Integrating Individuals with Developmental Disabilities into the Open Labor Market

This qualitative study addresses attitudes concerning employing individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) and identifies factors limiting their integration into the workplace. Four themes emerged: lack of infrastructure, awareness, family support, and the need for ongoing training and development. A proposed model of integrating individuals with DD in the workplace is discussed. Historically, people with DD were considered unfit for work and, hence, rarely a part vocational training and work activities. Many individuals with DD lived in restrictive environments isolated from their communities, minimizing their opportunities for independence, productivity and social integration. This environment created unfavorable attitudes that reinforced their marginalization (Konig & Schalock, 1991). The issue of integrating individuals with DD into the workforce has become a nationwide agenda. The U.S. Department of Education (1999) has recognized the importance of the transition of students with exceptional needs from school to the workplace and adult life. The goal of disability and rehabilitation research is to maximize the inclusion, social integration, employment, and independent living of individuals with developmental disabilities (Melia, Pledger, & Wilson, 2003). The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research has focused on developing new methods, technologies, and approaches for eliminating the environmental, cultural, and social barriers that prevent people with disabilities from full inclusion in all aspects of society. Despite these efforts and studies that have demonstrated most individuals with DD (even severe disabilities) are very capable of exceptional job performance (Bellamy, Rhodes, Mank, & Albin, 1988; Konig & Schalock, 1991), over 75% of individuals with DD remain unemployed (U.S. Department of Census, 2000). The barriers faced by workers with disabilities when entering the workforce are enormous, and employer attitudes can be a major impediment to employment (Bolton & Roessler, 1985). Employers who have had limited experience interacting with disabled employees may believe that they present too many problems (Nathanson & Lambert, 1981) or that they are neither capable of performance nor able to meet the employer’s expectations. Yet recent surveys of employers of individuals with developmental disabilities reveal general satisfaction with work performance when comparing their productivity, turnover rates, absenteeism, and safety risks with those of non-disabled employees, according to a national organization on mental retardation (ARC, 2001). It is vital that we (researchers) as well as members within organizations (executives, managers and other employees) are aware of and understand an organization’s attitudes and consequent behaviors to effectively interact with developmentally disabled employees (Nathanson & Lambert, 1981). Understanding organizational members’ attitudes may eliminate attitudinal barriers through the creation of a new awareness around the enthusiasm, capabilities and successful performance of individuals with DD, leading to more favorable attitudes. The purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes that employers and members of organizations have towards individuals with DD and to identify factors that facilitate integration of people with DD into the open labor market. Two research questions guided the study: (a)