Hasil untuk "Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities"

Allison D. Francis, Samantha Glasgow

Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) has regional influence in the Caribbean, with a diversified economy focused on energy, manufacturing, and finance compared to the tourism-related economies of most of the other Caribbean islands. Notwithstanding, this has not translated into equitable opportunities for all, specifically for people with disabilities. A lack of disaggregated employment data thwarts effective policy planning for people with disabilities. This research sought to examine the barriers to their employment in T&T. Underpinned by the social model of disability, a concurrent mixed-methods approach was employed. Emanating from interviews with people with disabilities and key informants, challenges to employment access, employer perceptions, and apathy emerged as key themes, together with the underlying issues of a lack of legislation and inequitable access to mainstream education. The survey findings indicated that 64% of employers had never employed people with disabilities, 57% expressed neutrality regarding future employment of such individuals, and 69% had not introduced workplace accommodations. A key recommendation of the study is the establishment of an employer resource centre that assists employers in creating and maintaining inclusive workplace accommodations for people with disabilities. This study is the first in Trinidad and Tobago to examine these research objectives from multiple perspectives.

Sulaiman Shah , Sheeraz Ali , Rizwan Ullah et al.

Background: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) commonly experience reduced cardiorespiratory endurance due to limited mobility and sedentary lifestyle. Constipation is also a frequent comorbidity affecting their health and quality of life. Treadmill training has been suggested as an effective intervention to improve physical fitness and functional mobility in children with CP. Objective: To evaluate the effects of treadmill training on cardiorespiratory endurance and constipation in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Methodology: A randomized clinical trial was conducted from January to May 2024 at Rahman Medical Institute and Akbar Kare Institute, Peshawar. Thirty-six children with spastic diplegic CP (aged 4–10 years; GMFCS levels I–II) were randomly assigned to treadmill training plus conventional physical therapy (TT, n=18) or conventional physical therapy alone (CPT, n=18). The intervention lasted 12 weeks with progressive exercise intensity. Cardiorespiratory endurance was assessed using the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), while constipation severity was measured using the Constipation Assessment Scale (CAS). Data were analyzed using MANOVA, independent t-test, and repeated-measures ANOVA (α≤0.05). Results: MANOVA showed a significant overall effect of intervention on combined outcomes (Pillai's Trace=0.338, p=0.002). The TT group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in 6MWT distance compared with the CPT group (p<0.001). However, no significant between-group differences were observed for CAS scores (p=0.444), although both groups showed within-group improvement over time. Conclusion: Treadmill training significantly improves cardiorespiratory endurance in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy but does not provide additional benefits for constipation compared with conventional therapy alone.

Dane Isaacs, Precious Tirivanhu, Tlou M. Ramoroka et al.

Background: Since the implementation of the inclusive education policy in 2001 in South Africa, several milestones have been celebrated. Nevertheless, studies have reported the significant challenges in the implementation of the policy for learners with disabilities across schools in South Africa, which impede transformation. Objectives: Reflecting on key research insights from a recent study, this article argues for the development of a Theory of Change (ToC) as a road map or blueprint for implementing inclusive education for learners with intellectual disabilities in South Africa. A ToC is imperative for bridging the gap between policy implementation and outcomes. Method: A qualitative research design was adopted for the study. Data were collected through a desktop review, 12 key informant interviews and 10 focus group discussions with key role players and stakeholders in various positions in the education system (i.e. senior education specialists, special needs teachers, one education operations support officer, a principal, deputy principals and head of departments). The data collected were analysed thematically. Results: The findings of the study highlighted progress regarding government financial resources and also the various structural barriers impeding the implementation of inclusive education for learners with intellectual disabilities. Conclusion: This article encourages the continued development of theories of change to promote the effective implementation and ensure quality inclusive education for learners with disabilities in South African schools. Contribution: This article contributes a potential ToC to guide the effective implementation of inclusive education policy and practices for learners with intellectual disabilities in the South African schooling system.

Anetta Müller, Katalin Mező, Ferenc Mező et al.

