Graphic support resources for workers with intellectual disability engaged in office tasks: a comparison with verbal instructions from a work mate

Abstract

Background: Research into workplace adjustments for people with disabilities is a fundamental challenge of supported employment. The aim of the present work is to investigate the effect of several graphic resources as natural support for workers with intellectual disability.

Methods: Two case studies were conducted to assess the performance of five workers engaged in office tasks, with three different support conditions.

Results: Results reveal a 20% increase in quality of performance of the tasks undertaken with graphic support as compared to support in which the participants received verbal instructions (VIs) from a work mate; and between 25 and 30% as compared to a control condition which included no help of any kind.

Conclusions: These findings are consistent with previous studies which support the possibility of generating, at low cost, iconic materials (with maps or simple graphics), which progressively facilitate workers’ autonomy, without dependence or help from the job trainer. We observed that the worst performance is in the support condition with VIs, this shows the limitations of this type of natural support, which is provided on demand by work mates without specialist knowledge of work support.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• We studied the use of various types of natural support for people with intellectual disability in their workplace.

• The findings suggest that, with some brief training, the simple use in the workplace of graphic help on a card can increase between 20 and 30% the quality of performance of certain work tasks carried out by workers with intellectual disability.

• This advantage contrasts with the high cost or lower "manageability" of other material resources of natural support based on the use of technology.

Keywords:

• Intellectual disability
• supported employment
• natural support
• visual support
• training
• self-regulation

Note

Acknowledgements

The Association AFEDIBA of Badajoz (Spain) provided indispensable support in the preparation of this study.

Disclosure statement

This work has been funded by the Junta de Extremadura and Fondos FEDER within the framework of the Research Project "Supported employment. Work support strategies for workers with intellectual disability in tasks requiring self-regulation" (Ref.: IB10050), of 4th Regional Plan of Investigation.

Notes

1 Table expressed socioeconomic status refers to personal patrimony of origin of the person with intellectual disabilities. It is understood by low socioeconomic status between 10,000€ and 30,000€. Medium-low socioeconomic status between 30,000€ and 60,000€. And middle socioeconomic status between 60,000€ and 120,000€.