Disproportionate opportunities: Fostering vocational choice for individuals with intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND: Consumer preference and choice have been established as imperatives in effective employment service delivery for individuals with disabilities. Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID), however, may face barriers in employment services that restrict their choices and opportunities for career development. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current study is to analyze the vocational rehabilitation outcomes for individuals with ID compared with consumers with other disabilities in terms of the range of employment settings and earnings at closure. METHODS: Rehabilitation Services Administration data for a southeastern US state were attained through the Explore VR database for this analysis. RESULTS: The results indicate that individuals with ID were placed into food preparation and serving-related occupations (24.1%) and building and grounds cleaning/maintenance occupations (28.2%) at a disproportionately high rate relative to those in other disability categories. Mean weekly earnings for these categories were from 24% to 39% below the mean weekly earning across all available occupational categories. CONCLUSION: The results are discussed in terms of their implications for best practices in vocational rehabilitation with individuals with ID, and potential improvements to current practice are discussed.