Journal of Disability Policy Studies recent issues

School-to-Work Transition Programs Within Third-Party Government: A Process-Based Organizational Analysis

Downs, A., Carlon, D. M. — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:16:01 PST

The authors investigated third-party government, that is, the realignment of public sector agencies from "service providers" to "service managers." Using a model developed in studies of multinational corporations, the authors examined key processes within school-to-work transition programs for students with developmental disabilities. The findings suggest substantial variations among processes in agencies providing transition services. Transition programs exhibited traditional, hierarchical, bureaucratic structures, as well as flattened, horizontal, and networked structures. The variation and flexibility apparent in these structures are consistent with changes in both the policies that govern the delivery of services as well as the practice of implementing person-centered planning.

The Effects of State Policy Decisions on the Employment and Earnings of Medicaid Buy-In Participants in 2006

Ireys, H. T., Gimm, G., Liu, S. — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:16:01 PST

This article examines the Medicaid Buy-In program, so named because workers with disabilities "buy into" Medicaid coverage with monthly premiums. In 2006, 97,491 individuals were enrolled in 32 state Buy-In programs. States have taken different pathways toward the program’s dual objectives: expanding Medicaid coverage to vulnerable populations and promoting employment of working-age adults with disabilities. Analyses indicate that (a) some states appear to have accomplished both objectives, whereas other states have emphasized one over the other, and that (b) certain program features (e.g., higher earned income limits) contribute to both larger percentages of Buy-In participants who are employed and higher earnings of employed participants. The authors’ findings have implications for Buy-In design and the study of federalism in health care.

Elementary School Placements of African American Students Who Are Profoundly Deaf

Wilkens, C. P. — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:16:01 PST

Data from the third wave (2003—2004) of the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study are used to generate nationally representative estimates of current school and classroom placements of elementary school—aged students who are African American and profoundly deaf. These students are found to have less access to regular schools and less access to typical classroom placements within schools than their White peers.

Trends in the Relative Household Income of Working-Age Men With Work Limitations: Correcting the Record Using Internal Current Population Survey Data

Burkhauser, R. V., Larrimore, J. — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:16:01 PST

Policy makers relying on public-use Current Population Survey (CPS) data to measure the success of government policies in overcoming the gap in economic well-being between working-age men with and without disabilities will understate the mean income of both and overstate the relative economic well-being of the former. This understatement results from topcoding in the public-use CPS, which suppresses top incomes in the data set. Using cell means with the public-use CPS, the authors better correct for these topcoding problems than alternate methods and provide a relative economic well-being series (1980—2006) based on the mean incomes of working-age men with and without disabilities.

Factors Affecting Vocational Rehabilitation Intervention Outcomes: The Case for Minorities With Disabilities

Mwachofi, A. K., Broyles, R., Khaliq, A. — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:16:02 PST

Vocational rehabilitation (VR) services are designed to help individuals with disabilities achieve gainful employment. This study examines VR’s effectiveness in assisting minorities achieve gainful employment. The study uses case management data from 617,149 cases closed by VR in 2006 in all states. It examines differences in access, employment, and earnings for White and ethnic minority clients. Multivariate techniques are used to assess factors that influence competitive employment outcomes, hourly earnings, and hours worked. Findings show significant differences in employment and earnings outcomes for minority and majority clients, with minorities faring worse. VR intervention length and per capita expenditures for services significantly influence employment and earnings outcomes. VR is more effective with White than with minority clients. There is a need to implement policies or practices that ensure equity in access to services that might translate into more equitable employment and earnings outcomes.

Use of Workload Analysis for Caseload Establishment in the Recruitment and Retention of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists

Woltmann, J., Camron, S. C. — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:16:02 PST

Personnel shortages have been a persistent challenge in the field of special education. In particular, shortages in the ranks of speech-language pathologists have been acute for many years. The inability to recruit and retain speech-language pathologists may result in underserving a vulnerable and growing student population. Although there are various reasons for these shortages, a predominant rationale has been poor working conditions, especially large, unmanageable caseloads and increasing administrative paperwork requirements. Proponents of a new methodology for establishing caseload configurations, called workload analysis, claim that this will improve recruitment and retention of speech-language pathologists. This article considers the source, application of, and empirical evidence relating to workload analysis. The conclusion is that there is insufficient evidence to support the claims. A direction for further research on the issue is presented.

A Comparison of Disabled Veteran and Nonveteran Income: Time to Revise the Law?

