Visual impairments | Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center

Characteristics and experiences of Youth who are Deaf-Blind

Authors:

McGilloway, S., & Donnelly, M.

Year Published:

2017

Pages:

1-38

Publisher:

The NRTC on Blindness & Low Vision

Background:

According to the National Center on Deaf-Blindness' (NCDB) there have been 8,937 individuals from age 3 to 21, identified with deaf-blindness. Approximately two thirds of transition-age youth with deaf-blindness have participated in state vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs. However, very limited research exists that gives an accurate depiction of the deaf-blind community's experience.

Purpose:

This report describes deaf-blind youth in a sample from 2001 to 2009 and examines the population's characteristics, secondary school experiences, academic achievements, postsecondary school attendance, and employment experiences. The perspective of this report is from that of parents/guardians, youth, and teachers.

Setting:

Data for this report come from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) from 2001 to 2009. Data for this sample were collected via mail surveys and interviews of youth and their parents/guardians, surveys of school personnel, and district assessments.

Sample:

Participants included young adults who identified as having visual and auditory loss as a primary disability.

Data Collection:

Data collection used in this NLTS2 sample were conducted every two years with a total of five waves from 2001 to 2009 with the largest sample size occurring during Wave 1 (170).

Intervention:

There was no intervention.

Control:

There was no control group.

Findings:

A detailed description of the school and employment experience of young adults who are deaf-blind is included in this report. However several commonalities presented themselves within this sample including that the majority of respondents (92% or more), lived with their parent(s) or other relatives, received transition planning for adult life, received special services from their school, and most had one or more accommodation identified on their individualized education program (IEP).

Conclusions:

Although this dataset has been used to represent transition aged youth with disabilities in the past, this report is the first for young adults who are deaf-blind in the United States at a national level. These data are somewhat dated and it would be beneficial to continue this research with a more recent sample.

URL:

http://www.blind.msstate.edu/docs/characteristicsAndExperiencesOfYouthWhoAreDeafBlind.pdf

Disabilities:

Hearing impairments

Visual impairments

Populations:

Male & Female

Transition-age youth (14 - 24)

NIDILRR Funded:

Yes

Research Design:

Observational

Peer Reviewed:

Evidence-based secondary transition predictors for improving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities

Authors:

Texler, L. E., Texler, L. C., Malec, J. F., Klyce, D., & Parrott, D.

Year Published:

2009

Publication:

Career Development for Exceptional Individuals

Volume:

Number:

Pages:

1-22

Publisher:

Hammill Institute on Disabilities and Sage

Background:

Post secondary school outcomes for youth with disabilities are poor. For example, the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 Wave 3 data indicated students continue to live with their parents, did not attend post secondary education and had high rates of unemployment as compared to their non disabled peers, after exiting school. The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center had been identifying evidenced based practices to help improve these and other outcomes. The Council for Exceptional Children was also looking for evidenced based practices in Special Education.

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the secondary transition correlational literature using recommended quality indicators to identify in-school predictors of improved post school outcomes for students with disabilities.

Setting:

This study is a systematic review. The included studies were undertaken in various locations and settings.

Sample:

One hundred and sixty two articles were identified for review. Sixty three passed an analyses and were passed on for further review. Among these, 35 were excluded which left 28 articles for comparison against a quality of evidence checklist for correlational research. This resulted in 22 articles for final review. Three were exploratory studies and the others were a priori studies related to students with disabilities.

Data Collection:

The remaining studies were examined for the following: population, sample size, predictor variables, postschool outcome variables, type of statistical analysis used, relationships among variables, significance levels, and data that allowed for calculation of effect sizes. It was not possible to extract conclusions across studies, so the researchers chose to convert significant relationships to standardize effect size measures to allow comparisons. Various conversions were calculated.

Intervention:

The interventions were various transition practices.

Control:

There were no comparison or control conditions.

