Employment Interventions for People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Delphi Study of Stakeholder Perspectives.

Schall et al. (2024) asked 61 adults with IDD, parents, job coaches, and employers to rate five ways to get a job.

They used a Delphi survey: three rounds of anonymous voting until the group agreed which paths feel right.

The five paths were supported employment, customized employment, internships, post-secondary ed, and apprenticeships.

Four paths hit the "socially valid" mark. Everyone agreed supported, customized, internships, and college routes are good.

Apprenticeships were left out. Most panel members said they did not know enough about them to vote.

The vote lines up with older data. Cramm et al. (2009) interviewed workers with mild ID and heard the same thing: supported jobs boost pride and well-being.

Cadette et al. (2016) tracked paychecks and community trips. Adults in community jobs had more money and went more places than peers stuck in sheltered workshops.

Bickel et al. (1991) watched social talk on the clock. Individual and enclave placements created more chatter with non-disabled coworkers than crew models.

Together these studies show both feeling and fact: real jobs in real places win. The Delphi panel simply stamped the idea "still true in 2024."

You can stop wondering if clients and families will value community work. They do. Use the four approved paths when you write transition plans. Start with supported or customized employment unless the team brings up internships or college. Skip apprenticeships for now—build local examples first, then teach stakeholders what they look like.