Professionals Need Information Too: Exploratory Data From the Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) in Kansas

For this exploratory study, we investigated the perceptions of professionals who attended Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT), a family-focused program about competitive employment for people with disabilities. We used a pre-/post-survey design with matched respondents. We used repeated measures ANOVA, descriptive statistics, and basic interpretive qualitative analysis to analyze data. Results indicated that participants significantly improved their general expectations for the job prospects and abilities of people with disabilities and, while not statistically significant, increased their knowledge of employment resources. Participants became more confident that they could use their knowledge to address barriers to employment. They reported on accessing employment resources, professional barriers they experienced, and their perceptions of FEAT. Results indicated that attending FEAT can positively influence expectations for and knowledge of competitive employment. Results also indicated that professionals found attending FEAT worthwhile and that it improved professional confidence in addressing barriers.