Opportunities for community employment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are limited, and have not improved over the past quarter century of interest and effort. This report provides the findings from an outcome study of this issue. Twenty-seven people with intellectual and developmental disability, residents in Kent County, Michigan, USA, chose to engage in microenterprise and became the basis of this study. We measured changes in the qualities and quantities of work life. Participants reported enhanced quality of work life in most of the 17 areas. Their overall "scale score" significantly increased by 26 points on a 100-point scale. The support workers' data revealed significantly enhanced quality of work life in 5 of 14 areas, and their overall scale increase of 6 points approached statistical significance. Preliminary findings are regarded as encouraging, particularly because statistics on competitive and supported employment have not improved in 25 years. Microenterprise offers an alternative that promises to be satisfying, meaningful, enjoyable, and may cost significantly less to implement than traditional sheltered workshops and adult day activity centers.
