Employment specialists providing supported employment (SE) to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in rural communities face barriers to effective service delivery. Technology offers promise for enhancing services, yet little research has been conducted on how technology can be incorporated into SE.
Objective
The purpose of this pilot study was to explore changes in SE service delivery for employment specialists supporting rural residents with IDD after receiving training on best practices and use of technology in SE.
Method
Employment specialists from two community rehabilitation providers participated in a 6-month pilot intervention focused on SE best practices and technology use. Monthly data were collected on direct service time, travel time, mileage, and technology use. Descriptive analyses investigated differences pre- and post-intervention.
Results
Direct service time increased from pre- to post-intervention; travel time and mileage decreased. A larger proportion of SE service delivery time was spent providing direct services to rural consumers with IDD. Technology use increased in terms of tools incorporated as well as range of SE activities that technology was used within.
Conclusion
Incorporating technology into SE service delivery to rural residents with IDD enhanced services through increased service efficiency and innovative approaches to addressing problems.
AbramsK.McMahonD.FirestoneJ. B.WhittenburgH.BrunoL. (2024). Using virtual reality to teach science vocabulary to transition-aged youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 39(4), 527–541. https://doi.org/10.1177/01626434241239922
2.
AdamsC.CorbinA.O'HaraL.ParkM.Sheppard-JonesK.ButlerL.UmeasiegbuV.McDanielsB.BishopM. L. (2019). A qualitative analysis of the employment needs and barriers of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in rural areas. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 50(3), 227–240. https://doi.org/10.1891/0047-2220.50.3.227
3.
BennettK. D. (2013). Improving vocational skills of students with disabilities: Applications of covert audio coaching. Teaching Exceptional Children, 46(2), 60–67. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005991304600207
4.
BrossA. L.FredrickD.KwiatekS. (2023). Transportation perspectives of young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, parents, and service providers. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 47(4), 216–229. https://doi.org/10.1177/21651434231152872
5.
BurkeS. L.BresnahanT.LiT.EpnereK.RizzoA.PartinM.TrimmerM. (2018). Using virtual interactive training agents (ViTA) with adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(3), 905–912. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3374-z905-912
6.
CoutureK. A.JohnsonK. R. (2017). Website barriers to employment for people with disabilities. Journal of Business Diversity, 17(1), 109–117.
7.
DominD.ButterworthJ. (2013). The role of community rehabilitation providers in employment for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Results of the 2010–2011 national survey. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 51(4), 215–225. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-51.4.215
8.
EricksonW. A.VanLooyS.Von SchraderS.BruyèreS. M. (2018). Disability, income, and rural poverty. In HarleyD.YsasiN.BishopM.FlemingA. (Eds.), Disability and vocational rehabilitation in rural settings (pp. 13–27). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64786-9_2
9.
FongC. J.TaylorJ.BerdyyevaA.McClellandA. M.MurphyK. M.WestbrookJ. D. (2021). Interventions for improving employment outcomes for persons with autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review update. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 17(3), e1185. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1185
10.
GentryT.KrinerR.SimaA.McDonoughJ.WehmanP. (2015). Reducing the need for personal supports among workers with autism using an iPod touch as an assistive technology: Delayed randomized control trial. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(3), 669–684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2221-8
11.
HamW.SchallC.AvelloneL. (2022). A scoping review of the competencies and training of employment specialists supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Inclusion, 10(4), 297–313. https://doi.org/10.1352/2326-6988-10.4.297
12.
HemanP.RhodesD.CoxC. (2022). Electronic assistive technology use and supported employment. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 35(5), 1244–1249. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13005
13.
IpsenC.GoeR.BlissS. (2019). Vocational rehabilitation (VR) funding of job development and placement services: Implications for rural reach. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 51(3), 313–324. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-191048
14.
IwanagaK.LeeD.HamburgJ.WuJ.-R.ChenX.RumrillP.WehmanP.TanseyT. N.ChanF. (2023). Effects of supported employment on the competitive integrated employment outcomes of transition age and young adults with intellectual disabilities: A non-experimental causal comparative study. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 58(1), 39–48. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-221223
15.
