This podcast focuses on the Virginia Commonwealth University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment of Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities grant-funded project. It features interviews with the project's director, research study leads, and steering committee members discussing the research and training of the project. The new podcast will release episodes on the second Monday of each month over the next five years.
Episode 14: Dr. Paul Wehman, Principal Investigator (Part 2)
Season 2 of VCU-RRTC-IDD’s Zooming into Focus Podcast launches two brand new episodes featuring the Project’s Principal Investigator Dr. Paul Wehman! In this episode 14 (Part 2), Dr. Wehman gives us insight into the future of disability employment!
12 Oct 2026
Episode 13: Dr. Paul Wehman, Principal Investigator (Part 1)
Season 2 of VCU-RRTC-IDD’s Zooming into Focus Podcast launches two brand new episodes featuring the Project’s Principal Investigator Dr. Paul Wehman! In episode 13, Dr. Wehman discusses the big picture of the project include the history and present of the Employment of Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
On this episode we are joined by Employment Specialist Grace Ward. she tells us about her experiences in the field and gives us some insight into what an employment specialist does and how they assist individuals with IDD in gaining and maintaining employment.
6 Jul 2026
Episode 11: Brandon Jenkins, Advisory Committee Member
Brandon Jenkins stops by to discuss their experiences in employment as well as quality of life since being employed. Brandon is a member of the Study 2 Advisory Committee, assisting project team members in creating meaningful products and providing insight into quality of life factors for individuals with IDD in employment.
8 Jun 2026
Episode 10: Dr. Ashley Lecorn-Huckaby and Dr. Pete Temple, Tech-Prep Virginia
Dr. Lecorn-Huckaby and Dr. Temple join us to continue the discussion from Episode 9 about Research Study 3's Tech Prep intervention, as they also recently launched the first cohort of the online Tech-Prep course for students with IDD in Virginia.
11 May 2026
Episode 9: Dr. Josh Taylor and Dr. Holly Whittenburg, Tech-Prep Washington State
Dr. Josh Taylor and Dr. Holly Whittenburg join us from Washington State University. They are working on Research Study 3’s Tech Prep intervention and they, along with their colleagues, recently launched the first cohort of the online Tech-Prep course for students with IDD.
1 Apr 2026
Episode 8: Dr. Whitney Ham and Crystal Hence, Directors of Technical Assistance and Training
In a special early released episode of Zooming into Focus, Whitney and Crystal have a conversation about training and technical assistance and how the general public can utilize the resources that are produced by the project team. They also discuss what Technical Assistance is and how people can gain information from the team about anything IDD and disability employment related.
9 Mar 2026
Episode 7: Troy Carter, Research and Communications Assistant
Troy Carter, a research and communications assistant on the project, tells us about his journey to his current career and the ups and downs along the way. He also gives us his views on the five studies of the project and his experiences with each topic.
9 Feb 2026
Episode 6: Dr. Carol Schall, Research Study Five Principal Investigator
We are joined by Dr. Carol Schall, the principal investigator of Research Study Five. She breaks down the research that she and her team are conducting to increase the quality of supported employment services provided to people with IDD by establishing a valid and reliable scale for implementation.
12 Jan 2026
Episode 5: Jaclyn Camden, Research Study Four Principal Investigator
We sit down with Jaclyn Camden, the principal investigator of Research Study Four, and discuss the research of her and her team as they create a technical assistance and training model for college professionals to improve employment opportunities for college students with IDD.
8 Dec 2025
Episode 4: Dr. Tim Tansey, Research Study Three Principal Investigator
On episode four, we catch up with the principal investigator of Research Study Three, Dr. Timothy Tansey, about his team's study: Inspiring and Preparing Disempowered Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to Pursue Technology Training and Careers: Scaling up the TECH-Prep Intervention.
10 Nov 2025
Episode 3: Alissa Brooke, Research Study Two Principal Investigator
On this episode, we talk with the principal investigator of Research Study Two, Alissa Brooke, about her team's study: The Impact of CIE on the Lives of People with IDD: A Mixed-Methods Intervention Development Study Across Multiple Businesses.
6 Oct 2025
Episode 2: Dr. Ben Schwartzman, Research Study 1 Principal Investigator
On this episode, we talk with the principal investigator of Research Study One, Dr. Ben Schwartzman, about his team's study, as he and his team are developing a combined parent and peer mentorship program to help adults with IDD connect to employment.
26 Aug 2025
Episode 1: Project Director Jenn McDonough
On this episode, we talk with Project Director Jenn McDonough about what the RRTC on IDD project is, how it started, and where it's going from here. Jenn gives us an overview of the funding and of the five research studies that comprise the project.
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