DISABILITY, LEISURE, AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE BY

ii Society is and has always been composed of people of different levels and types of ability. Today, due to legislation and changing attitudes toward disability, the presence of individuals with disabilities is more evident than in decades past. Although their numbers are still considerably lower relative to those of persons without disability, people with disabilities are a part of the American workforce. Like their nondisabled colleagues, they have families, friends, and leisure interests. To date, there has been a paucity of research about the work-life balance of employed people with disabilities. Understanding the work-life needs of these individuals is vital given that the American workforce is aging and the first cohort of jobseekers who have only known life under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are entering the labor market. This project was an investigation of the lived experiences of eight men and women with observable mobility impairments who were employed in integrated settings. Through individual interviews and brief worksite visits, I sought to understand the significance of leisure and work in the lives of the participants. Further, I sought to understand how the presence of disabilit