Affiliations: Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA | [x] P.O. Box 980661, Richmond, VA 23298, USA, Tel.: +1 804 828 4233; Fax: +1 804 828 5074; E-mail: wmckinle@hsc.vcu.edu | [y] Virginia Commonwealth University, MCV Campus, PO Box 980677, Richmond, VA 23298-0677, USA, Tel.: +1 804 828 5401; Fax: +1 804 828 6340; E-mail: mameade@vcu.edu
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: John Bricout, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, GWB School of Social Work, Washington University, Campus Box 1196, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA. Tel.: +1 314 935 7570; E-mail: jbricout@gwbssw.wustl.edu
Abstract: Return-to-work is an area of critical concern for individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI), because of the psychological, psychosocial and economic benefits of employment. Although the majority of individuals with SCI are employed pre-injury, they are impeded from maintaining those jobs due to personal, organizational and systems level barriers. Telework, which permits home-based work through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), alleviates many of return-to-work barriers for individuals with SCI, including job demands, mobility limitations, transportation needs and fatigue imposed by medical complications. For telework to fulfill its potential as a return-to-work strategy, rehabilitation professionals and employers must assess and enhance the readiness of the individual, workgroup and organization within the context of a disability management program. Strategies for successfully implementing telework as a return-to-work strategy for individuals with SCI are discussed, along with implications for future research.
