EMPLOYMENT SITUATION OF PERSON WITH DISABILITIES: CASE STUDIES OF US, JAPAN AND MALAYSIA

This paper looks at the employment situation of people with disabilities (PWDs) and examines its issues through three case studies (i.e., United States, Japan and Malaysia). The first case study examines the United States regulation for promotion of disabled persons' employment - Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. The introduction of ADA can be considered an important milestone in the history of employment of person with disabilities. However, the unemployment rate among the disabled person does not seem to decrease after the implementation of the ADA. The second case study analyses Japan's quota system for employment of disabled persons. After introduction of quota system, the employment of disabled persons, especially people with intellectual disabilities, in Japan has gradually increased. The third case study examines a Malaysian welfare non-governmental organization (NGO) named the "Asia Community Service (ACS)" and its effort to promote the disabled persons' employment. In 2000, the ACS established a workplace named the "Stepping Stone Work Centre" in order to provide job opportunities to people with intellectual disabilities. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]