Abstract
The Employment Transition Support Program for People with Disabilities established in 2006 by the Japanese government has not yet achieved satisfactory results, and needs to be improved using a more effective model that meets client needs in obtaining preferable competitive jobs and continuing at them.
This study aimed at developing the proposed effective model and its critical components that we have been constructing using program theory and qualitative research on good practices of the program. We attempted to verify the validity of the critical components of the proposed model through a nationwide field trial for formative evaluation during a 1 year period at 22 sites to develop a more effective and feasible model, and then we discussed the potential to develop an institutional model using the proposed model. Our results indicated that enforcing critical components into effects contributes to the increased number of persons getting competitive employment and higher continuing employment rates as program outcomes. Furthermore, we found it was necessary to get support for on-the-job training and to investigate supports connected with other aid organizations related to persons staying at their jobs. The results suggested that inclusion of the critical components should be considered in the national institutional model, and methods to modify the national model were discussed.
