A very interesting question indeed. I wonder what will happen to my 12-year old daughter with severe intellectual disability upon completion of her education. There are a few after-school programmes introduced by the Malaysian Government, but they are not very encouraging. I feel my daughter would end up in front of the tv after all. Having said that, I believe this is a serious and critical area which needs to be examined further. I may even look into this in our country. Thank you.

Employment, whether paid or unpaid seems to be a major avenue to social inclusion for all people and a key factor in promoting a positive quality of life. Therefore I think that every effort needs to be made to ensure that people who have intellectual disabilities are included in employment settings. Ideally, they should be paid because I think there is significant empirical evidence that they make an important contribution to their workplaces. I am hoping to publish some research findings that support this idea and I want to find a way to remind employers how worthwile it can be to hire people who have disabilities. From the perspective of people with disabilities, many people report that they want to work even if it is volunteer because it gives them a place to go to be "part of something" and to "help others" and "feel needed" and be "talk with friends". Work settings are the main place to develop a social life for many people and for many people who have intellectual disabilities, it seems to be a place where they feel that others know them and this contributes to a more positive quality of life.

What happens is highly variable depending on many factors. Many individuals diagnosed with intellectual disabilities in school successfully enter the workforce and are not viewed as disabled as adults. Others end up isolated. Increasingly there are inclusive post-secondary education options at colleges and universities and some include individuals with severe disabilities. Unfortunately, good supports for adults with intellectual disabilities for vocational and adult education programs remain in short supply in most places.

Dick,

I've seen in many current studies that only about 20% of the population of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are in the workforce, meaning that around 80% of this population is not in the workforce. In my local school district, special education diplomas and modified curriculum-based tests are being discontinued, making it more difficult for people with intellectual disabilities to graduate, because they cannot successfully complete required courses like trigonometry. This makes getting into a post secondary school even more challenging. I am inclined to believe that the isolation is a very serious problem.

What kind of supports for adults with intellectual disabilities are available in Canada?

Gail, here in Alberta, there have been programs set up through something called PDD (Persons with Developmental Disabilities) boards that funds agency programs and also indvidualized programs through something called Family Managed supports. Our son, who is 23, has severe and multiple disabilities and receives individual supports. Using these supports, he attended a University for 4 years and has had some paid employment.

You may have 20% such persons in workforce in USA but it will be hard to find a single such person gainfully employed here in India. I think globally not much has been done to care for these people. In most cases, these are the parents who sometimes make some provisions/arrangements for their life-sustenance. Its high-time, they should be given their dues. I strongly believe, based on my experiences in the field, they can significantly contribute in many ways provided you recognize their potential and train them accordingly. They should not be left on their own or some-one's mercy.

Dr. Singh,

Employed and gainfully employed are two very different things. Most adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities will need supplemental supports even if they do become employed, either because they cannot work more than 20 hours in a week or because they earn too little money to allow them to be independent.

I agree with you that they should not be left on their own or to someone's mercy, and that seems to be the logic embedded in social constructionism, and other conceptual frameworks that are concerned with too much focus on individualism and the shift away from cooperation and community. This "pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps" mentality can be detrimental to vulnerable populations such as children, the disabled, and the poverty-stricken.

I am including some interesting articles I have been reading concerning quality of life, family quality of life, adults with disabilities, and social inclusion.

References:

Austin, A. (2010, November). Budget Cuts and Our Children's Future: Deficit Hawks Invoke the Next Generation, but an Austerity Program Would Balance the Budget on the Backs of America's Most Vulnerable Parents and Children. The American Prospect, 21, 18+. Retrieved May 2, 2012, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5046043526

Bigby, C. (2008). Known well by no-one: Trends in the informal social networks of middle-aged and older people with intellectual disability five years after moving to the community. Journal Of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 33(2), 148-157. doi:10.1080/13668250802094141

Clement, T., & Bigby, C. (2009). Breaking Out of a Distinct Social Space: Reflections on Supporting Community Participation for People with Severe and Profound Intellectual Disability. Journal Of Applied Research In Intellectual Disabilities, 22(3), 264-275. doi:10.1111/j.1468-3148.2008.00458.x

