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Public policy and employment of people with disabilities: exploring new paradigms
Author(s) -
Cook Judith A.,
Burke Jane
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
behavioral sciences and the law
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.649
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1099-0798
pISSN - 0735-3936
DOI - 10.1002/bsl.515
Subject(s) - legislation , unintended consequences , public policy , inclusion (mineral) , accommodation , work (physics) , political science , politics , set (abstract data type) , public administration , public relations , sociology , psychology , law , engineering , social science , computer science , mechanical engineering , neuroscience , programming language
Abstract A “sea change” in public attitudes, legislation, and political power at the end of the 20th century in the United States has helped set the stage in the early 21st century for the entry of people with disabilities into the labor force. Major pieces of federal legislation have altered national policy with the intention of maximizing the work force participation of people with disabilities. At the same time, a new theoretical paradigm of disability has emerged, which emphasizes community inclusion, accommodation, and protection of civil rights. This “New Paradigm” of disability can be applied in concert with rigorous behavioral science methodologies to shed light on the outcomes of recent federal policy changes regarding the labor force participation of people with disabilities. In so doing, social science can be used in more meaningful ways to understand both the intended and unintended consequences of federal policy. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.