The Transition to Employment in Wales and the Canary Islands for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Supported Employment
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The paper has an interesting subject, but it needs some improvements as follows:
The title is attractive but does not reflect the paper's content. For example, 'TRANSITION' is not clearly visible in the paper content.
The abstract shifts the focus of the research, and it does not attract a reader to read further. The research ideas could have been more effective through elaborative and concise sentences. The abstract, as is, does not provide a concise account of the work and conclusion of the research study. It needs to be more structured and synthesized for research clarity.
It is important to provide and elaborate on relevant contextual ideas and background leading to research and additional literature to explain why it is essential for this research study.
The authors should focus on the research framework to avoid overstating their research scope.
We recommend providing a more straightforward explanation of making the case to the academic world on why the research raises discussions and importance in the field.
Some elements related to Literature Review or Background are presented in the Introduction section, but this section is missing.
The details regarding the research data collection, analysis, and interpretation of results are missing.
It is necessary to provide a brief description of the methods of data employed and their application and appropriateness for data analysis.
Moreover, we did not find any data supporting the information related to the indicators in the tables.
The findings were not well-presented to readers to understand the focus of the research study.
Due to the lack of information about the research instrument, the reader may not be convinced of the study's findings/results.
The Discussion is not well-presented as it does not integrate with the research study's results to provide a coherent scholarly argument.
The Discussion section should connect the research results with relevant literature citations for validity and reliability.
For example," The most noteworthy gaps" are not supported by data and solid arguments.
The conclusion section is not supported by the research data, which does not indicate a clearer path for future studies on the topic.
A follow-up of restated findings with supporting literature reviews could make the conclusion section more effective.
The authors should underline the paper's originality and improve its practicability.
The references are limited to 30 sources, and it is necessary to add some relevant sources.
Good luck!
Author Response
Thank you for your review.
Details of the review
- The paper has an interesting subject
Thank you very much.
- The title is attractive but does not reflect the paper's content. For example, 'TRANSITION' is not clearly visible in the paper content.
Corrected.
ABSTRACT
- The abstract shifts the focus of the research, and it does not attract a reader to read further. The research ideas could have been more effective through elaborative and concise sentences. The abstract, as is, does not provide a concise account of the work and conclusion of the research study. It needs to be more structured and synthesized for research clarity.
Corrected. We have rephrased the abstract to fit the recommendations.
- It is important to provide and elaborate on relevant contextual ideas and background leading to research and additional literature to explain why it is essential for this research study.
The authors should focus on the research framework to avoid overstating their research scope.
We recommend providing a more straightforward explanation of making the case to the academic world on why the research raises discussions and importance in the field.
Some elements related to or Background are presented in the Introduction section, but this section is missing.
Corrected. We have rephrased several aspect of Literature Review
The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015) commits to leaving no one behind. To achieve this, it is necessary to take into account people with disabilities. In the 2030 Agenda, quality and inclusive education is mentioned among the Sustainable Development Goals and article 24 includes the Right to an inclusive education.
In the last two decades, various authors have defended the idea of creating inclusive school communities. The concept of inclusion has gradually displaced the concept of integration. Inclusive schools seek to create communities that support all students and not just a category of them labeled as problems. The efforts of inclusive schools focus on: assessing the needs of teachers, adapting teaching to meet special educational needs, providing support to students, promoting the role of counselors in teacher training in schools, training to counselors in the field of career guidance for disadvantaged groups to promote their transition to labor market, etc. (Stainback, Stainback, & Jackson, 1999; Santana-Vega, 2015; 2013; Santana-Vega, Alonso Bello, & Feliciano García, 2017; Garcés-Delgado, Santana-Vega, & Feliciano-García, 2019; Alonso-Bello, Santana-Vega, & Feliciano-García, 2020).
There are no previous studies that analyze and compare the models of transition to adult life and employment of young people with intellectual disabilities between the region of Wales and the Canary Islands.
Access to employment for people with intellectual disabilities is one of the great challenges of modern societies. Although progress has been made in recent years, there are still many barriers to achieving equal opportunities. Carrying out comparative studies on the progress made in different territories can contribute to accelerating said progress
The article analyzes the existing measures in the educational systems of Wales and the Canary Islands that favor the transition to adult life and the employment of young people with intellectual disabilities. It also analyzes specific existing policies in both regions aimed at favoring their transition to employment. Finally, it pays attention to supported employment as a transition model to labor market for people with intellectual disabilities and its application in Wales and the Canary Islands. Based on these dimensions, the categories of analysis have been created.
-The details regarding the research data collection, analysis, and interpretation of results are missing.
It is necessary to provide a brief description of the methods of data employed and their application and appropriateness for data analysis.