Fulton, L. V., Belote, J. M., Brooks, M. S., Coppola, M. N. — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:16:02 PST

This study evaluates disabled veteran compensation law against its stated objective, equalizing the pay differential associated with disability. The significance of this study is that it provides insight into the efficacy of disabled veteran compensation policy, which derives from tables listed in the Code of Federal Regulations (38 CFR 4). In some cases, these tables have not been updated since 1945. Through regression analysis, personal income (appropriately transformed) is modeled as a function of four variable blocks (demographics, education, geographical, and veteran-related) using secondary data from the 2007 American Community Survey. The population includes working-age adults ages 18 to 64 (n = 1.8 million, representing N = 190 million U.S. citizens). Regression captured 37.2% of the variance in personal income. Veteran-related variables (entered last into the model) accounted for 2.2% of the unique variance. The sample size guaranteed statistical significance, but the analysis proved practically relevant. Disabled veteran status had a large and negative effect, especially as the number of disabilities increased. The results suggest that disabled veterans who have multiple categories of disabilities do not receive income on par with society or with disabled nonveterans reporting the same number of disabilities. This finding provides evidence that 38 CFR 4 is ineffective.

Collaborative Relationships Between Vocational Rehabilitation and Other One-Stop Partners: Policy Considerations for Supporting Partnerships

Timmons, J., Boeltzig, H., Cohen Hall, A., Hamner, D., Fesko, S. — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:47:49 PDT

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) brought together federal job training and employment programs to create one comprehensive service system. Among WIA’s core tenets are streamlined services to be developed, designed, and implemented by a variety of mandated and nonmandated partners. The public Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency is a mandated partner, and the only one that focuses on disability. Although the intention of WIA was mutual benefit and interaction, the exact nature of the VR partnership with the One-Stop varies. Using a longitudinal research design and case study method, collaborative relationships between other partners in the One-Stop and VR in six U.S. locations was explored. The findings uncovered four models of collaboration: full-time colocation of a few VR staff members, colocation in the same building complex, itinerant staffing, and limited itinerant staffing. There were a number of barriers to collaboration and strategies used in and among the various models to facilitate involvement of VR.

Ensuring the Enfranchisement of People With Disabilities

Ward, A., Baker, P. M. A., Moon, N. W. — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:47:49 PDT

In a representational democracy, the process of selecting people to represent the electorate is critical. To accomplish this goal, it is crucial that elections be fair and accurate reflections of the decisions of the voters. However, a significant and relatively unacknowledged constituency, people with disabilities, faces a variety of barriers to full participation in the U.S. electoral democracy. Recent research has provided evidence that how people with disabilities vote is just as important as the physical barriers they face when casting their votes. This article presents an overview of the literature addressing issues that affect how people with disabilities vote, with an especial focus on the role of election officials as both facilitators and inhibitors of voting by people with disabilities.

Evaluating the Centers for Disease Control's Empirical Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Case Definition

Jason, L. A., Najar, N., Porter, N., Reh, C. — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:47:49 PDT

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently developed an empirical case definition that specifies criteria and instruments to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in order to bring more methodological rigor to the current CFS case definition. The present study investigated this new definition with 27 participants with a diagnosis of CFS and 37 participants with a diagnosis of a Major Depressive Disorder. Participants completed questionnaires measuring disability, fatigue, and symptoms. Findings indicated that 38% of those with a diagnosis of a Major Depressive Disorder were misclassified as having CFS using the new CDC definition. Given the CDC’s stature and respect in the scientific world, this new definition might be widely used by investigators and clinicians. This might result in the erroneous inclusion of people with primary psychiatric conditions in CFS samples, with detrimental consequences for the interpretation of epidemiologic, etiologic, and treatment efficacy findings for people with CFS.

Participation of Individuals With Developmental Disabilities and Families on Advisory Boards and Committees

Caldwell, J., Hauss, S., Stark, B. — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:47:49 PDT

A participatory action research approach was adopted to explore supports that enhance participation of individuals with developmental disabilities and family members on advisory committees. Focus groups and open-ended surveys were conducted with staff from University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities and members of their Consumer Advisory Committees. Five themes emerged: (a) individualized supports, (b) financial supports, (c) coordination and communication, (d) leadership development, and (e) value and outcomes. Themes provide practical guidance to organizations as well as highlight broader systemic issues.

