondary outcomes among youth with disabilities. However, little is known about the relationship between parent and youth expectations and their differential prediction of postsecondary outcomes among youth with disabilities.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the relationship between parent and youth expectations among students with disabilities in the United States.

METHODS

Through analysis of the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), we compared wave two parent and youth expectations across disability categories (N=1,940) and explored the extent to which they predicted youth postsecondary outcomes.

RESULTS

We identified that parent and youth expectations are related but significantly different, with parents consistently holding less independent expectations than youth. Both parent and youth expectations were identified as significant predictors of postsecondary outcomes, with youth expectations more strongly predicting education and independent living outcomes, and parent expectations more strongly predicting employment and Social Security benefit outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Transition providers should work with parents and youth to develop collaborative goals and expectations to best support youth with disabilities for independent activities in adulthood.

School-to-work transition for youth with severe physical disabilities: Stakeholder perspectives

BACKGROUND

Multiple challenges await people with severe physical disability when they are preparing to enter the labour market at the end of the school period.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to better understand the multiple factors that influence the course of disabled youth transitioning into the workforce by gathering perceptions from stakeholders. Methods The study used a qualitative descriptive design with an interpretative description approach to analyze the experiences reported by six school staff, six parents, and three employers.

RESULTS

Significant facilitators to the workforce transition were the active involvement of the school's staff in multiplying outreach activities between the various external partners. Significant obstacles include the level of help required to complete day-to-day activities at work and student lack of work experience. Government cutbacks were unanimously identified as the prominent obstacle.

CONCLUSIONS

The results presented in this study indicate that a successful school to work transition program is dependent on many factors. These factors include the characteristics of the targeted population, the level of involvement from key stakeholders, the willingness of employers to hire this population, as well as program objectives deviating from paid employment. Further development opportunities have proven to be helpful, such as the development of a solid partnership and collaboration between all stakeholders.