Description
The purpose of this study was to assess the provision of college and university training by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), and the association between certificate or degree completion and weekly earnings among individuals with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) served by the federal-state VR system. The research aimed to specifically look at the provision of this service to individuals with IDD in the state of California compared to other states and U.S. territories where VR services are provided. Vocational Rehabilitation is a federal-state resource that can provide service coordination and financial support to individuals with disabilities with a goal to maximize the likelihood of employment. One VR service available to clients is college and university training. While only a small percentage of individuals with IDD have received college support from VR, there is increasing interest in postsecondary education as a means to improve employment outcomes for individuals with IDD. The study encompassed four primary research questions and employed a quantitative methodological approach using a series of extant data files from the U.S. Department of Education Rehabilitation Services Administration-911 (RSA-911). RSA-911 data from federal fiscal years 2006 through 2014 were used to answer the research questions, with some questions based upon data from a single year, while other questions made use of data from several years. The study revealed several significant findings, which led to recommendations for practice and research. Research recommendations suggested methodological approaches beyond the use of RSA-911 which could potentially provide more information on access to postsecondary education and employment outcomes among individuals with IDD.
