A Health, Function, and Career Development Framework for People with Learning Disabilities

Background: People with learning disabilities (LDs) are a large and growing segment of the American and global disability communities, but they tend to underutilize vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. Objective: This article presents a contextual career development framework, the Illinois Work and Well-Being Model (IW²M), as an intervention schematic that can be applied to facilitate positive VR outcomes for people with LDs. Methods: The framework encompasses the interaction of contextual and career development domains to improve participation in the areas of work, society, community, and home. Results: A case study is used to illustrate how the framework can be used in VR assessment, case planning, and service delivery. Implications: A discussion of implications regarding VR practice and research is offered, with the overall goal of reinforcing career development as the foundation of VR services for people with LD and other disabilities. Conclusions: VR professionals can use the health, function, and career development framework to provide responsive, goal-oriented, and customer-directed services that lead to a wide range of positive outcomes for VR participants with LD.