Communities of Practice to Improve Employment Outcomes: A Needs Assessment

Abstract

Communities of practice (CoPs) offer a promising strategy to improve communication among various professionals committed to advancing employment outcomes for people with disabilities. CoPs also provide a tool for professionals to share knowledge and resources related to the Americans with Disabilities Act and job accommodations. The current study conducted four focus groups with human resource (HR) professionals and vocational rehabilitation professionals to fully assess the need for this CoP. Coding and memoing were the two data analysis strategies employed in this study. Results indicate a strong interest in developing a CoP to assist with employment concerns for people with disabilities. HR professionals report a need for current, relevant information on this topic, and participants outline guidelines for developing the CoP and building useful content areas.