Job placement of urban youth with developmental disabilities: Research and implications

This article reviews past research on employment for urban individuals with developmental disabilities and reports the results of a recent study on urban youth in supported employment. The findings show that the overall placement rate for individuals with mental retardation and severe learning disabilities participating in a supported employment program increased over time, and that socio-demographic characteristics were more determining factors for placement than were disability-related characteristics. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for policy, practice and future research.