Findings:

A review of the literature identified 16 evidence-based in school predictors of post-school outcomes. These include: career awareness, community experiences, exit exam requirements/high school diploma status, inclusion in general education, interagency collaboration, occupational courses, paid employment/work experience, parental involvement, program of study, self advocacy/self determination, self-care/independent living skills, social skills, student support, transition program, vocational education and work study. Some negative findings were also found. Two studies reported negative relationships between secondary transition predictors and one or more post school outcomes. Among the 16 predictor categories: inclusion in general education, paid employment and work experience, self care/independent living, and student support improved outcomes in all 3 post school outcome areas.

Conclusions:

The results from this review provide information to help practitioners improve post school outcomes for students with disabilities. Combining knowledge gained from this review with evidenced based instructional practices should provide state and local education agencies with a foundation to improve programs and thereby increase post school outcomes.

URL:

http://sites.bu.edu/miccr/files/2015/03/Evidence-based-secondary-transition-predictors-for-improving-post-school-outcomes-for-students-with-disabilities.pdf

Disabilities:

Hearing impairments

Intellectual disabilities

Orthopedic impairments

Specific learning disabilities

Speech or language impairments

Visual impairments

Populations:

Transition-age youth (14 - 24)

Outcomes:

Employment acquisition

NIDILRR Funded:

Yes

Research Design:

Systematic reviews and meta-analysis

Peer Reviewed:

Yes

The viability of self employment for individuals with disabilities in the United States: A synthesis of empirical-research literature

Authors:

Yao-Jen Chang, Hung-Huan Liu, Shu-Min Peng, Tsen-Yung Wang

Year Published:

2011

Publication:

Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

Volume:

Number:

Pages:

117-127

Publisher:

IOS Press

Background:

The lack of employment opportunities and stable employment for individuals with disabilities continues to pose personal and social difficulties and challenges. Individuals with disabilities experience persistently higher poverty rates. Very little is known about individuals with disability in self employment as compared to the more extensive research literature on individuals with a disability who work for someone else.

Purpose:

Paper reports on a review, analysis, and synthesis the findings of empirical-research studies on self-employment of individuals with disabilities in the United States. Paper addresses the question: "How viable is self employment for individuals with disabilities in the U.S."

Setting:

This study is a systematic review. The included studies were undertaken in various locations and settings.

Sample:

The data search used five large data bases: Academic Search Premier, ERIC, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, and Business Source Premier/Econ-Lit. The database search used the terms self employment, entrepreneurship and micro enterprise as synonymous terms in the search. Results were sorted to identify U.S. empirical literature. Twelve studies met the selection criteria.

Data Collection:

Coding of selected studies comprised the following steps: First author completed multiple readings noting, for example, research questions, research design, data collection and measurement, and research findings, and limitations. Second and third author evaluated first and second authors evaluated first authors coding for accuracy. Full interobserver accuracy (100%) was established before proceeding to the synthesis of selected studies.

Intervention:

The study adopted a two part definition of self employed worker:
a) Self employed in own not incorporated business workers. This includes people who worked for profit or fees in their own unincorporated business, professional practice, or trade or who operated a farm.
b) Self employed in own incorporated business workers.

Control:

There were no comparison or control conditions.

Findings:

In recent years, approximately 12% of working individuals with disabilities have earned an income from self-employment. The national Vocational Rehabilitation closure rates in self employment have remained around 2-3% since the late 1980s (although the rate varies considerably from state to state). The reasons individuals with disabilities pursue self employment are diverse and vary in complexity. Individuals can derive a range of benefits and challenges in self employment. Primary benefit is financial. Other potential benefits involve having a more of a decision making role in their own lives, and personal control and autonomy. Primary challenge in self employment is the access to adequate capital and financing for funding a business, extending beyond individual and family resources. Support in self employment has typically meant relying on a patchwork of resources.

Conclusions:

In the 21st century, self employment can be a catalyst for expanding work opportunities and improving outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Tentative indications that Individuals with disabilities can succeed in self employment under certain conditions involve a number of stakeholders. State and federal agencies could expand their support of self employment for individuals with disabilities through the establishment of micro finance development funds outside the VR system.

URL:

http://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-vocational-rehabilitation/jvr559

Disabilities:

Emotional disturbance

Intellectual disabilities

Specific learning disabilities

Populations:

Outcomes:

NIDILRR Funded:

Research Design:

Systematic reviews and meta-analysis

Peer Reviewed:

Yes