Research Study 4: Themes from Our Focus Groups

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We spoke with 41 participants from 20 states in a series of virtual focus groups held in Spring 2025. These focus groups consisted of three types of participants: 1) community or technical college staff, 2) vocational rehabilitation professionals, and 3) current students or alumni of community or technical colleges who self-identify as having an intellectual or developmental disability. These are the themes that were revealed as the most important:

  1. Inter-Department/Agency Relationships: Both college and VR staff members emphasized the importance of collaborative relationships across departments and agencies - calling it “key” to student success.
  2. Roles: Participants report taking direct roles in areas such as skill training and job search assistance to help students prepare for the workforce, and supporting roles in areas such as goal-setting.
  3. Support Services: Students report widely using support services, and listed mentors as especially important influences.
  4. Accommodations: Students reported that their experience with accommodations focused widely on academics, and that many did not have experience or knowledge of accommodation options in the workplace.
  5. Job Searches and Networking: Students indicated that their support services helped with job development activities (e.g., resumes, interview practice), and that networking was an important skill learned in college.
  6. Work-Based Learning: Work-based learning activities, such as paid internships and job shadowing, were broadly listed as being significant facilitators to paid employment for students with IDD.
  7. Concerns and Needs: Barriers to providing student-specific services as reported by college staff included a lack of training, funding, and resources, as well as staffing issues, including turnover.

Learn More: https://idd.vcurrtc.org/research/rs4.cfm

This content was developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (#90RTEM0013). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This content does not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.