ATLANTA, Georgia, September 14, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The College of Direct Support (CDS) ( http://info.collegeofdirectsupport.com/), an internet-based college for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) that is managed in partnership by Elsevier I MC Strategies (http://www.mcstrategies.com/) and the University of Minnesota's Research and Training Center, has introduced its newest course - Supporting Jobs and Careers in the Community.

This is the 33rd course in the CDS lineup, which includes courses in the main CDS curriculum, the College of Frontline Supervision and Management, Disability Intensive Courses, and Film For Thought.

This latest course, written by Dr. Derek Nord at the University of Minnesota's Institute on Community Integration, which authors all of CDS's courses, will introduce DSPs and others to many of the different employment opportunities available to people with developmental and other disabilities. This new course will explore how to use volunteering as a way to expand skills and paid employment opportunities. DSPs will learn the importance of matching the individual's current abilities and desires to a job they will enjoy.

This will help (DSPs) understand the important role they play in successful job placements, Nord explained. Having a job and being successful is an important part of adult life. This course will help DSPs and others understand what goes into successful employment. DSPs will learn about the skills and knowledge needed to support both the worker and the employer and the role workplace relationships play in job success. They also will learn how to encourage both independence and interdependence on the job.

The following lessons are included in this course:

- Lesson 1: Successful Community Employment and Retention - Lesson 2: Employment Supports and Volunteering - Lesson 3: Introduction to Government Benefit Programs - Lesson 4: Government Benefit Programs and their Interactions with Work

About the College of Direct Support

The College of Direct Support is a learning gateway for contemporary best practices for Direct Support Professionals. By incorporating web-based learning, backed by nationally recognized curricula, the CDS is designed to promote a profession of direct support. The CDS is being used in more than 30 states and also in Canada. It is a partnership between Elsevier I MC Strategies and the University of Minnesota's Research and Training Center's Institute on Community Integration, which authors the curriculum.

CDS offers a complete lineup of courses offered on the Elsevier I MC Strategies Learning Management System.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet (http://www.thelancet.com) and Cell (http://www.cell.com), and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include ScienceDirect (http://www.sciencedirect.com), Scopus (http://www.scopus.com), Reaxys (http://www.reaxys.com), MD Consult (http://www.mdconsult.com) and Nursing Consult (http://www.nursingconsult.com), which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite (http://www.scival.com) and MEDai's Pinpoint Review (http://www.medai.com), which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier (http://www.elsevier.com) employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC (http://www.reedelsevier.com), a world-leading publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Contact: Tom Reller, Vice President, Global Corporate Relations, +1-215-239-3508, T.Reller@Elsevier.com . Media Contact: Tom King +1-877-353-2767 tking@collegeofdirectsupport.com

SOURCE: Elsevier

CONTACT: Contact: Tom Reller, Vice President, Global Corporate Relations,+1-215-239-3508, T.Reller@Elsevier.com . Media Contact: Tom King,+1-877-353-2767, tking@collegeofdirectsupport.com .