Moreover, we did not find any data supporting the information related to the indicators in the tables.
The findings were not well-presented to readers to understand the focus of the research study.
Due to the lack of information about the research instrument, the reader may not be convinced of the study's findings/results.
Corrected.
In social science studies there are three ways of using comparison: historical analysis, statistical analysis and qualitative studies; there are also three ways to consider the comparison: as a context of justification and control of hypotheses; as a context of discovery and generation of new hypotheses and as a logical and systematic procedure that is what is called in strict terms, comparative method. According to Liphajrt (1971) the comparative method is more of a research strategy than a research technique. For Sartori (1984) and Fideli (1998) the comparative method tries to find similarities and differences to confront two or several institutions, geopolitical units or processes at a given moment or in a more or less extensive period of time. In our work we have used the comparative method to confront two transition systems (educational and labor) of young people with intellectual disabilities.
To carry out our study, a comparative analysis has been carried out between the models of labor transition and on education and transition to adult and working life of people with intellectual disabilities in Wales and the Canary Islands. Information was collected through the review of various Technical Documents and the Legislation was also analyzed. Once the state of the art and the referential framework were made, the categories of analysis were established based on the objectives established in the study.
-The Discussion is not well-presented as it does not integrate with the research study's results to provide a coherent scholarly argument.
The Discussion section should connect the research results with relevant literature citations for validity and reliability.
For example," The most noteworthy gaps" are not supported by data and solid arguments.
-The conclusion section is not supported by the research data, which does not indicate a clearer path for future studies on the topic.
A follow-up of restated findings with supporting literature reviews could make the conclusion section more effective.
Corrected.
We have incorporated some references of the theoretical framework in the discussion and conclusions section to link it with the previous studies on the topic.
It would be necessary to carry out more comparative studies that analyze other periods of time different from the one carried out in this work.
-The authors should underline the paper's originality and improve its practicability.
Corrected.
The original contribution of our work lies in the fact that we have used the comparative method to confront two transition systems (educational and labor) of young people with intellectual disabilities from two geographical regions. It is also original and useful for professionals who work with young people with intellectual disabilities, the analysis that is carried out on the existing measures in the educational systems of Wales and the Canary Islands to promote the transition to adult life and the labor insertion of these young people.
-The references are limited to 30 sources, and it is necessary to add some relevant sources.
Corrected.
We have added some references
Reviewer 2 Report
This paper offers a very interesting examination and comparison of the state of post mandated school attendance employment skills development and paid work by young adults with intellectual disability. A few edits are necessary:
line 58 requires the last word of the sentence, I suspect it is "job."
line 59 requires a period: quality of life of people"."
line 325 delete 'following the "of" supported employment model.'
the acronym EUSE needs to be provided in text at first cite, line 422: "European Union of Supported Development"
Author Response
Thank you for your review.
Details of the review
-This paper offers a very interesting examination and comparison of the state of post mandated school attendance employment skills development and paid work by young adults with intellectual disability.
Thank you very much.
- A few edits are necessary:
line 58 requires the last word of the sentence, I suspect it is "job."
line 59 requires a period: quality of life of people".
line 325 delete 'following the "of" supported employment model.'
the acronym EUSE needs to be provided in text at first cite, line 422: "European Union of Supported Development"
Corrected.
Reviewer 3 Report
The topic discussed in the paper is interesting and important.
The goal of the study is presented in a clear way in the introduction.
The analysis is useful despite the fact the methods are purely descriptive.
My opinion about the study is positive. I have however a major concern that must be addressed: the discussion of the paper should provide a much closer link with previous studies on related topics.
The final sectiom could also be improved.
Author Response
Thank you for your review.
Details of the review:
-The topic discussed in the paper is interesting and important.
Thank you very much.
-The goal of the study is presented in a clear way in the introduction.
Thank you very much.
- The analysis is useful despite the fact the methods are purely descriptive. My opinion about the study is positive.
Thank you very much.
- I have however a major concern that must be addressed: the discussion of the paper should provide a much closer link with previous studies on related topics. The final section could also be improved.
Corrected.
Reviewer 4 Report
The scientific article "Transition from school to employment of people with intellectual disabilities in Wales and the Canary Islands" has a high degree of relevance of the problem raised. The problem under consideration remains acute and requires specific decisions and significant steps to address it in a number of countries. The analysis of the problem and its solutions presented in the peer-reviewed article can be taken to the attention of specialists dealing with these problems in a number of other countries. The scientific article corresponds to the declared direction and fully discloses the content,.
Author Response
Thank you very much for your review.
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Good luck!
Reviewer 3 Report
The new version of the paper answers my previous concerns.
