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Dague, E. Bryan

College of Education and Social Services

2006

PhD

Sheltered workshops are increasingly being viewed as an outdated model of vocational services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Due to the success of community-based supported employment programs, there is a growing movement to eliminate sheltered workshops (McLoughlin et al., 1987; Murphy & Rogan, 1995; PCMR, 1998). Three major national disability advocacy organizations, TASH, APSE-The Network on Employment, and the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR), have issued formal resolutions against segregated, sheltered workshops in favor of integrated, community employment for people with developmental disabilities. One Vermont agency, established 35 years ago by a group of concerned parents, recently closed its doors to pursue community-based employment. Despite the current trends, many of the families did not agree with the change and were angry and confused about the conversion from sheltered work to community-based employment. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of sheltered workshop participants and their families as they journeyed through this conversion process. Closing the sheltered workshop was just one step in the conversion process; the next step was inclusion in the community. This study examined how the participants and families constructed meaning regarding conversion, and how they navigated through these changes toward the new realities of community employment. Qualitative research techniques using semi-structured open-ended interviews, participant observations, and archive reviews were conducted over a four-month period. Four parents were interviewed before the workshop closed with follow-up four years later. A total of eight parents and four former sheltered workshop participants were interviewed after the closure. This data was supported with information gathered during a pilot study conducted earlier. The questions that guided this research included: a) How do the participants describe their experience in their former and present situations? b) How do family members describe the experiences of their adult sons and daughters during and following the conversion process? c) What are the hopes and fears of the families and participants related to the conversion process? d) What are the challenges and benefits of conversion from sheltered to community-based employment? Closing the sheltered workshop was seen as tragic by some, inconsequential to others, based on their life-long experiences. A clash of cultures emerged as older families and younger families had different histories, values, philosophies, and expectations of their children and their inclusion in community. Findings from this qualitative case study revealed how participants and families navigated this change process. While the initial transition was difficult, most families and participants were satisfied with the conversion process as long as they could maintain their previous social networks and find acceptable employment in the community.