Sports participation among young people with disabilities offers significant physical, psychological, and social benefits, yet participation rates remain lower than among their non-disabled peers. This study, conducted in Hungary, explores how value orientations, health perceptions, and disability characteristics interact to shape sports engagement. Using a cluster analysis approach, we identified three distinct groups based on how young individuals with disabilities prioritize various life aspects. Data were collected through a survey of 771 participants aged 8–18, including individuals with diverse disability types. K-means clustering revealed three profiles: (1) a low sports activity group with moderate health consciousness, (2) a health-conscious group with broad life engagement but lower sports participation, and (3) a sports-oriented group that demonstrated strong interest in sports despite reporting lower self-rated health. The findings suggest that personal value orientation is a stronger predictor of sports participation than disability type or perceived health status. Furthermore, access to sports facilities alone does not guarantee participation, emphasizing the need for motivational and psychological interventions. These results highlight the importance of tailored, value-driven strategies in promoting physical activity among young people with disabilities, shifting focus from disability-specific adaptations to broader engagement-based approaches.

Mohammed Alarfaj, Mosleh Hmoud Al-Adhaileh, M. Irfan Uddin et al.

Wearable electroencephalography (EEG) devices for seizure detection accuracy and reliability are deep learning (DL) applications in the field of epilepsy diagnosis. In this study, we sought to increase the accuracy of seizure detection using advanced DL algorithms on the Children’s Hospital Boston - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (CHB-MIT) EEG database. First, a fully convolutional network (FCN) was trained and assessed using accuracy and recall/precision metrics, and the early stopping technique was used to avoid overfitting. To assess the performance, the FCN was evaluated in terms of various metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-area under the curve (AUC). In addition, two-dimensional (2D) convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and long short-term memory (LSTM) models were used to model the database, and their performance was thoroughly measured using different metrics, graphs, and confusion matrices. Using LSTM variants, such as standard LSTM, bidirectional LSTM, stacked LSTM, and LSTM attention mechanisms, hybrid convolutional LSTM (ConvLSTM) models were trained and compared. The comparison was conducted based on the training and validation accuracy and loss, as well as the graphs resulting from the precision–recall curves. Apart from DL approaches, EEG signal analysis using time–frequency techniques, such as wavelet transform and short-time Fourier transform, has also been investigated. These methods assisted in the analysis of the time–frequency features of EEG signals in combination with DL models. This study demonstrates that the performance of wearable EEG devices can be augmented using a combination of DL and seizure signal processing techniques. The FCN achieved an accuracy of 92%, with a recall for seizures of 33%, an F1-score of 0.03, and strong ROC-AUC results. The 2D CNN achieved 96% accuracy, a seizure recall of 70%, an F1-score of 0.12, and an ROC-AUC score of 78%. The baseline LSTM struggled with effectiveness at 53% accuracy with a seizure recall of 18%. In contrast, the LSTM model, which incorporated synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) balancing, was able to reach improvements of up to 89% accuracy, with a precision of 91%, a recall of 86%, an F1-score of 0.89, and a strong ROC curve performance. Among the models, the LSTM with SMOTE was the best performer, with 89% accuracy, 91% precision, 86% recall, and an F1-score of 0.89. These results provide evidence that applying techniques for data balancing in combination with certain DL network architectures significantly improves the detection of seizures using wearable EEG devices worn on the body. We believe that real-time monitoring and high-performance systems are feasible using optimized DL frameworks. The analysis of the performance of different models allows for the understanding of the possibilities of optimizing the architectures of DL algorithms for the modern diagnosis of epilepsy in real time. The source code used to carry out the experiments is publicly available at CHB-MIT EEG Dataset Python Scripts ( https://www.kaggle.com/code/adnankust/adnaneeg1 ).

Anisha Maharaj, Munira Hoosain, Carl Lombard et al.