Knowledge Translation in Disability and Rehabilitation Research: Lessons From the Application of Knowledge Value Mapping to the Case of Accessible Currency

Rogers, J. D., Martin, F. H., NCDDR Knowledge Translation Task Force — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:47:49 PDT

Knowledge translation (KT) has emerged recently in the health science community as a means to address perceived gaps in the application of the best research to treatment of disease. Specifically, in the area of disability and rehabilitation research, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has identified KT as one of the three areas for critical outcome achievement. This article analyzes some of the issues raised by the notion of KT. First, the article puts KT in the broader context of the study of knowledge flow problems. Second, it introduces the knowledge value mapping (KVM) framework as an avenue for addressing some of the fundamental issues that KT raises in the context of disability and rehabilitation research. Third, it illustrates the application of the framework with a KVM case study of accessible currency. Finally, it discusses the implications of the case study in the broader context of health research agencies such as NIDRR.

In Memoriam: Craig Fiedler

Rylance, B. J. — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:11:31 PDT

Alternative Dispute Resolution: A New Agenda for Special Education Policy

Mueller, T. G. — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:11:31 PDT

The number of due process hearings between parents of children with disabilities and school districts is growing nationwide. This litigation costs millions of dollars and destroys the relationships between the home and school envisioned during the creation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This article provides a discussion of the status of our nation with regard to conflict between families and school districts. Current dispute resolution procedures, such as due process, formal complaints, and mediation, are all discussed as they relate to this growing national problem. Information regarding resolution meetings and alternative dispute resolution strategies are also discussed, as well as recommended structures for practicing appropriate dispute resolution in special education.

Temporary and Partial Disability Programs in Nine Countries: What Can the United States Learn From Other Countries?

Mitra, S. — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:11:31 PDT

This article reviews and compares disability benefit systems in nine countries—Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, and the United States. It focuses on temporary and partial disability benefit programs and on how such programs may help return persons with disabilities to work. An analysis of the general advantages and disadvantages of temporary and partial disability programs is presented. Specific concerns if such programs were to be implemented in the United States are addressed. Time-limited programs seem to have the potential to improve return to work among persons with disabilities and reduce program costs. Caution is needed in adopting such a program, as implementation would be complex and the employment outcomes of recently adopted time-limited programs overseas are yet to be evaluated. In contrast, the study found that partial disability benefit programs are complex to administer and appear to offer little potential to encourage return to work.

Access and Coordination of Health Care Service for People With Disabilities

Hwang, K., Johnston, M., Tulsky, D., Wood, K., Dyson-Hudson, T., Komaroff, E. — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:11:31 PDT

Individuals with disabilities often have multiple complex medical and nonmedical needs. Furthermore, in the current facility-directed health care system, they are at enhanced risk of receiving poorly coordinated, suboptimal care. This is especially problematic because individuals with disabilities face multiple barriers to receiving quality health care services, ranging from structural barriers (e.g., physical access to doctors' offices) to procedural barriers (e.g., difficulty scheduling appointments, problems obtaining insurance coverage). By contrast, a consumer-directed approach to health care (distinct from facility-directed health care) can be effectual, cost-effective, and subjectively satisfying. This brief commentary addresses the importance of a consumer-directed approach to the delivery of health care to individuals with disabilities and the need for specific assessments of the experiences of people with disabilities regarding their care. As such, it proposes recommendations for future policy interventions.

Postsecondary Education for Individuals With Disabilities: Legal and Practice Considerations

Katsiyannis, A., Dalun Zhang, , Landmark, L., Reber, A. — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:11:31 PDT

Participation of students with disabilities in postsecondary education has been increasing steadily in the past two decades. Many of these students need reasonable accommodations and other assistance in order to stay enrolled and graduate with a degree. However, recent studies indicate that faculty in higher education have little knowledge about legislative mandates regarding their obligation in serving students with disabilities. When faculty members are ignorant of the legislative mandates pertaining to students with disabilities, accessibility to learning may be compromised. Lack of disability legislative knowledge may also lead to a failure to provide reasonable accommodations and may ultimately result in litigation. This article provides an overview of legislative mandates, examines relevant litigation, and discusses practice considerations regarding the participation of students with disabilities in postsecondary settings.

From Concentration to Dispersion: The Shift in Policy Approach to Disability Employment in China

Jin Huang, , Baorong Guo, , Bricout, J. C. — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:11:31 PDT

In China, there has seen a significant increase in the disability employment rate over the past 20 years, largely due to socioeconomic growth factors and disability employment policy development. Extant research has failed to account for the systemic policy and socioeconomic changes that have radically changed the employment landscape for persons with disabilities in China over the past three decades. An examination of disability employment in China reveals a shift of the policy approach from concentration to dispersion. The concentration approach, compatible with a central planned economy, has given its way to its market-based parallel, the dispersion approach. Characteristics of the three main forms of disability employment—welfare enterprises, the quota schemes, and self-employment—are discussed in depth. Finally, modifications to the current disability employment policies are suggested.

