Identifying Roadblocks to the Hiring of People with Exceptionalities

The public school system in the United States aims to prepare students to be well-rounded citizens, but this is not always the case for students with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (revised 2004) states that students with exceptionalities such as Autism can receive public school services until their 21st birthday. Often in a career preparation program for 18-21 year olds. The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) states that people have the right to work regardless of disability. The focus of this research is to target potential issues people with disabilities may encounter while in search for work. The Community Based Transition Center (CBTC) runs a career-readiness program for 18-21 year olds with identified disabilities as part of the Mukilteo School District. The CBTC was interviewed and after synthesizing their responses, issues were identified and potential solutions were suggested. One of the main problems identified was the lack of parent involvement and parental burnout, in addition to no state baselines for 18-21 program quality