The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate an employer-based 9-month intervention for high school youth with autism spectrum disorder to learn job skills and acquire employment. The intervention modified a program titled Project SEARCH and incorporated the use of applied behavior analysis to develop Project SEARCH plus Autism Spectrum Disorder Supports. A randomized clinical trial compared the implementation of Project SEARCH plus Autism Spectrum Disorder Supports with high school special education services as usual. Participants were 49 high-school-aged individuals between the ages of 18 and 21 years diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and eligible for supported employment. Students also had to demonstrate independent self-care. At 3 months post-graduation, 90% of the treatment group acquired competitive, part-time employment earning US$9.53-US$10.66 per hour. Furthermore, 87% of those individuals maintained employment at 12 months post-graduation. The control group's employment outcomes were 6% acquiring employment by 3 months post-graduation and 12% acquiring employment by 12 months post-graduation. The positive employment outcomes generated by the treatment group provide evidence that youth with autism spectrum disorder can gain and maintain competitive employment. Additionally, there is evidence that they are able to advance within that time toward more weekly hours worked, while they also displayed increasing independence in the work setting.

Progress toward competitive and integrated employment (CIE) for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) over the last 40 years has been mixed. Despite evidence showing that supported employment interventions can enable adults with I/DD to effectively get and keep jobs, national rates of integrated employment remain below a third of the working age population (Hiersteiner et al., 2016). Progress is being made to improve these outcomes. Pathways have been identified that lead to CIE through supported employment, customized employment, internship experiences, and postsecondary education (Siperstein, Heyman, & Stokes, 2014; Wehman, 2011). The recent passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) has created fresh momentum and increased the onus on interagency collaboration. This article examines what is known about promoting CIE through these pathways and highlights recommendations for future research and policy change. Recommendations for the future are provide direction toward positive change in CIE into the 21 st century.

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OBJECTIVE:This study investigated the extent to which demographic characteristics, Social Security disability benefits, and vocational rehabilitation (VR) services influence competitive employment outcomes for transition-age youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). METHODS: The Rehabilitation Services Administration's Case Service Reports (RSA-911) database for Fiscal Year 2011 was examined using a purposeful selection multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Results indicated that participants who received on-the-job support, job placement services, rehabilitation technology, occupational/vocational training, other services, job search assistance, vocational counseling and guidance, and job readiness training from the state-federal VR program were significantly more likely to achieve competitive employment than were participants who did not receive those services. In addition, higher levels of educational attainment, receiving a greater number of VR services, and not receiving Social Security disability benefits were positively associated with competitive employment outcomes. In contrast to findings reported in other studies of VR participants with ASD, gender was not associated with competitive employment outcomes. CONCLUSION: Overall, the number and type of VR services had more influence on competitive employment than did demographic variables or Social Security disability benefits.