ABSTRACT Background Integrated Practical Placement (IPP) programmes provide students with intellectual disability an opportunity to undertake extended work placement while concurrently studying a course. These programmes showed improved (2–3 folds) employment outcomes compared to non‐integrated programmes, which highlighted the need to expand these offerings. Method This study evaluates a range of IPP programmes, exploring variations, their impact and understanding experiences of the participants and exploring the impact of workplace training as a non‐traditional educational experience. Results Findings show 70%–100% of students enrolled in an IPP programme that delivered a sustained and integrated model of work placement either gained employment or entered further study, and that 100% of businesses and employees who participated in hosting a student for placement returned to the programme again and are open to employing people with disability. Conclusion This highlighted how new education models can improve learning for people with intellectual disability and should be utilised broadly.
Burgin et al. (2026) studied this question.