Background: Depression is a significant contributor to the burden of disease globally and is often associated with reduced work productivity and permanent disability. Objectives: This study aimed to identify factors associated with return to work among disability claimants with depression at one insurer in South Africa. Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 514 disability claims. Univariate tests for association (Chi-square and Fisher) were performed to test the significance of the association between the primary outcome (disability benefit terminated as a result of return to work) and demographic and workplace factors. Results: The majority of disability claimants were women (71.6%). Women and claimants under the age of 60 years at the time of benefit termination had a high probability of returning to work, 80% and 99% respectively. Of the 39% of claimants who had a high level of workplace support during the disability process, 95% also returned to work. Nearly half (48%) of the disability claimants returned to work in less than 6 months, while most of those with a duration of disability longer than 24 months did not return to work (79%). Conclusion: Female gender, lower age (under 60 years), high workplace support and shorter duration of disability were all positively associated with return to work for disability claimants with depression. Contribution: This study provides insights into factors associated with successful return to work for disability claimants with depression, which can guide case management and rehabilitation for this population.

Fatima Hussein Abed, Salma Kadhum Jihad

Objectives: This study aimed to quantify anxiety levels among post-ischemic stroke patients in Babylon Governorate, Iraq, and establish a correlation between anxiety severity and sociodemographic/clinical factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 post-ischemic stroke patients at Al-Imam Al Sadiq Teaching Hospital and Babylon Specialized Medical Rehabilitation Center (October 2024–July 2025). Anxiety severity was quantified using a modified Hamilton rating scale for anxiety (HAM-A) as mild (70–116.66), moderate (116.67–163.33), and severe (163.34–210). Sociodemographic (income, education, sex, and age) and clinical data (chronic illness and smoking status) were collected through structured interviews. The relationship between variables was examined using multivariate logistic regression and chi-square tests to identify predictors of severe anxiety. Results: Patients aged >65 years also had disproportionately high rates of severe anxiety (32.4%) compared to their younger counterparts (15.6%), as indicated by a statistically significant chi-square analysis (χ2=8.12, P=0.043). Financial instability was also a cause of higher anxiety, with 37.5% of patients who had “insufficient” income reporting severe anxiety versus only 15.4% of patients who had “sufficient” income (P=0.012). Clinically, patients with chronic comorbidities were 3.2 times more likely to experience severe anxiety (odds ratio [OR]=3.21, 95% CI, 1.45%, 7.12%, P=0.004), indicating the comorbidity of physical and psychological distress. The level of education was also significant: 28.6% of illiterates experienced severe anxiety compared to 13.6% of those with diploma and above levels (P=0.041). Discussion: The high prevalence of moderate-to-severe anxiety (87.2%) is consistent with global trends and highlights the need for universal mental health screening in post-stroke patients. Independent predictors, such as advanced age, low income, and a high burden of chronic disease, identify vulnerable subgroups that require targeted interventions. The majority of sample post-ischemic stroke patients experienced moderate levels of anxiety, about a quarter of the sample had severe anxiety, and about half of the sample had mild anxiety.

Tal Starik, Maya Huber, Gabi Zeilig et al.

BACKGROUND: The high unemployment rate among people with disabilities (PWDs) can be attributed to barriers found in the work environment and demands of the job itself. Given the lack of comprehensive tools to identify these barriers, we developed the Employment Barriers Questionnaire (EBQ). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to develop and examine the EBQ’s reliability and validity for detecting employment barriers and possible modifications to overcome them. METHODS: Two stages were conducted: stage I was a cross-sectional design. Stage II included a cross-sectional and prospective design. Thirty-nine people with physical disabilities (mean age 47.21±10.78 years) were recruited, 51% of which were employed during data collection. During stage I, we developed a first version of the EBQ (EBQ.I) and evaluated its internal reliability. The EBQ.I was filled twice, one week apart to assess test-re-test reliability. Predictive validity was tested using a regression model to predict the employment status of stage II based on EBQ.I’s results from stage I. In stage II, we generated a second version (EBQ.II) and tested its internal-reliability and known-groups validity, by comparing the EBQ.II’s results between employed and unemployed subjects. RESULTS: The results showed that the EBQ.II has a high internal-reliability (α= 0.79–0.97) and a medium-large known-groups validity (–3.95≤Z≤–2.26, p < 0.05). Additionally, the EBQ.I has a high test re-test reliability (ICC = 0.85–0.94, p < 0.001) and predictive validity (β= 0.861, p = 0.033). CONCLUSION: This study has illustrated that the EBQ.II is a unique, reliable and valid tool for identifying employment barriers and modifications to address them, expected to improve vocational rehabilitation efforts.

