In this article we will try to show an overview of what is Supported Employment. We will provide a general vision of this tool for integration into open employment for people with disabilities and other social disadvantage groups. For this proposal the origin and definitions will be reviewed, after which the characteristics and philosophy, and the evolution of the model will be discussed. Although practices may differ among disability groups or countries, some core practices are clearly defined. In this sense will will show the international approach proposed by the European Union of Supported Employment (EUSE) and the fundamental elements that could be considered. Finally some critical questions will be discussed.

Art?culo para la "International Encyclopedia of Rehabilitation" que est? desarrollando en un proyecto internacional el Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange (CIRRIE), de la Universidad de Buffalo, y el Laboratoire d?informatique et de terminologie de la r?adaptation et de l?int?gation sociale (LITRIS), del Institut de r?adaptation en d?ficience physique de Qu?bec (IRDPQ).