Patterns of Support for Employees With Severe Disabilities

Increasingly, supported employment is discussed in tandem with the notion of natural supports. Natural supports, emphasizing the use of existing supports typically found in the workplace, has become a commonly used strategy for improving economic and integration outcomes valued by people with disabilities, their families, and their advocates. This study is the second in a series focused on features of employment as they relate to economic and integration outcomes. An analysis of data collected from 462 people in 8 states was provided. Results suggest that understanding and incorporating "typical" employment features in workplaces is associated with better wage and integration outcomes. Data were discussed in relation to potential implications for job development and workplace analyses.