Sadaf Noveen, Ghulam Saqulain, Shaista HabibUllah et al.

Objectives: To explore the impact of bilingualism on speech sound disorders in Pakistani 4-8 years old children. Methodology: This cross sectional exploratory study using convenient sampling recruited N=140 children suspected or having speech sound disorders. Sample included 4-8 years old children of both genders speaking Urdu and their native language from the speech clinics of four provinces of Pakistan from 1st March to 31st October 2016. Basic demographic sheet and Test for Assessment of articulation and Phonology in Urdu was used for data collection. Analysis done using SPSS Version-21. Chi-square & Pearson correlation was utilized and p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: The number of errors and mother tongue did not show correlation (r=.006, p=.499), while error type and mother tongue revealed weak negative correlation (r=-.091), concluding their non-relation with language. However, there was predominance of substitution 93(66.4%) followed by omission 27(19.3%) and distortion 20(14.3%) errors, with substitution being commonest in Pushto, omission in Urdu and distortion in Punjabi speaking. Also phonological process of liquid gliding was absent ( /r/ is substituted with /l/) in Urdu language and children were intelligible despite articulatory or phonological errors and intelligibility continues developing after 4 years of age. Conclusion: The speech sound errors are independent of languages learned by the child because the phonetic repertoire and articulatory movements for a sound in every language is similar. A child growing up in a native language environment will make similar articulatory errors in Urdu and the native language.

Hafsat Maina Ali, Surajo Kamilu Sulaiman, Umar Muhammad Bello et al.

Objectives: Stroke is a major cause of disability in adults, necessitating consistent patient-therapist interactions and diligent adherence to home-based rehabilitation programs to achieve substantial functional recovery. This study assessed audio-based telerehabilitation's (TR) preliminary effect and feasibility in promoting home-based upper extremity exercises among stroke survivors. Methods: A 4-week parallel two-arm pilot study design was employed. Fourteen stroke survivors (seven each in the experimental and control groups) were recruited. Individuals in the control group received standard care consisting of visits to physiotherapy outpatient clinics, while the intervention group received standard care in addition to audio-based TR. The independent t-test and chi-square test were used to analyze differences in the clinical and sociodemographic data. The independent t-test was used to measure the treatment effect on the upper limb motor function (Fugl-Meyer upper extremity [FMA-UE] and Wolf motor function test [WMFT]), quality of life (QOL) (the World Health Organization (WHO) QOL brief, [WHOQOL-BREF]), and activities of daily living (Barthel index [BI]).   Results: The overall Mean±SD age of the participants is 50±8.2 years. The FMA-UE and WMFT scores changed from 17.57 to 25.86 (P=0.02) and 28.14 to 43.71 (P=0.03). No significant improvements in physical health, psychological, and social relationships domains of WHOQOL-BREF were recorded after the intervention. However, the environmental domain showed significant improvement (P=0.001). Scores of BI did not change significantly (P=0.49). Discussion: The findings of this study provided preliminary evidence to support the feasibility and benefits of audio-based TR in promoting functional regain after the stroke. However, further studies with a robust design are needed to validate the reported effectiveness.

