Training developmentally handicapped persons as supervisors in sheltered workshops.

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Psychology
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Developmental Disabilities

Background:

• Sheltered workshops aim to provide meaningful employment for individuals with developmental handicaps.
• Supervision is crucial for maintaining productivity, but staff resources may be limited.
• Empowering clients with supervisory roles could enhance their skills and workshop efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of training developmentally handicapped individuals to implement behavioral supervisory strategies.
• To assess if trained clients can effectively maintain the work rates of their peers.
• To explore the potential benefits of such training for both trainees and the overall workshop environment.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted, each involving two subjects with developmental handicaps.
• A multiple baseline design across supervisory components was used within subjects to evaluate training.
• Trainees were taught specific behavioral supervisory strategies to manage peer work rates.

Main Results:

• Subjects successfully acquired and applied the taught supervisory components through the training procedures.
• The trained individuals demonstrated effectiveness comparable to regular staff in maintaining client production rates.
• The study confirmed that developmentally handicapped persons can learn and execute complex supervisory tasks.

Conclusions:

• Teaching complex supervisory activities to individuals with developmental handicaps in sheltered work settings is feasible and beneficial.
• This approach offers a potential solution for enhancing supervision while promoting client skill development.
• Further research and implementation of such training programs are warranted to maximize their impact.