TY - JOUR
T1 - "He's worth the extra work"
T2 - The employment experiences of adults with ASD who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) as reported by adults with ASD, family members, and employers
AU - Richardson, Laura
AU - McCoy, Ashley
AU - McNaughton, David
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant 90RE5017) to the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (RERC on AAC). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Additional support was provided by the U.S. Department of Education grant H325D110008 (first and second author).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - BACKGROUND: Employment is a key determinant in quality of life. However, less than 50% of adults with ASD are employed. OBJECTIVE: In order to better support community-based employment for persons with ASD who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), there is a need to better understand those situations in which successful outcomes have been achieved. METHOD: This study utilized a multiple case design to investigate the experiences of seven individuals with ASD who use AAC and are successfully employed in the community. RESULTS: Results provide evidence that individuals with ASD who use AAC can be successfully employed, when provided with appropriate supports. Expressive and receptive communication were commonly identified as challenges, however, mobile devices provided support to communication and participation for many of the participants with ASD. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the current study provide evidence that successful employment for individuals with ASD who use AAC is possible when intervention addresses three key areas: the development of skills that are valued in the workplace, the identification and creation of good job matches, and access to needed supports.
AB - BACKGROUND: Employment is a key determinant in quality of life. However, less than 50% of adults with ASD are employed. OBJECTIVE: In order to better support community-based employment for persons with ASD who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), there is a need to better understand those situations in which successful outcomes have been achieved. METHOD: This study utilized a multiple case design to investigate the experiences of seven individuals with ASD who use AAC and are successfully employed in the community. RESULTS: Results provide evidence that individuals with ASD who use AAC can be successfully employed, when provided with appropriate supports. Expressive and receptive communication were commonly identified as challenges, however, mobile devices provided support to communication and participation for many of the participants with ASD. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the current study provide evidence that successful employment for individuals with ASD who use AAC is possible when intervention addresses three key areas: the development of skills that are valued in the workplace, the identification and creation of good job matches, and access to needed supports.
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U2 - 10.3233/WOR-192856
DO - 10.3233/WOR-192856
M3 - Article
C2 - 30829632
AN - SCOPUS:85062390475
VL - 62
SP - 205
EP - 219
JO - Work
JF - Work
SN - 1051-9815
IS - 2
ER -