ccess where employing the handicapped is concerned. More than anyone else involved, it is the employee who will stand to gain the most from the normalization process finding and maintaining regular work in a regular work environment provides:
Numerous research studies and cost-benefit analyses show that many benefits and advantages derive from the employment of persons with disabilities. These benefits are particularly profound for people whose employment hitherto was impeded by the severity of the disability. Although economic returns are the most immediate benefits of employment they are not the most important. Many intangible outcomes of employment are equally significant, if not more significant. Employment increases a sense of self-worth and nurtures a positive self-referred behavior and enhances a sense of esteem and accomplishment. Employment also fosters a sense of normalcy, both in self-perception and the perception of others.
The combined federal, state and local funding provided to help train and/or retrain disabled individuals to enter and/or reenter the workforce is more than $1 billion (Malakpa, 1994). Yet, for all the combined effort on a local, state and federal effort, there are still many barriers to entry for the handicapped worker where the employer and organization exists. This is because there are many misconceptions and preconceived notions on behalf of employers where hiring the handicapped is concerned. In addition, there is usually added expense and effort required to design a workstation that is geared to assist the handicapped employee with their own particular needs. Further, there is misunderstanding and misperception on behalf of co-workers without disabilities. There have been many efforts to insure the rights of these workers to fair and unrestricted entry into the employment market which began with the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Hiring, firing, promotion, training, etc...