Affiliations: Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation, Utah State University, 2865 Old Main, Logan, UT 84322-2865, USA Tel.: +1 84322 2865; Fax: +1 435 797 3251; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Job matching has been defined as an assessment of individual characteristics in relation to job requirements. The purpose of this study was to assess the inter-rater reliability of a job matching assessment instrument designed for young adults with disabilities. Participants included 21 young adults with intellectual disabilities. Post-high school teachers and job coaches served as raters. The young adult participants first identified 2–3 preferred jobs. Five pairs of raters completed the job matching assessment to identify the job that was best matched to the participant's current characteristics. Ratings were based on 106 O*NET job dimensions related to knowledge, skill, and ability. Findings indicated relatively high inter-rater agreement. However, across job dimensions, data indicated high variability with disagreements apparent for particular ones (e.g., Knowledge of English Language, Safety Awareness Skill). Findings are discussed in relation to the importance of identifying preferred, well-matched jobs for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Keywords: Job matching, job preference, web-based job assistance and accommodations, occupational information network (O*NET), inter-rater reliability, job dimensions, index score differences, extreme ratings
