Disability and Self-Directed Employment: Business development models

This book is intended to give support providers the understanding, knowledge, and skills for providing transition and employment services in school, employment, community, and residential settings and thereby improve the quality of life for the individuals that they support. It not only shows how to support an individual with a disability but also how to implement instructional strategies, services, and systems change so that positive quality of life outcomes occur. The book responds to a critical need for highly qualified personnel who will become exemplary professionals in transition and employment settings because of their advanced knowledge, skills, and experiences in working with students and adults with varying disabilities. Universities, school districts, and organizations preparing support providers can easily use it in courses or trainings that address transition and employment services, as the case studies comprehensively cover methodology and issues that represent best practices and evidence-based methods in these areas. Support providers will find the case studies to be practical and helpful for increasing their skills in applied settings. It will be of primary interest to college instructors teaching courses in transition and employment, rehabilitation, career counseling, applied behavioral analysis, school psychology, special education or related areas, and individuals working and studying to work in the disability field.

One of the most practical employment books available, this forward-thinking guide walks employment specialists step by step through customized job development for people with disabilities, revealing the best ways to build a satisfying, meaningful job around a person's preferences, skills, and goals. Internationally known for their innovative, proactive job development strategies, the authors motivate readers to expand the way they think about employment opportunities and develop creative solutions. Readers will get fresh, proven tips and ideas for every aspect of job development for youth and adults with significant support needs: discovering who the person is and what he or she really wants ensuring goodness of fit between employer and employee finding--or creating--"hidden jobs" in smaller companies empowering people through resource ownership (investing in resources that employers need) skillfully negotiating job duties while managing conflicts that might arise creatively maximizing benefits using social security work incentives encouraging family support while respecting the individual as an adult To make each part of job development easier, the book arms readers with practical content they can really use: easy-to-follow, step-by-step guidelines; checklists of critical questions to answer; success stories in both urban and rural settings; and sample scenarios, dialogues, and interview questions. Equally useful to veteran professionals and those just starting out, this compelling guidebook breathes new life into the job development process and helps readers imagine a wider world of employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

This forward-thinking text offers guidelines on helping people with disabilities identify interests, decide which careers to pursue, and work with professionals to identify options.

This publication informs advocates & others in interested agencies & organizations about supplemental security income (SSI) eligibility requirements & processes. It will assist you in helping people apply for, establish eligibility for, & continue to receive SSI benefits for as long as they remain eligible. This publication can also be used as a training manual & as a reference tool. Discusses those who are blind or disabled, living arrangements, overpayments, the appeals process, application process, eligibility requirements, SSI resources, documents you will need when you apply, work incentives, & much more.

This text provides a comprehensive overview of three theoretical perspectives proposed during the past decade addressing the self-determination construct as it applies to the field of special education. The three models were selected primarily because they have focused on defining and categorizing self-determination for all students with disabilities, including students with mental retardation and other cognitive disabilities. These models are intended to provide students and practitioners a solid grounding in self-determination theory. All models have been evaluated among students with cognitive disabilities but are applicable to all students with or without disabilities. The authors research each model and have applied their own theoretical framework to special education, ensuring that interventions to promote skills like problem solving, goal setting, decision making, and self-advocacy are in place for all students. By reading this text, the reader will gain a solid, theoretically based foundation in understanding the self-determination construct which ultimately supports the development of instructional interventions that enable students with disabilities to become self-determined. It will be useful as a text in upper undergraduate and graduate courses in special education, psychology, social work/welfare, general education, vocational rehabilitation and disability studies.