Towards a Theoretical Model of Successful Employment Outcomes for People with Disabilities

This research responds to calls internationally and within Australia for research and initiatives that effectively increase the participation of people with disabilities in meaningful work – as a human right, a health determinant and an economic impetus. Disability, seen through the social model of disability which underpins this research, is a heterogeneous and ever-evolving concept that emanates from suboptimal interactions between individuals with impairments and aspects of their environment that impede their full participation in society. In contrast, often in medical and some governmental settings, these ‘impairments’ are often defined and categorised into ‘loss’ of bodily or mental function, loss of limbs, presence of illness or a disorder impacting on learning or emotional regulation; an intellectual, physical, sensory or mental disability.