D. O. Bezdieniezhna

The article examines the concept of administrative legal regulation of service provision by the State Employment Service in the context of wartime. Particular attention is paid to servicing certain categories of citizens who have suffered the most from the war in Ukraine. These categories include internally displaced persons, combatants and persons with disabilities. The author emphasizes the importance of distinguishing these categories of persons from others due to their increased mental and emotional vulnerability and significant socio-economic losses caused by the war in Ukraine. The State Employment Service, as a key executive body in the field of employment promotion, plays a critical role in providing social support and integration of certain categories of people, especially in wartime. Its functions include not only employment assistance, but also the provision of comprehensive services aimed at the socio-economic adaptation of internally displaced persons, combatants and persons with disabilities to everyday life. The article provides a detailed analysis of three key services provided by the State Employment Service. Firstly, it’s the organization of vocational education for registered unemployed individuals in specialized vocational training centers that are part of the service’s structure. Secondly, it’s the mechanism of providing vouchers for higher education in accredited higher education institutions with the assistance of the State Employment Service. Thirdly, it’s support in the form of grants aimed at stimulating entrepreneurial activity and starting your own business. Among the main problems in the mechanism of providing these services, attention is focused on overcoming primarily psychological barriers in recipients, difficulties in providing informational support regarding the offered services, as well as simplifying the process of obtaining and further implementing these services. Emphasis is placed on the necessity of expanding the classifier of professions for which one can receive a free voucher for education in higher educational institutions, in order to meet the needs of the majority of service users, taking into account their individual abilities and preferences. The conclusion is drawn that successful administrative - legal regulation of service provision for specific categories of individuals is conditioned by the cooperation of state structures, higher education institutions, charitable organizations, and the service recipients themselves to ensure their successful integration into socio-economic life, including the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons, combatants, and persons with disabilities in the community.

Grahame K Simpson, Philippa McRae, T. Gates et al.

BACKGROUND Following a severe acquired brain injury, individuals often have low return to work rates. The Vocational Intervention Program (VIP), a partnership of Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program community rehabilitation centres with external vocational rehabilitation providers in New South Wales, Australia, was developed to facilitate a return to competitive employment for working-age people. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of the VIP partnership model, this intervention was compared to outcomes from a health-based brain injury vocational rehabilitation centre (H-VR) or community brain injury rehabilitation centres ("treatment as usual"; TAU). METHODS A 3-arm non-randomized controlled trial was conducted among the 12 adult rehabilitation centres of the NSW Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program. The VIP arm was delivered by 6 community rehabilitation centres in partnership with 3 external private Vocational Rehabilitation providers. The H-VR arm was delivered by 1 health-based vocational rehabilitation centre and the 5 remaining centres delivered TAU. Competitive employment status ("Yes"/"No") and clinician ratings of disability and participation were collected pre- and post-intervention, and at 3-month follow-up. Multilevel models were conducted to investigate change over time by treatment arm. RESULTS In total, 148 individuals with severe brain injury were included in the trial: n = 75 (VIP), n = 33 (H-VR) and n = 40 (TAU). Sixty-five people (of 108, 60%) completed the VR intervention. A significant arm-by-time interaction was found, with higher return to work rates from pre- to post-intervention in VIP and H-VR arms compared to TAU (P = 0.0002). Significant arm-by-time interactions also indicated improved work-related participation and independent living skills from pre- to post-intervention in VIP and H-VR compared to the TAU arm (P < 0.05). These improvements were maintained at 3-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The VIP improved return to competitive employment at comparable rates to the specialist H-VR. Larger-scale adoption of the VIP model could provide significant improvements in vocational rehabilition sevices to support people in their return to work following severe brain injury. ANZCTR TRIAL REGISTRY NUMBER ACTRN12622000769785.

Daniel O. Ashipala, Lettie Langendorf

Abstract Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) remains one of the major causes of disability globally. It results in permanent physical disability secondary to devastating neurological defects. When a person sustains SCI, substantial changes and challenges in their lives occur, regardless of their age or socioeconomic status. In Namibia, the knowledge on SCI experiences could be used to improve the care rendered to patients with this injury. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of patients with SCIs admitted to the rehabilitation unit at the national referral hospital in Khomas region, Namibia. Method: A qualitative, explorative and descriptive study design was used. Data were collected by means of in-depth, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 15 participants from the rehabilitation unit. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Analysis of the data in this study identified three themes: negative experiences, positive experiences and measures to improve the lives of people living with SCI in the community. Participants experienced varied emotions from anger, stress, disbelief, frustration and sadness, which led to depression. In addition, participants experienced discrimination due to lack of community acceptance hence, improving awareness remains key. Conclusion: This study provided insight into the lived experiences of those living with SCI as they narrated their struggle from the onset of SCI to their reintegration into the community. The study’s findings can be used to develop self-care strategies and ongoing interventions that focus on maintaining physical and psychological health for spinal-cord injured persons throughout the course of living with disability.

