Putting Alaskans with disabilities to work: agencies around the state work to help people with special needs and help employers at the job site.

• Author: Campbell, Melissa

Emily Ningeok loves her job. On one rainy day recently, she sat at a table in the back shop of the Alaska Bead Co. and scooped tiny craft beads onto a scale, taking great pains to measure exactly 2 ounces. She poured the beads into a small plastic bag, stapled a tag onto it and placed it onto a growing pile.

Her job coach, Luke Gall, put bar code stickers on each bag, then recorded her production progress. This day, Ningeok was charged with taking larger bags of beads, at around 30 ounces each, and making the 2-ounce packets sold in the store. She had assembled 14 packets in 30 minutes from the first bag. The second bag took 25 minutes. "I'm doing better," she said with a smile. "It must be because I'm getting paid today."

At the end of the workday, Ningeok was getting her first full paycheck from Alaska Bead. "It should be around $60," she said. "I like my job here."

Most people wouldn't be so excited about getting a $60 paycheck, but it's a wonderful accomplishment for Ningeok, who earns minimum wage working part-time. When Alaska Bead Manager Linda Myers needed someone to fill what is admittedly a monotonous job, she called Assets Inc., an employment and training service for people with developmental disabilities and mental illness. They sent over Ningeok.

At 25 years old, Ningeok lives in an apartment, where she loves to cook pork chops. She also enjoys fishing at a nearby lake. She can't talk about her disability, nearly whispering, "I don't know what it is," when asked. She adds that she can't read well, but can count if the numbers don't go too high. Representatives from Assets check on Ningeok regularly, making sure she doesn't need anything, that she's not getting lonely and seeing that she's safe.

But Assets also is among the largest resources for job training and employment for people with disabilities, and is the 68th largest employer in the state. Assets clients work in such businesses as the Alaska Club, Burlington Coat Factory and Home Depot, as well as at the Anchorage federal buildings, the postal service center and both military bases, among others.

Employees at Alaska Bead were comfortable working alongside Ningeok, all chatting and laughing. When Ningeok put on her headphones and began singing tunes from Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet," the laughter got a bit louder. Then one tapped her shoulder and reminded Ningeok to be a little quieter.

It was a typical day at work. And that's the way Myers likes it.

"I can't say I've ever seen anybody treat her unfairly or be...