Before the 1920s, rehabilitation services were provided to individuals with disabilities in the United States through philanthropic and voluntary charitable organizations (Jenkins, Patterson, & Szymanski, 1998). The services provided by these different organizations, were the driving force for the development of current vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs. Within the United States, a partnership exists between Federal and State programs that are provided for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities. Federal departments including the Departments of Education, Labor and Justice, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, and the National Council on Disability were charged …show more content…
We need to keep on mind that even though rehabilitation services research that includes Hispanics has been performed, there is still some controversy around it that might alter results. Wilson (2010) states that the difference between race and ethnicity definitions, and that both concepts may be used interchangeably and incorrectly. It also means that Hispanics might be inclined into selecting more than one race to classify themselves (Wilson, 2010). Wilson and Senices (2005) reported that 92% of Latinos have a tendency of classifying themselves as whites, when receiving any type of vocational or rehabilitation services. Several studies have been performed on vocational rehabilitation recipients, but it is most focused towards Caucasian populations. This information makes researchers inquire if data has been used adequately, in a sense in which Hispanics are correctly represented and results are to be trusted. As minority population percentages increase, the need for having research that helps guide vocational rehabilitation programs down the right path for a successful closure is