Affiliations: Lehigh Valley Association of Rehabilitation Centers, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Note: [] This article was first prepared for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) Consensus Validation Conference on Supported Employment, Washington, DC, May 1993.
Abstract: Current research on the conversion of segregated rahabilitation facilites to integrated job training is reviewed. These research data reveal that rehabilitation programs have primarily utilized supported employment as an “add on” to facility-based services. The data also indicate that individuals receiving supported employment through rehabilitation programs are comparable to the overall population receiving these services. Although data on the benefits of the transition from sheltered to integrated employment for individuals with disabilities are sparse, those studies which exist suggest positive changes. Much more research is needed on the degree of implementation of supported employment in conversion and the variables that influence this implementation. Existing research also suggests that more attention be given to fostering organizational change and evaluating quality of life for participants in developing conversion program plans.
Keywords: Conversion, Rehabilitation facilities, Supported employment, Community integration, Community job training, Sheltered workshops
