Training and Assistance for Employment Outcomes in Developmental Disabilities

Overseen By Jennifer McDonough

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 1

Sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth University

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Pregnant, Prisoners, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

100 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Currently, there are no national pre-requisites for training to become or to be hired as an ES (Employment Specialist). Staff providing employment services have a broad range of educational and training backgrounds. Some individuals have a masters and have completed an ACRE approved course to earn a ACRE (Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators) Basic Employment Certificate in Employment Services while others may have a high school diploma and have not received any additional training. The first phases of the study were important in identifying if the currently identified ACRE competencies are relevant and if the ACRE approved online training course does impact knowledge.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment VCU-RRTC Online Course, Zoom Technical Assistance Sessions for employment outcomes in developmental disabilities?

Research shows that online training can effectively increase knowledge and skills in direct care staff, as seen in a study where staff improved their ability to identify safe eating practices for individuals with developmental disabilities. Additionally, virtual training has been successful in teaching medical students to manage behavior in patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities, suggesting that online methods can be effective for training in various contexts. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the VCU-RRTC Online Course treatment different from other treatments for developmental disabilities?

The VCU-RRTC Online Course is unique because it focuses on training and assistance for employment outcomes specifically for individuals with developmental disabilities, which is not typically addressed by standard medical treatments. This online course provides targeted support and resources to help improve job skills and employment opportunities, making it a novel approach compared to traditional therapies. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Research Team

Whitney Ham

Principal Investigator

Virginia Commonwealth University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults over 18 in the U.S. who provide or will provide employment services to individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities, and have not completed ACRE training. It's not open to those under 18, unable to consent, pregnant women, or prisoners.

Inclusion Criteria

Use the VCU RRTC listserv

Residing or working in the United States

Have not participated in ACRe training

Exclusion Criteria

I am unable to give consent by myself.

Pregnant women

Prisoners

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Training

Participants undergo a 40-hour training presented in six modules over twelve weeks, covering topics such as Employment First, Customer Profile and Discovery, Marketing and Job Development, Customized Employment, Job Site Supports, and Social Security.

12 weeks

Technical Assistance

Participants in the experimental group receive additional technical assistance to enhance the impact of the training on skills and knowledge.

Concurrent with training

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for the impact of the training and technical assistance on employment outcomes and skills development.

9 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• VCU-RRTC Online Course
• Zoom Technical Assistance Sessions

Trial Overview The study tests if an online course and Zoom technical assistance sessions improve the skills of Employment Specialists working with people with developmental/intellectual disabilities. There are no set national standards for this training currently.

Participant Groups

Group I: Experimental Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

The VCU-RRTC course plus TA (Technical Assistance). Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators, accrediting body that has developed competencies for job coaches and that approved the online curriculum that has been provided through the VCU-RRTC for over a decade.

Group II: Control Group Placebo Group 1 Intervention

The current VCU-RRTC online course. Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators, accrediting body that has developed competencies for job coaches and that approved the online curriculum that has been provided through the VCU-RRTC for over a decade.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Virginia Commonwealth University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

732

Recruited

22,900,000+

National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research

Collaborator

Trials

83

Recruited

10,500+

Findings from Research

A virtual training program for medical students effectively increased their ability to implement behavior-analytic procedures during wellness examinations for patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities, as demonstrated in roleplay scenarios.

The skills learned through this training were maintained at high levels even two weeks after the training, indicating that virtual behavioral skills training is a practical and efficient method for preparing healthcare professionals to better support patients with disabilities.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual Training of Medical Students to Promote the Comfort and Cooperation of Patients with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities. Hoang, AQ., Lerman, DC., Nguyen, JT.[2023]

A systematic review of 8601 studies identified only 32 relevant studies on pre-graduate training for healthcare professionals regarding intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), highlighting a significant gap in formal education for this population.

Most training interventions utilized a mix of teaching methods, with 63% including clinical experiences, but there is a lack of longitudinal learning opportunities and integration into formal curricula, indicating a need for improved educational strategies in IDD training.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A systematic review of intellectual and developmental disability curriculum in international pre-graduate health professional education. Vi, L., Jiwa, MI., Lunsky, Y., et al.[2023]

Online training for Direct Care Staff (DCS) significantly improved their knowledge and ability to identify nonadherence to diet orders in individuals with developmental disabilities, as shown in a follow-up study with 64 participants.

