No abstract

The supply-side approach to providing services without taking into account employer practices has not been effective in achieving meaningful, competitive, and integrated employment outcomes for people with disabilities. This focus neglects the fact that disability and employment is a two-way process with businesses being accountable for such demand-side factors as establishing better hiring, retention, and advancement practices. To initiate the identification of effective employer practices, this article shares the results of two executive focus groups that were conducted in a large health care organization, across four individual hospitals, with a documented success rate of hiring and retaining people with disabilities (PWDs). The purpose of the focus groups was to explore executive perceptions of their organization’s success at integrating PWDs throughout their work force. Results are explored through five identified themes: (a) organizational mission guided decision-making concerning the employment of PWDs, (b) executives living the mission through their daily inclusive behaviors led to employing PWDs, (c) organizational values were important to employing PWDs, (d) the organization benefited from employment of PWDs, and (e) employing PWDs benefited organization staff and the surrounding community. The results of these executive focus groups provide an initial glimpse into the culture and practices of a highly effective organization.

No abstract

This chapter illustrates how study abroad experiences can become a key component of an adult learning program. Adult learning educators may face many challenges in the ever changing demographics of the workforce today. Whether a corporate trainer, healthcare professional, literacy and/or English as a Second Language instructor, most adult educators find the need to have a greater understanding of the global environment. Graduate students benefit from international experiences which transform learning by expanding students global perspectives. This chapter explores an inaugural study abroad program in the Adult Learning Graduate Program in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Virginia Commonwealth University. The chapter describes both the challenges and reflections of students and faculty while abroad. Malcolm Knowles' Andragogical framework is the foundation of this study abroad experience. Experiential Learning (Kolbe 1984) and Transformative Learning (Mezirow, 1999) are also explored through students' reflections on the study abroad experience.

This chapter provides a case study describing the process of using theory in practice in implementing higher level evaluation of training initiatives within one unit of a global financial services organization. The organization has used Kirkpatrick's level one and two evaluations for many years to evaluate training. This case describes the first time a level three evaluation was used, covering why it was necessary, the process for developing, as well as the outcomes of the evaluation. This chapter also describes the influence of organizational culture in the decisions made in the implementation of the evaluation strategy.