Doris Hamner

Focus Groups and Methodological Reflections Conscientious Flexibility in the Field

This article discusses the methodological issues and pragmatic dilemmas confronted by a group of researchers conducting focus groups composed of people with disabilities. As an initial component of a mixed-method, longitudinal research project, the intention was to gather perceptions of the ways in which recent policy initiatives shape the lives and employment experiences of people with disabilities. We present the methodological design issues we encountered in planning and conducting the focus groups with the hope that our reflections inform future qualitative research designs involving people with disabilities.

Agents of change in the disability field: bridge‐builders who make a difference

Purpose – This paper seeks to highlight the systemic conditions that facilitate the emergence, longevity, and effectiveness of bridge‐builders across organizations.Design/methodology/approach – Researchers conducted longitudinal case studies in six One‐Stop Career Centers across the USA over four years. Interviews were conducted with approximately 20 people in various positions at each of the sites visited. The data analyzed spanned the four years of the study.Findings – Researchers uncovered particular characteristics present in individual bridge‐builders that enabled them to accomplish their goals. This research indicates that, when the right conditions intersected with the right type of person, champions emerged who helped move the organization in new and innovative directions.Originality/value – This paper provides an outline of the organizational change that can happen in the disability field. By delineating bridge‐builders and the context in which they operate, others can identify the conditions wit...

A Continuum of Services Guided and Self-Directed Approaches to Service Delivery

This article focuses on the characteristics of effective employment services at the system level and is based on the experiences of individuals with disabilities who were successful in finding employment. We conducted interviews with 17 adults with disabilities who used a state agency to find employment and examined experiences with employment services, including job search and job entry experiences, strategies that facilitated involvement, supports provided, and barriers experienced. Findings showed that agency services varied from providing a guided approach to requiring a high level of self-direction. Job seekers shaped their experiences with agencies to find an effective place on the continuum between the 2 approaches. Findings also showed the advantages and limitations of each approach. This article also presents strategies for tailoring supports to meet the unique needs of each consumer along this spectrum.

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

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.