Communities of practice to improve employment outcomes: A needs assessment

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Study conducted four focus groups with human resource (HR) professionals and vocational rehabilitation professionals to fully assess the need for a community of practice (CoP) to help improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities. 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. 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 reported a need for current, relevant information on this topic, and the participants outlined guidelines for developing the CoP and building useful content areas.

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