Complementary pairing of handicapped workers with compensatory skills: a strategy to increase independence

Although the right to and the beneficial psychological effects of productive employment by the handicapped are well documented, many potential workers remain unemployable because of the nature of their handicapping conditions. This study is an experimental investigation of the effect on job performance of pairing handicapped persons with complementary skills. Workshop productivity was measured for two pairs of workers, each consisting of a cerebral-palsied person and a mentally-retarded partner. Using a multiple-baseline design with a reversal component, production on a packaging task was assessed during individual work and paired cooperative work. The combination of the cerebral-palsied workers' ability to provide reinforcement and the retarded workers' production skills resulted in a significant increase in productivity. The potential extension of this strategy to individuals with these and other disabilities is discussed.