Kaye, H. S. (2010). The impact of the 2007-09 recession on workers with disabilities. Monthly Labor Review, 133(10), 19+. Retrieved from http://www.questia.com

Schippers, A., & van Boheemen, M. (2009). Family quality of life empowered by family-oriented support. Journal Of Policy & Practice In Intellectual Disabilities, 6(1), 19-24. doi:10.1111/j.1741-1130.2008.00195.x

Werner, S., Edwards, M., & Baum, N. T. (2009). Family Quality of Life Before and After Out-of-Home Placement of a Family Member With an Intellectual Disability. Journal Of Policy & Practice In Intellectual Disabilities, 6(1), 32-39. doi:10.1111/j.1741-1130.2008.00196.x

Gail,

That is a very telling paragraph you wrote about the young man with Autism. My dissertation/research is identifying the gap between high school transition programs and being a community contributor (volunteer, employee, or both) post graduation.

Your comment I take to heart!

Suzann

Perhaps a support plan, which would include developing a circle of support, or contact with other disabled people's organisations would assist your friend to widen his own menu of choices and social network? Segregating children and young people beyond the age of their cohort can have limiting effects, but these can be tackled. He might like to explore Aspieweb!

Hi Research Gate colleagues,

As I plow through research studies by the abundance - I can tell you that there is a not a reading that goes past me that doesn't make me ponder on "what else can I do to promote a positive social change for individuals with developmental disabilities post graduation?"

In the state of New Jersey, thus far in my research, I am finding multiple barriers that are preventing young adults with developmental disabilities from obtaining an opportunity to contribute to their community. If it isn't transportation, it is funding, or parents unwilling to use SSI for transportation, or community businesses unwilling to

consider having young adults with developmental disabilities 'work' and/or volunteer in their organization.

Instead of dwelling on the negative aspects that I am running into as a researcher, I am committed to finding what works. The results of what works, in my mind, will be a map on how to make a change happen in the community and it is my hope that stakeholders will be convinced by data that something good will happen if they only reach out an try!

Suzann

Dear Gail,

Problem of failed transition to adulthood of adolescents with ID/DD  looks familiar in Polish reality.  I mean  limited possibilities for further adult LLL, occupational therapy, independent living, independend or supported employment and satisfying emotional needes in social circles. The most difficult situation have males and females  with a intellectual disabilites finishing school at age 23. For people with mild intellectual disability open labor market is unfortunately available to a small extent.  People with moderate intellectual disabilities can benefit from daily therapy workshops. Unfortunately  their number is not sufficient in Poland. For someon who can't participate in daily support or activity centers the most common model of everyday life for males and females (with moderate, severe and profound ID) is to remain in the family homes to his parents' death or in stationary facilities when siblings are not able to support them. The main trend implemented in Poland since beginning of the 90's was deinstitutionalisation, normalization and valorisation of social  roles and positions of persons with ID/DD. The quality of lives was essentially explored and highlighted. Presently, adults with mild intellectual disabilities  after graduation, (their "stigma" was mainly associated with their limited learning abilities) finally can find themselves in mainstream without  disability labels. Sometimes find their employment, get married and become parents. People with moderate intellectual disabilities in Poland are most frequently in  generative families with  parents to their death. It is culturally grounded that siblings are continuing care after parents' death or such support offer stationary facilities. Males and females with moderate, severe ID are currently not perceived by public opinion as autonomous, or having for ex. sexual life needs or needs for intimate partners. These issues are currently under discussion for several years in scientific and public discourse in Poland. Of course the scholars opinion in this matter is different. Adulthood of males and females  with moderate intellectual disabilities still significantly remains in the sphere of public insinuations and fluid academic definitions. Their situation as adult persons depends in great measure also on the family and parenting styles giving for years autonomy or total dependency.

I appreciate so much great feed back on the question presented.  It is the transition program in the high school that maybe a barrier to providing an opportunity for our young adults with developmental disabilities to be contributors to their community.  It may even be the families, too.  My research will focus on the gap that prevents young high school graduates with developmental disabilities from experiencing success as a graduate long after they receive their diploma from high school.  It is interesting and brings company for me to see that other regions in our world have the same concern for their young adults with developmental disabilities.  Positive change is great - one research scientist and pro-active individual at a time giving their all.