KearneyK. B.TorresA. (2022). Teaching job search skills to college students with intellectual and developmental disabilities through screen sharing and remote audio coaching. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 57(2), 167–176. https://doi.org/10.1177/215416472205700204
16.
LandonT.ConnorA.McKnight-LizotteM.PeñaJ. (2019). Rehabilitation counseling in rural settings: A phenomenological study on barriers and supports. Journal of Rehabilitation, 85(2), 47–57.
17.
MarinoM. T.VasquezE.DiekerL.BashamJ.BlackorbyJ. (2023). The future of artificial intelligence in special education technology. Journal of Special Education Technology, 38(3), 404–416. https://doi.org/10.1177/01626434231165977
18.
McDanielsB. W.HarleyD. A.BeachD. T. (2018). Transportation, accessibility, and accommodation in rural communities. In HarleyD.YsasiN.BishopM.FlemingA. (Eds.), Disability and vocational rehabilitation in rural settings (pp. 29–45). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64786-9_3
19.
McMahonD.FirestoneJ. B. (2024). Remixing special education practices with artificial intelligence: UDL, EBP, and HLPs. Journal of Special Education Preparation, 4(2), 66–76. https://doi.org/10.33043/3dq2d32d
20.
MullinsL. E.ScottV.CoxA. D. (2023). Training programme for community service providers who support adults with intellectual disabilities: A systematic quantitative literature review of single-case research. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 36(6), 1191–1205. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13152
21.
MyersA.IpsenC.StandleyK. (2022). Transportation patterns of adults with travel-limiting disabilities in rural and urban America. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 3, Article 877555. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2022.877555
22.
NordD.LueckingR.MankD.KiernanW.Nye-LengermanK. (2013). The state of the science of employment and economic self-sufficiency for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 51(5), 376–384. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-51.5.376
23.
RadhakrishnanU.KoumaditisK.ChinelloF. (2021). A systematic review of immersive virtual reality for industrial skills training. Behaviour & Information Technology, 40(12), 1310–1339. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2021.1954693
24.
RemundC.Jones-ParkinT.HaseH.RiesenT. (2022). Preparing community rehabilitation providers to deliver a provision of employment supports: A tiered training approach. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 56(2), 193–201. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-221182
25.
Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities. (2019, January). Employment disparity grows for rural Americans with disability. The University of Montana, Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities.
26.
RumrillP.SchererM.HendricksD.MintonD. (2023). Applying the matching person and technology model to promote academic achievement and career success for postsecondary students with traumatic brain injuries. In Evidence-Based Assessment Framework for Assistive Technology (pp. 165–188). CRC Press.
27.
SchallC.WehmanP.AvelloneL.TaylorJ. P. (2020). Competitive integrated employment for youth and adults with autism. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 29(2), 373–397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2019.12.001
28.
SmithE.McRaeK.SempleG.WelshH.EvansD.BlackwellP. (2021). Enhancing vocational training in the post-COVID era through mobile mixed reality. Sustainability, 13(11), 6144. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116144
29.
WehmanP.ChanF.DitchmanN.KangH. (2014). Effect of supported employment on vocational rehabilitation outcomes of transition-age youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A case control study. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 52(4), 296–310. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-52.4.296
30.
WehmanP.TaylorJ.BrookeV.AvelloneL.WhittenburgH.HamW.BrookeA. M.CarrS. (2018). Toward competitive employment for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities: What progress have we made and where do we need to go. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 43(3), 131–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/1540796918777730
31.
WhittenburgH. N.McDonoughJ.SchallC.DuboisT.VitulloV.WehmanP. (2024). Impact of COVID-19 on the employment of transition-aged military dependent or connected autistic youth. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 47(3), 172–183. https://doi.org/10.1177/21651434231186351
32.
ZabalaJ. S. (2020). The SETT framework: A model for selection and use of assistive technology tools and more. In Assistive technology to support inclusive education (pp. 17–36). Emerald Publishing Limited.
