Impact of Competency-Based Training and Technical Assistance Employment Outcomes of Individuals With ID/DD

The Impact of Competency-Based Training and Technical Assistance on the Competitive Integrated Employment Outcomes of Individuals With ID/DD

Currently, there are no national pre-requisites for training to become or to be hired as an ES (Employment Specialist). Staff providing employment services have a broad range of educational and training backgrounds. Some individuals have a masters and have completed an ACRE approved course to earn a ACRE (Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators) Basic Employment Certificate in Employment Services while others may have a high school diploma and have not received any additional training. The first phases of the study were important in identifying if the currently identified ACRE competencies are relevant and if the ACRE approved online training course does impact knowledge.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Intellectual Disability; Developmental Disability
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: VCU-RRTC Online Course; Other: Zoom Technical Assistance Sessions (6 total)

Detailed Description

The final phase of the study aims to identify if the addition of technical assistance to the current course not only impacts knowledge of participants but also their self-reported engagement in skills that are outputs of their knowledge acquisition. Additionally, the third phase will link participation in the course and TA (technical assistance) to employment outcomes of individuals with ID/DD (individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disability). These additions address large gaps in the extant literature and research on employment specialists, training, and its impact on employment outcomes.

While, evidence-based practices in SE (Supported Employment) exist, research indicates that these practices are not often put into practice. Furthermore, of the few studies that have explored ES(Employment Specialist) training and its effectiveness, very few have identified if training impacts the employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities. Employment specialists and their skill directly impact the successful employment of individuals with ID/DD. Despite the introduction of SE into the field over four decades ago as well as legislative support, employment outcomes of individuals with remain dismally low. It is necessary to begin to gather evidence of the impact of training as well as feasibility and dosage in order to identify how to prepare employment service providers to better support individuals with disabilities to access employment.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Virginia
    • Richmond, Virginia, United States, 23298
      • Virginia Commonwealth University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Use the VCU RRTC listserv
• Residing or working in the United States
• 18 and older
• have not participated in ACRe training
• Currently providing or will be providing employment services to individuals with ID/DD

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unable to consent
• Under 18
• Pregnant women
• Prisoners

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Control Group; The current VCU-RRTC online course. Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators, accrediting body that has developed competencies for job coaches and that approved the online curriculum that has been provided through the VCU-RRTC for over a decade.	Other: VCU-RRTC Online Course; Approved by ACRE as its accrediting body and has been offered virtually through the VCU RRTC for over 15 years. The course currently entails: i. Six modules ii. Six online discussion boards iii. Assignments in each module iv. One quiz per module v. Final assignment
Experimental: Experimental; The VCU-RRTC course plus TA (Technical Assistance). Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators, accrediting body that has developed competencies for job coaches and that approved the online curriculum that has been provided through the VCU-RRTC for over a decade.	Other: VCU-RRTC Online Course; Approved by ACRE as its accrediting body and has been offered virtually through the VCU RRTC for over 15 years. The course currently entails: i. Six modules ii. Six online discussion boards iii. Assignments in each module iv. One quiz per module v. Final assignment; Other: Zoom Technical Assistance Sessions (6 total); Technical Assistance sessions will be provided to small groups of participants of 5-7 via Zoom technology. There will be one virtual TA session for each of the six modules that will last for 1 hour. The TA sessions will be provided by a trained SE expert/ mentor. The TA sessions will have instructional plans so that they are delivered consistently and will align with the associated module's content and will entail application and discussion that facilitates implementation and reflection of the material.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Impact of VCU ACRE on skills and knowledge	Identify if VCU ACRE Online Course impact skills and knowledge of employment profession The VCU Supported Employment Online Course is designed to provide knowledge and skill development in competitive integrated employment to include supported and customized employment. The 40-hour training is presented in six modules. Each module is posted for two weeks for a total of twelve weeks. Course content is delivered through an online course format with recorded audio and video presentations, required reading, practical activities, and online discussions covering the following topics: Module 1: Overview and Introduction to Employment First Module 2: Customer Profile and Discovery Module 3: Marketing and Job Development Module 4: Customized Employment Module 5: Job Site Supports Module 6: Social Security and Other Special Topics	after study completed-9 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Impact of VCU ACRE course plus technical assistance	The VCU Supported Employment Online Course is designed to provide knowledge and skill development in competitive integrated employment to include supported and customized employment. Identify if VCU ACRE Online Course plus technical assistance impact skills and knowledge of employment profession. The 40-hour training is presented in six modules. Each module is posted for two weeks for a total of twelve weeks. Course content is delivered through an online course format with recorded audio and video presentations, required reading, practical activities, and online discussions covering the following topics: Module 1: Overview and Introduction to Employment First Module 2: Customer Profile and Discovery Module 3: Marketing and Job Development Module 4: Customized Employment Module 5: Job Site Supports Module 6: Social Security and Other Special Topics	after study completed-9 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth University
• Collaborators: National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Whitney Ham, Virginia Commonwealth University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 3, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 7, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): April 7, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 26, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 4, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): September 19, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 31, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 29, 2025
• Last Verified: July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Employment Specialist; Job Coaches
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Developmental Disabilities; Intellectual Disability
• Other Study ID Numbers: HM20029287

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No