Glossary

Also known as day habilitation programs or day activity programs, day programs as used in this site are non-work services that offer a variety of activities such as daily living skills training as well as leisure and recreational activities.

A person who communicates about his or her own rights, or the rights of someone else, to make sure they are considered.

A government program that gives adults opportunities to work as volunteers on community problems.

Also known as Certified Work Incentives Counselors. A trained individual who can help one understand his/her Social Security benefits. A benefits counselor can answer questions about eligibility, work incentives, and the effect of work on benefits.

A written description of a business including what it sells, how it is run and what will be done to help it grow.

Equipment that an individual purchases to support a career goal. While the purchase of capital equipment is most common for individuals who are self employed, resource ownership may also support access to paid employment by adding value for the business and making it easier for that business to operate or offer added services.

Activities that promote job growth or expansion of job roles or responsibilities.

Enabling an individual to learn about different careers.

Planning about employment that is facilitated by an experienced employment support provider, in which individuals and family and/or community members chosen by the individual actively participate

(or job carving) Job carving is a way to create a job (see job creation) where certain duties from one or more existing jobs are selected and combined into a new position.

An opportunity for individuals with disabilities to try out WORKING in the community to understand what they like to do, what they are good at, and the supports they need to succeed at their jobs.

Working in the community with employees who do not have disabilities and earning at least minimum wage.

See "community-based employment"

Planning about employment that is facilitated by an experienced employment support provider, in which individuals and family and/or community members chosen by the individual actively participate. See also career planning or person-centered planning.

An essential job task or responsibility.

A flexible blend of strategies, services, and supports designed to increase employment opportunities for job seekers through negotiating with businesses to meet the needs of both the business and the job seeker.

Also known as day habilitation programs or day activity programs, day programs as used in this site are non-work services that offer a variety of activities such as daily living skills training as well as leisure and recreational activities.

A document that describes the working conditions within a job that an employer and a job developer have developed.

A group of people that includes the individual looking for employment, a job developer and anyone else who might be able to help the individual find employment through discovering his or her skills, interests, and goals.

A document that describes the working conditions within a job that an employer and a job developer have developed. See also employer proposal.

Also referred to as a community rehabilitation provider, a community organization that provides employment supports or employment supports along with other services to people with disabilities.

Any employment professional who provides employment-related support to an individual with a disability.

The help that an individual receives while looking for the job or after being hired.

Also known as a community rehabilitation provider: An agency that provides employment support.

A small group of people with disabilities who are trained and supervised at a community employment site. They work alongside employees without disabilities.

A person who organizes and manages a project, usually a business, who may take a financial risk to start it.

A professional who helps an individual with a disability, an employer and others communicate easily about how the individual can find or keep a job. An employment specialist may act as a facilitator.

(also called a sheltered workshop): A workplace just for people with disabilities. Work is contracted with businesses and people usually earn less than minimum wage.

Practices that encourage active participation and maximize the expectations of family members in employment

A chance for a person to test out a business idea to help him or her understand if the business will be successful.

Planning about employment that is facilitated by an experienced employment support provider, in which individuals and family and/or community members chosen by the individual actively participate See also career planning and person-centered planning

All the benefits available to any full-time employee, such as health insurance, paid vacation and sick time, and retirement accounts.

Money that helps to pay for the services someone needs.

A program that offers people with intellectual or developmental disabilities opportunities to live and work in their communities.

The formal document or agreement between an individual and a state agency or funder that defines an individual’s goals and supports.

The term for the disability formerly known as mental retardation.

Use of coordinated supports from more than one agency to help an individual to obtain and maintain a job

From time to time, such as once a month or once every two months.

A professional who provides on-the-job support to an individual with a disability, once that individual is hired.

Changing existing staff responsibilities to create a new job, or to bring together a combination of new job tasks that didn't exist before

A professional who works with a person with a disability to find, or develop, a job for him or her based on skills and interests.

Creating job opportunities for a person with a disability. Job development can also refer to the work done sometimes by a counselor, with an employer, to create a job that would fit well with the person’s skills and the employer’s needs.

The level of fit between a job and an individual’s interests and skills.

Helping an individual to find a job that fits well with his or her interests and skills.

Any discussion between a job developer, employer and job-seeker with a disability that leads to a job being created or adapted

An opportunity for a job-seeker to try working for an employer so that the job-seeker and employer can decide if the job is a good fit.

A person who helps and gives advice to another person.

Sources of on-the-job help that an individual can find naturally on the job, such as coworkers or a supervisor.

Using contacts within the individual's or the job developer's personal network to find and obtain employment

Innovative approaches to job coaching including supports provided by co-workers rather than by a paid job coach

A process in which a person with a disability works with other important people in his or her life to plan his or her future.

The personal contacts from an individual’s family, friends, and other community relationships.

PASS is a program offered by the Social Security Administration to help people receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI). This program allows a recipient to set aside money from his/her income to be used for work goals without reducing SSI benefits.

A collection of work gathered by an individual to show his or her experiences, skills and interests to an employer.

When a set of employment or other service professionals come together to work as a team on behalf of an individual.

The network of contacts a job developer can refer to when trying to help an individual find a job.

Also called “travel training”, instruction offered by state agencies or employment providers to teach the use of public transportation.

A person working for the state department of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) who helps individuals with disabilities learn skills they can use to work in the community.

An employee who is paid a specific amount monthly or annually, rather than at an hourly rate.

Groups formed and attended by individuals with ID/DD that offer opportunities for leadership, learning about people’s rights, and developing confidence about their abilities. Self-advocacy groups may be affiliated with People First, a national self advocacy organization.

Developing a business ownership opportunity

A person working for the state agency that serves individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities who manages all the different supports (sometimes including employment) for a person with a disability.

(also called facility-based employment): A workplace just for people with disabilities. Work is contracted with businesses and people usually earn less than minimum wage.

One of many centers across the United States that share information and resources with people starting their own businesses: www.sba.gov

The Social Security Administration provides benefits called work incentives that are designed to help individuals enter employment. The work incentives have been designed to support people to move toward financial independence by supporting continued access to health benefits or reducing the impact of earned income on benefits.

Skills that help people keep their jobs. Examples include communication, enthusiasm, teamwork and professionalism.

A time of change, usually the time between a young person’s last years of high school and adulthood.

Usually a school staff member, a transition coordinator is a person who organizes or manages a student’s transition plan. Transition planning usually begins around age 14 and is one component of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which charts educational goals and school-based support needs. Transition coordinator’s primary roles may be as teachers or IEP team leaders.

Support that students can receive when they are close to graduating from high school.

A person who helps students plan for life after they graduate from high school. Transition specialists can help students prepare for employment, or post-secondary education (e.g. college) and can be a bridge between schools and adult services.

A 60-second video of a job seeker that lets an employer learn about him or her before a job interview.

Nonpaid work in a community-based business or non-profit organization that leads to paid employment. This category includes “national service,” such as participation in an AmeriCorps program.

An opportunity for a person to try out a job before an employer decides to hire the job seeker.

A small crew of persons with disabilities who work together, usually traveling to several different places in the community, under the supervision of a job coach.