Affiliations: Department of Occupational Science and Occupational
Therapy, Doisy College of Health Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis,
MO, USA | Department of Kinesiology & Community Health,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Diane L. Smith, Ph.D., OTR/L,
Department of Kinesiology & Community Health, College of Applied Health
Sciences, 127 Huff Hall, MC-588, 1206 Fourth Street, Champaign, IL 61820, USA.
Tel.: +1 217 244 0503; Fax: +1 217 333 2766; E-mail: smithdl@uiuc.edu
Abstract: Objectives: This research sought to identify the perceptions of
individuals with disabilities regarding employment, how prepared they felt for
the workforce, and what the limiting factors that affected employment were. Methods: Students from a local center for independent living's College
for Living classes completed 60 surveys containing yes-no and Likert scale
questions during their regularly scheduled class time. Results:
Sixty-seven percent of individuals would like to attend a course to improve
their skills. 82% of individuals who had participated in employment programs
felt they had the necessary skills to work while 35.3% of those who did not
attend employment programs felt they had the necessary skills. Transportation
and disability status were the mostly frequently mentioned limiting factors to
employment. Conclusions: Generally, individuals who had either
participated in an employment program were less likely to report barriers to
their participation in employment than those who had never attended an
employment program.