Dafne Z. Morgado Ramirez, Brenda Nakandi, Robert Ssekitoleko et al.

Background: The impact of upper limb absence on people’s lived experiences is understudied, particularly in African countries, with implications for policy and service design. Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore the lived experiences of people with upper limb absence (PWULA) living in Uganda. Method: Informed by preliminary work, we designed a qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews to understand the experience of living with upper limb absence in Uganda. Seventeen adults with upper limb absence were individually interviewed and their interviews were analysed utilising thematic analysis. Results: Seven themes illustrating the impact on the individual’s life after amputation were identified and categorised into (1) living and adapting to life, (2) productivity and participation and (3) living within the wider environment. This study presents three main findings: (1) PWULA need psychological and occupational support services which are not available in Uganda, (2) PWULA want to work, but face multiple barriers to employment and has limited support, combined with the complex parenting and caring responsibilities, (3) the local Ugandan culture and social structures affect the everyday life of PWULA, both in positive and negative ways. Conclusion: This study provides information on the lived experiences of PWULA in Uganda which are lacking in the literature. People with upper limb absence face ableism and hardship underpinned by a lack of formal support structures and policies, which may in turn exacerbate the impact of upper limb absence on multiple facets of life.

Nosheen Manzoor, Hina Manzoor, Tooba Tahir et al.

Objective: This main focus of the study was to investigate the frequency of knee pain among traffic wardens of different age groups in Faisalabad Punjab, Pakistan. Methodology: A cross sectional survey was conducted on 100 traffic wardens of Faisalabad through face to face interview by using self-structured questionnaire from January to October 2019. Convenient sampling was used during data collection. Individuals with age from 20-70 years working as traffic warden with work experience more than 5 years were included. Individuals who were facing some respiratory problems, cardiac issues, auto immune inflammatory joint diseases, rheumatology diseases, poliomyelitis, malignancies, amputations and those disorders and conditions which require proper supervised training fitness and rehabilitation programs and could not participate in general fitness program were not included in the study. For quantitative variables, mean standard deviation was determined, whereas for qualitative variables, frequencies and percentages were calculated. The Chi square test was done to see if there was a link between pain and associative factors. A p-value of less than 0.05 was deemed significant. Results: The results of the study showed that 57% traffic wardens had mild to severe knee pain. According to visual analog scale, 10% wardens felt mild pain, 32% felt moderate, 15% felt severe pain. The knee pain is significantly associated with age, obesity, static posture and working hours with P value < 0.05. Conclusion: There is increased frequency of knee pain among traffic wardens and is associated with age, obesity, static posture and prolong working hours. Keywords: Knee, Pain, Traffic Warden, Traffic Police, Causes.

Zhen S. McKnight, A. Crudden, Michele C. McDonnall

Introduction: This study utilized data from the 2014 Survey of Disability and Employment (SDE) to examine personal characteristics that influenced employment after disability onset for people who are visually impaired (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision). Method: The selected sample from the SDE data set included 131 individuals who are visually impaired, had disability onset after age 14 years, and worked before their disability onset. Logistic regression was used to examine working after disability onset associated with age at disability onset, years since disability onset, gender, race, education, receipt of government disability benefits, self-reported health, encouragement received to work, additional disabilities, and the interaction between age at disability onset and years since disability onset. Results: Persons who were female, received government benefits, and had multiple disabilities were less likely to work after disability onset; persons who had more sources of encouragement were more likely to work after disability onset. Age at disability onset interacted with time since disability onset; as age increased, odds of working after disability onset increased but only for persons who had their disability for at least 4 years. Discussion: Persons with newly acquired disabilities may need time to adjust to their disability and learn new skills that allow them to continue employment. Information about how employment may influence receipt of government benefits would be helpful to persons evaluating their options regarding continuing employment. Implications for practitioners: A person who has not worked after recent disability onset may be adjusting to life with a disability and may return to work in the future. Encouragement to work from both service providers and family members made a meaningful difference in employment retention after disability onset, and this is an area that vocational rehabilitation professionals can influence.