The addition of supervisor feedback did not lead to significant differences in outcomes compared to training alone, suggesting that online training itself may be an effective method for enhancing safe eating and drinking practices among DCS.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of Online Training and Supervisor Feedback on Safe Eating and Drinking Practices for Individuals With Developmental Disabilities. McCulloch, E., Cuckler, A., Valdes, E., et al.[2020]

The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services has announced a new priority for research focused on improving employment outcomes for individuals with psychiatric disabilities, highlighting a significant national need.

This initiative aims to enhance the effectiveness of rehabilitation services and support for individuals facing psychiatric challenges in the workforce.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Final priority; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research--Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers. Final priority. [2014]

Training direct care staff using picture programs significantly improved their ability to transfer nonambulatory, severely mentally retarded men between beds and wheelchairs, as evidenced by marked performance improvements from pretest to posttest.

Incorporating study guide questions into the training enhanced the effectiveness of the picture programs, likely by promoting better observation and understanding of the transfer techniques.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The use of picture programs in teaching direct care staff. Stoddard, LT., McIlvane, WJ., McDonagh, EC., et al.[2019]

A new algorithm has been developed to analyze unassigned Residual Dipolar Coupling (RDC) data from multiple alignment media, allowing for simultaneous extraction of relative order tensor matrices and reconstruction of spatial interacting vectors, which simplifies structural analysis.

This method can enhance protein structure determination, aiding in applications like verifying the novelty of unknown proteins and validating protein models for drug design, thus bridging experimental and computational approaches in structural biology.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Estimation of relative order tensors, and reconstruction of vectors in space using unassigned RDC data and its application. Miao, X., Mukhopadhyay, R., Valafar, H.[2021]

The study successfully measured proton-proton dipolar couplings in highly deuterated proteins, specifically in 57 out of 70 methyl-containing residues of a 167-residue protein, which is crucial for understanding the structure of high molecular weight systems using NMR.

The methyl residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) provided valuable information on the orientation of methyl groups and allowed for the determination of chi(1) torsion angles in valine residues, demonstrating their effectiveness in complementing other NMR techniques for structural analysis.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Side chain orientation from methyl 1H-1H residual dipolar couplings measured in highly deuterated proteins. Sibille, N., Bersch, B., Covès, J., et al.[2019]

Residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) are becoming increasingly important for determining the structures of small molecules, thanks to advancements in alignment media and measurement techniques.

Despite these improvements, the authors emphasize the need for further standardization to make RDC analysis a routine method in structural elucidation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Perspectives in the application of residual dipolar couplings in the structure elucidation of weakly aligned small molecules. Schmidts, V.[2018]

A new method using unassigned 15N1H residual dipolar coupling (RDC) data and probability density profile analysis (PDPA) allows for efficient identification of the best structural model for proteins with unknown structures, demonstrated with the protein PF2048.1.

This approach significantly reduces the cost and time of data acquisition, is robust against missing data, and can enhance the resolution of protein structures by serving as a foundation for further NMR data integration.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Rapid classification of protein structure models using unassigned backbone RDCs and probability density profile analysis (PDPA). Bansal, S., Miao, X., Adams, MW., et al.[2021]

Residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) are a powerful tool in NMR studies of biological macromolecules, providing precise information for applications like structure validation, measuring molecular motions, and determining domain orientations.

Recent advancements in RDC measurement techniques allow for accurate analysis in larger biological systems, shifting the focus of NMR spectroscopy from just structure determination to understanding how molecular flexibility influences protein function.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Advances in NMR Spectroscopy of Weakly Aligned Biomolecular Systems. Chiliveri, SC., Robertson, AJ., Shen, Y., et al.[2022]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual Training of Medical Students to Promote the Comfort and Cooperation of Patients with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities. [2023]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A systematic review of intellectual and developmental disability curriculum in international pre-graduate health professional education. [2023]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of Online Training and Supervisor Feedback on Safe Eating and Drinking Practices for Individuals With Developmental Disabilities. [2020]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Final priority; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research--Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers. Final priority. [2014]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The use of picture programs in teaching direct care staff. [2019]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Estimation of relative order tensors, and reconstruction of vectors in space using unassigned RDC data and its application. [2021]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Side chain orientation from methyl 1H-1H residual dipolar couplings measured in highly deuterated proteins. [2019]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Perspectives in the application of residual dipolar couplings in the structure elucidation of weakly aligned small molecules. [2018]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Rapid classification of protein structure models using unassigned backbone RDCs and probability density profile analysis (PDPA). [2021]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Advances in NMR Spectroscopy of Weakly Aligned Biomolecular Systems. [2022]