So you want to work? What employers say about job skills, recruitment and hiring employees who rely on AAC.

In order to better understand employer perspectives with respect to hiring and working with people who use AAC and the kinds of employment barriers they believe exist for these individuals, a study into the job requirements, recruitment processes, and hiring processes of 27 employers in the United States was conducted. Interviews with the 27 employers focused on 48 jobs in 25 unique categories, many of which had previously been identified as desirable by 38 adults who used AAC (some of whom were employed and some of whom were seeking employment). Findings suggest that, while level of education is still important to employers, skills such as time management, problem solving, communication, use of an understandable and standard voice, and basic technology may be even more so.

Job-related social networks and communication technology.

In order to examine the social networks of individuals who rely on AAC, 38 adults who used AAC provided information about how they developed and maintained job-related social networks and how communication technologies helped them to do so. The respondents met new people who might become part of their job-related networks during social events with family or friends, as well as at meetings, conferences, and workshops. They also frequently used generic communication technologies such as the phone, email, computer, and the Internet to maintain contact with people in their social networks.

Use of electronic technologies by people with intellectual disabilities.

Today's electronic technologies, including computers, cell phones, Internet, and electronic organizers, hold great promise for individuals with intellectual disabilities, yet little research has been conducted to explore patterns of use among this population. Drawing upon a survey of 83 adults with intellectual disabilities, we examined factors affecting use for three key electronic technologies: computer, Internet, and electronic organizers. Forty-one percent of participants used a computer; 25%, the Internet; and 11%, electronic organizers.