title: Communities of practice to improve employment outcomes: a needs assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Communities of practice (CoPs) offer a promising strategy to improve communication among various professionals committed to advancing employment outcomes for people with disabilities. CoPs also provide a tool for professionals to share knowledge and resources related to the Americans with Disabilities Act and job accommodations.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current study conducted four focus groups with human resource (HR) professionals and vocational rehabilitation professionals to fully assess the need for this CoP. Coding and memoing were the two data analysis strategies employed in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results indicate a strong interest in developing a CoP to assist with employment concerns for people with disabilities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HR professionals report a need for current, relevant information on this topic, and participants outline guidelines for developing the CoP and building useful content areas.
authors.affiliation: Human Rehabilitative Services Program, University of Northern Colorado, Campus Box 132, Greeley, CO, 80639, USA, jill.bezyak@unco.edu.
authors.forename: Jill L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bezyak
authors.forename: Min-Chi
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Hyun-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Fong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010559:Personnel Management; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D060756:Social Networking