Assessing the multidimensional nature of integration in employment settings
Lagomarcino, Thomas Robert
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Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/23536
Description
Title
Assessing the multidimensional nature of integration in employment settings
Author(s)
Lagomarcino, Thomas Robert
Issue Date
1989
Department of Study
Education, Special
Sociology, Industrial and Labor Relations
Sociology, Public and Social Welfare
Education, Vocational
Discipline
Education, Special
Sociology, Industrial and Labor Relations
Sociology, Public and Social Welfare
Education, Vocational
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Special
Sociology, Industrial and Labor Relations
Sociology, Public and Social Welfare
Education, Vocational
Language
eng
Abstract
Supported employment has emerged as an important policy development that must also be seen as a significant departure from current service delivery and policy. The integration of individuals with severe disabilities into the workplace is an essential element of supported employment. Worksite integration focuses on providing opportunities for workers with disabilities to interact in a variety of settings and situations which can include the work environment, lunchroom, break times, traveling to and from work, or socializing after work. Unfortunately, adequate measurements systems for integration have yet to be developed. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop an instrument, the Employment Integration Index, to measure the degree to which employees with disabilities were integrated into community settings. The instrument included the following dimensions: (a) Physical Integration, (b) Social Integration, and (c) Organizational Integration. A total of 191 individuals with severe disabilities in 101 supported employment settings were assessed using the instrument. The results indicated that the Employment Integration Index provided a reliable means of measuring the degree to which persons with disabilities are integrated into the workplace across these three dimensions. A series of validity studies were conducted revealing significant differences between level of employment integration and selected employment-related variables: (a) level of mental retardation, (b) placement type, (c) occupational areas, and (d) level of employment specialist involvement. Results also indicated positive correlations between employment integration and number of hours worked per month and hourly wage. The implications of this investigation and future research directions are discussed.
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