Guide to Effective Employment Programs: Vocational Rehabilitation Service Models for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The Southeast Educational Development Laboratory's (SEDL's) Vocational Rehabilitation Service Models for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders project, funded by the National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), launched in October 2008 and ended in September 2013. The mission of this project was to conduct high quality research and knowledge translation activities in order to improve employment services and outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). One activity of this project was identifying effective programs. This study focused on effective practices implemented by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) service providers for people with ASD. Outcomes from this study included empirical assessments of practices perceived as effective by VR professionals, and identification and dissemination of those practices that were linked to successful outcomes (i.e., helping people with ASD find and maintain competitive employment). This guide discusses the results of this study and outlines effective practices of VR vendors. Information found here can be used to identify effective programs or in quality improvement initiatives. The intended audience of this guide is people with ASD, their families, VR professionals, and employment specialists. This project ultimately hopes to contribute to the continuing improvement in employment programs for people with ASD.