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Understanding Local Barriers to Inclusion for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Through an Employment Conference

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2020

Laura M. Heron Open the ORCID record for Laura M. Heron [Opens in a new window] ,
Rumi Agarwal ,
Ingrid Gonzalez ,
Tan Li ,
Stephanie Garcia ,
Marlaina Maddux ,
Nicole Attong  and
Shanna L. Burke
Laura M. Heron*
Affiliation:
1Florida International University, Department of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, United States
Rumi Agarwal
Affiliation:
2Florida International University, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, United States
Ingrid Gonzalez
Affiliation:
2Florida International University, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, United States
Tan Li
Affiliation:
2Florida International University, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, United States
Stephanie Garcia
Affiliation:
2Florida International University, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, United States
Marlaina Maddux
Affiliation:
2Florida International University, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, United States
Nicole Attong
Affiliation:
3Florida International University, FIU Embrace, United States
Shanna L. Burke
Affiliation:
2Florida International University, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, United States
*
Address for correspondence: Laura M. Heron, Florida International University, Department of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 11200 S.W. 8th Street, DM 384A Miami, Florida 33199. E-mail: lhero002@fiu.edu
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Abstract

Employment is a crucial part of adult life and is associated with improved health outcomes. However, despite the several advantages of hiring individuals with intellectual and development disabilities (IDD), the employment rate for this population is still low. An employment conference was organised to inform participants of successful employment initiatives, and to increase our understanding of local employer challenges regarding the recruitment, hire, and retention of employees with IDD. Descriptive statistics were used to assess common methods of recruitment, potential helpful hiring strategies, and recruitment, hire, and retention challenges, and an ordinal logistic regression was conducted to examine whether responses differed based on demographic variables. The conference was evaluated by gathering data on several facets of participant satisfaction. Findings brought to light several key challenges that can be used to create more targeted interventions and supports. Responses to several questions differed by demographics (such as company size and industry type), which represent important areas for future research to examine. Participants reported being satisfied with the conference, and many indicated that their attitudes had changed towards disability and that they were more likely to employ individuals with IDD in the future. Systematically addressing barriers to employment is essential in order to reduce the employment gap and improve outcomes for individuals with IDD. Ultimately, conferences that aim to educate participants about successful programs and strategies represent a promising practice that can increase employment opportunities for individuals with IDD.

Keywords

intellectual and developmental disabilityemployment barriersconference
Type
Article
Information
International Journal of Disability Management , Volume 15 , 2020 , e1
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020

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