Agnieszka Woynarowska

This short report discusses issues related to the employment policy and vocational activity support system for people with intellectual disabilities in Poland. The analyses are based on data from a broader research project entitled Employment and Disability. The reconstruction of the Vocational Experience of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Poland. The project sought to explore the work-related situation of persons with intellectual disabilities regarding the employment policy, support practices in workplaces, and vocational experience of employees with intellectual disabilities, their job coaches and the coordinators of employment projects. The methodological framework combined the grounded theory set in social constructivism, as presented in Charmaz’s works, with discourse analysis and the sociologically-oriented analysis of practices. The data were collected in 25 workplaces employing persons with disabilities in various parts of Poland, mainly by means of in-depth interviews, observation, and field notes. Although analyses discussing the specificity of Polish employment policy indicate that the vocational activity of persons with intellectual disabilities is promoted in Poland, in reality its implementation is difficult. The difficulties result from the poor quality law regulating vocational activity, lack of adequate legislative solutions, barriers on the part of employers, and the absence of sufficient financial support.

Irene Polo Blanco, María José González López, Alicia Bruno

Los estudiantes diagnosticados con Trastornos del Espectro Autista (TEA) suelen desarrollar un interés especial sobre áreas que no son habituales en cuanto a su intensidad o temática. Este trabajo profundiza en comprender la influencia que tienen las áreas de interés especial en los procesos de resolución de problemas aritméticos verbales de multiplicación y división, mediante un estudio de caso único con un estudiante de 11 años diagnosticado con TEA y discapacidad intelectual. Se utiliza un cuestionario formado por 15 problemas enunciados en tres tipos de contextos: de interés especial, familiar y no familiar. Siguiendo una metodología cualitativa, se clasifican las estrategias informales y el éxito en la obtención de la solución. Los resultados muestran que las áreas de interés especial han supuesto una mayor implicación del estudiante, pero no han logrado una mejora efectiva respecto de los contextos familiares, ya que en ambos contextos el estudiante ha resuelto los problemas de multiplicación y de división-agrupamiento pero no ha logrado resolver los problemas de división-reparto. En el contexto no familiar no ha resuelto ningún problema. Estos hallazgos contribuyen a completar la literatura existente sobre la utilidad educativa de las áreas de interés especial en estudiantes diagnosticados con TEA.

Cecilia Azorín Abellán, Mónica del Mar González Botía

En los últimos años, ha habido un incremento exponencial en el número de guías, materiales e informes que se encuentran a disposición de los centros escolares para orientar su camino hacia la inclusión. Partiendo de esta realidad, se ha llevado a cabo un estudio de naturaleza cualitativa cuyo objetivo principal ha consistido en una selección de guías sobre inclusión que resultan de utilidad para iniciar procesos de reflexión-acción en la comunidad educativa. El análisis documental de contenido (de un total de 13 guías) ha permitido identificar los facilitadores/limitadores que posibilitan/dificultan el avance de la inclusión. Asimismo, se han especificado los recursos/instrumentos que ofrecen las guías para acompañar a los centros en el camino hacia una educación más inclusiva. Los resultados recogen la importancia que tiene la formación del profesorado en la atención a la diversidad, la puesta en marcha de redes de colaboración y la reformulación de barreras en facilitadores. Las conclusiones apuntan a la necesidad de iniciar/sostener procesos de mejora para una mayor inclusión dentro y fuera de las aulas y de dar a conocer este corpus de guías a los profesionales que están en la práctica.

R. Rosenheck, D. Leslie, R. Keefe et al.