| Poor employment outcomes for persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) persist, despite the development of legal policies designed to enhance access to gainful employment and to promote increased community integration. Recent data suggest that only 37% of young adults with ID obtain paid employment outside of the home. Among persons with ID who do obtain employment, career options are limited and nearly half are paid below minimum wage. Various strategies have been used to improve employment outcomes for those with ID, such as use of a job coach and teaching self-management strategies on the job site. These strategies often involve the use of visual or auditory prompting to assist with task completion; both of which can be provided by assistive technology. The current study examined the use of readily available, inexpensive, and discrete portable electronic assistive technology in an office setting to provide prompting and instruction to three young adults with ID. Results revealed that the technology substantially increased participants' ability to independently and correctly complete office-related tasks. Implications and suggestions for future research are provided. |