Developing Online Community Accessibility Guidelines for Persons With Disabilities and Older Adults

Jaeger, P. T., Bo Xie, — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:11:31 PDT

As online communities have become an important means of social interaction and community participation, ensuring their universal accessibility is essential for social inclusion. Although accessibility standards have been developed to make information-oriented Web sites more inclusive to users with disabilities and older adults, similar efforts have not been devoted to accessibility standards tailored specifically for online communities that are primarily communication oriented. Existing guidelines for Web site accessibility can be used as the starting point in designing accessible online communities for persons with disabilities and older adults, and public policy needs to play a significant role in ensuring the accessibility of the Web 2.0 environment. To ensure full accessibility of the online environment, however, it is necessary to move beyond guidelines that focus on one-way transfer of information and to develop guidelines for multidirectional communication. This article explores the social, policy, and developmental issues of the accessibility of online communities.

The Czech Republic: Report on the Current State of Disability Law and Policy

Sinecka, J. — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:53:40 PST

More than 17 years after the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe, the Czech Republic still does not have a comprehensive disability discrimination law based on social and human rights models. The Czech disability law has not fully reformed yet and relies on outdated law in many areas of life, causing discrimination against individuals with disabilities and their families. This process of development is similar to other postcommunist democracies where reforms started at political and economical levels, with the social area falling behind. This article is a brief report on the current state of Czech disability law and policy using examples of several case studies to illustrate the challenges people with disabilities face in contemporary society.

Income Security for Workers: A Stressed Support System in Need of Innovation

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:53:40 PST

The current mix of public and private programs to support workers after they experience disability onset provides benefits to millions of workers and former workers. Yet, despite the large and growing costs of these programs, the inflation-adjusted household incomes of workers with disabilities have been falling for more than two decades, both absolutely and, especially, relative to the incomes of those without disabilities. The aging of the baby boom generation is likely to make matters worse, and the government's fiscal circumstance will make it increasingly difficult to sustain existing public programs. Current public policy initiatives might eventually improve the disability support system, but they are not likely to ward off the adverse consequences of the pending crisis. Policy changes that leverage existing private sector practices and capabilities might achieve greater success but have received little attention and are far from proven.

Resource Disparities in Treating Persons With Disabilities for Four Common Cancers: An Exploratory Analysis

Chirikos, T. N., Roetzheim, R., McCarthy, E. P., Iezzoni, L. I. — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:53:40 PST

This study explored whether cumulative Medicare outlays on breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer treatment differ between persons with versus without disabilities. The authors used linked Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results—Medicare data to compute reimbursements between cancer cases originally entitled to Medicare because of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and those receiving Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) benefits. They examined differential outlays between these two subgroups by Medicare Part A and Part B services and by treatment phase to gauge whether disability-related resource disparities occur. The findings are mixed, with persons with disabilities treated for lung cancer most likely to experience such disparities. The SSDI subgroup had lower Part B outlays in all four cancers, but some of these were canceled out by higher Part A reimbursements.

Employment for People With Intellectual Disability in Australia and the United Kingdom

Dempsey, I., Ford, J. — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:53:40 PST

Australia and the United Kingdom have implemented similar policy and legislative initiatives designed to enhance the participation of people with intellectual disability in the workforce. However, the results of these initiatives have differed across these two countries because of historical and administrative differences in the management of government-funded employment services for people with a disability. Similarities across both countries include increased funding for employment services for people with a disability, strong policy statements on the inclusion of people with a disability in the workforce, a dearth of meaningful data on the employment of people with intellectual disability, continuing high unemployment rates for this population, and the lack of an outcomes-focused approach to evaluating whether employment services are meeting the needs of people with intellectual disability and their families.

Long-Term Poverty and Disability Among Working-Age Adults

Peiyun She, , Livermore, G. A. — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:53:40 PST

The authors use longitudinal data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation spanning 1996 to 1999 to estimate the prevalence of short- and long-term poverty among working-age people with and without disabilities. Depending on the disability measure used, annual poverty rates are 2 to 5 times higher among people with disabilities compared to those without disabilities. The relative long-term poverty rates among those with disabilities are much higher than the relative short-term poverty rates. People with disabilities represented 47% of those in poverty in 1997 according to an annual measure of poverty and 65% of those in poverty according to a long-term measure. The reasons that disability receives little attention in the poverty literature may be that most statistics are based on short-term measures, which partially mask the strong relationship between long-term poverty and long-term disability, and outdated perceptions of the relationship between disability and the ability to work.