People with disabilities are, above all, individuals. Regardless of the severity and classification of their disability, whether physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or a combination thereof; People with disabilities, just like the majority of society, have their own agendas regarding their motivations, needs and life and professional goals (onley salamone). Traditionally, there was a clear occupational distinction between disabled people and the non-disabled population (reference???). As Walls and Fullmer (???) state, employment plays an important role in a person's identity; affecting social, emotional and intellectual factors as well as physical well-being; people come to see themselves as productive members of the community rather than people with disabilities (Walls_fullmer). One of the most significant advances in rehabilitation over the past two decades, due in large part to society's continued emphasis on deinstitutionalization, has been the supported employment movement (Onley and Salamone) . Although not without ongoing challenges and disparities, the primary goal of vocational rehabilitation is to empower people with disabilities to obtain and maintain competitive employment and meaningful careers. This advocacy movement for empowerment has opened the professional door for the disabled population to in turn participate in the traditional labor market, thus meeting the standardized expectations of the individual and society (Walls_fullmer). This essay will explore the nature of supported employment for people with disabilities and any implications for the future direction of the supported employment initiative. (happy??!!)Conventionally, the general consensus was that people with disabilities we...... middle of paper ...... compatible with the setting in which it is to be used. We believe that each worker with a disability must first be considered an individual and that supports must then be built according to their needs, rather than arbitrarily deciding that a specific method is appropriate to achieve work integration ( Storey certo). -by evolving in support services, with an acute awareness of the needs for learning, empowerment and autonomy, the rehabilitation practitioner can help people with disabilities and their families to help themselves. As Story and Ccerto (????) point out, it is a collaborative approach between work leaders, mentors and the client, to achieve the best possible outcome for the client. (reading the story) People with disabilities are, above all, individuals. Regardless of the severity and classification of their disability.