Deaf-Blindness: Personal Attributes, Vocational Support Services, and Employment Outcomes

Literature Review – Premiere Career Services
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October 14, 2023
Navigating the vocational landscape presents unique challenges for individuals with deaf-blindness, a demographic often overlooked in academic and vocational research. Despite the integral role employment plays in enhancing quality of life and fostering independence, there remains a significant gap in understanding the specific needs and barriers this community faces. The study delves deeply into the intricate interplay between personal attributes, vocational support services, and employment outcomes for those with deaf-blindness. By drawing insights from a rich dataset, the research not only sheds light on the multifaceted factors that shape their job prospects but also underscores the paramount importance of adopting tailored and collaborative vocational rehabilitation strategies to ensure their successful integration into the workforce.
Review of Related Literature
Frentzel, E., Geyman, Z., Rasmussen, J., Nye, C., & Murphy, K. M. (2021). Pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities: A scoping review. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 54(2), 103-116.
This comprehensive article dives into the multifaceted challenges students with disabilities face when seeking employment. With an emphasis on the importance of vocational rehabilitation counseling in enhancing employment prospects for these students, the authors embark on a mission to unearth strategies that significantly bolster employment chances. The methodology is rooted in a scoping review that meticulously examines the literature surrounding pre-employment transition services tailored for students with disabilities. The study casts a wide net, spanning sources from America, Europe, and Australia, capturing diverse perspectives and findings.
One of the pivotal revelations of the study is the acknowledgment of the myriad employment-related obstacles that students with disabilities grapple with, thus underscoring the dire need for potent vocational rehabilitation counseling. Delving deeper, the authors categorize the transition services under study into five cardinal groups: job exploration counseling, immersive work-based learning experiences, holistic counseling avenues for collegiate or training programs, comprehensive workplace readiness training, and rigorous self-advocacy instruction.
Among the myriad of insights, a few stand out prominently. The article underscores the tangible benefits of robust pre-employment services, notably enhancing employment prospects for students with disabilities. Experiential work-based learning, simulated workplace engagements, internships, and student-helmed enterprises emerge as particularly efficacious. Moreover, the authors champion the indispensable role of self-advocacy skills, emphasizing their centrality in enabling students to adeptly recognize and articulate their unique needs and rights within the workplace milieu.
This article serves as a lighthouse in the broader context, illuminating the path for PCS's evaluative endeavors. It offers invaluable insights into crafting strategies that not only equip individuals with disabilities with the requisite skills and knowledge for gainful employment but also acclimatize them to the nuances of remote work settings, where articulate communication reigns supreme.
Roux, A. M., Rast, J. E., Anderson, K. A., Garfield, T., & Shattuck, P. T. (2021). Vocational rehabilitation service utilization and employment outcomes among secondary students on the autism spectrum. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, pp. 51, 212–226.
The study, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, delves into the significant role of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services in shaping employment outcomes for individuals with autism. The focus is comparing the benefits and reach of these services between student and non-student populations within the autism spectrum.
Accordingly, a striking disparity emerges in the utilization of VR services. Despite their potential to benefit from early interventions, students are less likely than their non-student counterparts to receive VR services. The research brings to light not just the value of VR services for the employment prospects of those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) but also the nuances in how these services are accessed based on demographic attributes like gender and race.
It must also be noted that among the array of VR services, some stand out in their efficacy in promoting successful employment for those with ASD. Job-related services, including job search assistance, on-the-job support, and VR counseling, show pronounced positive impacts. The age at which individuals first access these services is crucial, with early intervention correlating with better employment outcomes.
Finally, the data from this research underscores a pressing need: to refine and tailor VR services to the unique needs of those with ASD. This is especially pertinent given the transformative potential these services have on the lives of individuals with ASD, equipping them with skills and support for meaningful employment. The findings advocate for a more nuanced, individualized approach to delivering VR services, ensuring they reach the populations who stand to gain the most.
Kaya, C., Hsu, S., Rumrill, P. D., Hanley-Maxwell, C., & Chan, F. (2021). Differential vocational rehabilitation service patterns and outcomes for transition-age youth with specific learning disabilities: Implications in the COVID-19 era. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 54(1), 59–70.
In their intricate study, Kaya, Hanley-Maxwell, and Chan embarked on a journey to elucidate the predominant factors influencing competitive employment outcomes for transition-age young adults (TAY) diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Recognizing the crucial interplay between vocational services and employment, the authors harnessed data from vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. Their meticulous research design was crafted to dissect the nuances of how various VR services, the frequency of their usage, and the overall duration of participation in the VR system influenced employment prospects.
Emerging from this comprehensive investigation were several enlightening findings. Foremost among these was the revelation that TAY, actively engaged with multiple VR services in a relatively condensed timeframe, exhibited an enhanced likelihood of procuring competitive employment. This counterintuitive result challenged conventional wisdom, suggesting that shorter, more intensive engagements with the VR system could yield more auspicious employment outcomes. Another pivotal finding was the somewhat paradoxical role of on-the-job support—a specific VR service—which, contrary to expectations, was correlated with diminished chances of participants clinching competitive employment roles. Additionally, the study unambiguously underlined the paramount importance of education. Drawing a clear correlation, the authors emphasized that TAY with Autism who successfully pursued higher education, regardless of whether it was vocationally or academically oriented, stood a substantially improved chance of successfully navigating the job market.
The profound implications of this article cannot be overstated for stakeholders in the Autism community. For educators, policymakers, and vocational trainers, the revelations of this research spotlight the transformative potential of tailored vocational rehabilitation services. It beckons a paradigm shift, urging a more fo...