Services and supports differ for each employment candidate based on needs:Ĭompetitive Employment – A full-time or part-time job in an integrated setting with market wages and obligations is considered competitive. Ĭheck with your State’s Department of Vocational Rehabilitation for the process of employment support, this may vary from state to state. In the workplace, they can be used by job coaches to help clients understand the social aspects of work and the work day (Emmett, 2009). They can be used to help clients understand the initial VR interview, the VR process, the vocational evaluation process, etc. Some vocational rehabilitation practitioners have found social stories to be a useful technique. Social Stories™ are narrative descriptions of social situations that help the person with ASD understand particular situations or activities which might be confusing to them. For example, the widely-known Walgreens project features a PECS-based communications system (Emmett, 2009). Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) : PECS-type communication systems are proving to be a useful supplement, even for people with adequate verbal skills.
Individualized: specific activities and supports should be based on a child’s interests, skills, and needs Sensory distractions should be minimized to improve concentration. The routine should be listed on the schedules.
Routine: there should be a clear and regular sequence of activities. Visual Communication: staff should use picture-based schedules and work systems to outline the activities for the children. Marking: the work spaces should be clearly marked physically, including colorful marking on the floor, specific arrangement of furniture, and other concrete and visual clues. Structure: the environment should be highly structured, with specific activities occurring only in specific places. TEACCH supports individuals with autism across the spectrum and across their lifespan. This educational/teaching strategy has been in use since the 1970s. TEACCH (Training and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children) is one of the most widely used educational intervention programs for children and adults with ASD. It has been proven over and over again that when the work is intrinsically motivating to the worker with autism, it is a win-win for both the worker and employer.Īutism Best Practice, Research Based Support Standards (Educational Interventions) (Below are links that demonstrate the exciting progress being made creating employment opportunities for individuals with autism). ĭoom and gloom aside, major corporations such as Walgreens, Microsoft, Ford, Freddie Mac, to name a few, are starting to see the value of hiring people with autism. In addition, there are significant issues with the use of job coaches and job training.
One state VR agency recently documented a 90% drop-out rate for VR clients with ASD, most of whom never got past the vocational evaluation. This frequently leads to clients withdrawing from the VR process. Disability Policy & Studies School of Health Professions University of Missouri and author of the Adult Autism & Employment: A Guide for Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals, the first emergent issue is that many traditional vocational rehabilitation practices are not only ineffective for people with ASD, but actively distressing to them. It is critical that the worker with autism is provided strategies to promote communication, choice, independence and autonomy.Īccording to Scott Standifer, Ph.D. In addition, it is imperative to meet the instruction and communication support, as well as environmental needs based how the person experiences their autism with evidence-research based autism supports and strategies. Best employment outcomes for workers with autism are based on the gifts, talents, interests and strengths of the employment seeker.
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