THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING AND

RETAINING EMPLOYMENT

AMONG THE VISION RESTRICTED

Chelsea Mohler, MSC Candidate

STUDY GOALS/PURPOSE

Explore the process of

obtaining/retaining employment

Identify methods to overcome

barriers

Identify strategies to locating

work

POSITION OF RESEARCHER

Personal experience catalyst for research topic

BACKGROUND

Low rates of employment – 32%

General population – 8% unemployment rate

BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT

Macro-barriers Personal barriers

SUPPORTS FOR EMPLOYMENT

CNIB career and employment support Ontario Disability Support Program Employment Support Program Ontario works, Employment Readiness Career Connect, London Supports address barriers at a micro-

level

SKILLS FOR SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT

Definition of success

Factors that contribute to success

Transferable skills

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Strategies and processes to

support employment

Challenges to upward mobility

METHODOLOGY

Qualitative study

Constructivist Grounded Theory

Characteristics of this approach

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Semi-structured interviews

Interview One

Interview Two

Grounded theory analysis

FINDINGS

ENVIRONMENTAL OBSTACLES

Lack of pedestrian sidewalks or audible

pedestrian crosswalk signals

Unreliable bus service and inconsistent

audible stop calling on all public

transport

Infrequent bus stops in residential areas

PROCEDURAL BARRIERS

Job listings which are not available

electronically

Governmental programs and

policies that create disincentives

to engage in paid work

STRATEGIES

Career compromise

Proving worth to employer

Managing disclosure

Employment seeking and keeping

complex, non-linear process

Layering of barriers

IMPLICATIONS

Identify innovative methods of

seeking and keeping employment

Changing employers’ attitudes

and those of job seekers wishing

to abandon their search

DISSEMINATION OF FINDINGS

Master’s thesis

Presentations

Academic journals (e.g., Journal of

Visual Impairment and Blindness,

Insight: Research and Practice in

Visual Impairment and Blindness)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Advisor: Professor Lisa Klinger

Funding sources:

Social Science

Humanities Research Council

National Education Association of Disabled

Students

I would also like to thank the research department at the CNIB for their ongoing support.

REFERENCES

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.aoda.ca/

Butler, S., Crudden, A., Sansing, W., & LeJeune, B. (2002). Employment barriers: Access to assistive

technology and research needs. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 96(9), 664-667.

Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide Through Qualitative Analysis.

London: Sage.

Conference Board of Canada: Employability Skills (2010). Retrieved from

http://www.conferenceboard.ca/topics/education/learning-tools/empl

Crudden, A., McBroom, L. W., Skinner, A. L., & Moore, J. E. (1998). Comprehensive examination of

barriers to employment among persons who are blind or visually impaired. Mississippi State

University.

Employment Ontario: Literacy and Basic Skills Program (2009). Retrieved from

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/brochure/literacy.html

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada: Unemployment Rate and Well-Being in Canada.

(2010). Retrieved from http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=16

Jongbloed, L. (2003). Disability Policy in Canada. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 13(4), 203-209.

Shaw, A., & Gold, D. (2007). Identifying the facilitators of successful employment for persons with

vision loss. Toronto: CNIB.

The Cost of Vision Loss in Canada. (2009). Retrieved from

www.cnib.ca//vision-loss-employment/default.asp

QUESTIONS