Vocational Experiences of College-Educated Individuals with Visual Impairments

This article describes the vocational experiences of college-educated individuals with visual impairments (VI). The participants were 16 college graduates and college students with VI, ages 19-55 years. The data were derived from qualitative research of phenomenological case studies and focused on six primary themes: (a) employers' lack of knowledge about VI (b) the need for self-advocacy, (c) benefits and limitations of working in companies with primarily VI populations, (d) lack of work experience, (e) barriers posed by inaccessible technology, and (f) barriers related to lack of transportation. The results indicated that improvements in the following areas are vital to increase the vocational success of college-educated individuals with VI: (a) employers' education about visual impairment, (b) improved self-advocacy skills, (c) higher levels of vocational experience, and (d) improved access to technology and transportation.

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Career Advancement for Young Women with Visual Impairments

Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness ◽

10.1177/0145482x9709100314 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 91 (3) ◽

pp. 280-295 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

M.D. Hutto ◽

D. Hare

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Young Women ◽

Career Advancement ◽

College Graduates ◽

Research Study ◽

Visual Impairments ◽

Female Adolescents ◽

Female College ◽

Qualitative Research Study

Young women with visual impairments need to learn strategies for both acquiring and advancing in careers. This article presents a qualitative research study of six successful female college graduates who are legally blind and suggests interventions for maximizing the career potential of female adolescents with visual impairments.

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Participant Experiences in an Employment Mentoring Program for College Students with Visual Impairments

Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness ◽

10.1177/0145482x1811200306 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 112 (3) ◽

pp. 274-286

Author(s):

Karla Antonelli ◽

Jamie O'Mally ◽

Anne Steverson

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Visual Impairment ◽

Job Search ◽

Role Models ◽

Career Guidance ◽

Longitudinal Research ◽

Visual Impairments ◽

Mentoring Programs ◽

Mentoring Program ◽

Legal Blindness

Introduction Mentors can help college graduates with visual impairments (that is, those with blindness or low vision) prepare for and seek employment in their chosen fields by serving as role models and sharing their experiences with mentees. Identifying mentoring activities and discussions most valued by mentees with visual impairments will facilitate the design of future mentoring programs. Methods A nationwide mentoring program for college students with legal blindness was implemented using an experimental longitudinal research design. Career mentors with legal blindness worked with mentees to develop knowledge and skills related to securing employment. Data included engagement in job-seeking activities, most helpful aspects of the mentoring relationship, and a participant evaluation of the program. Results Most mentees indicated that program activities and discussions related to visual impairment (for instance, disclosure and accommodation planning) and field-specific issues (such as career exploration and professional development) were of greatest value. Participants evaluated the program positively. Discussion Mentees valued knowledge, support, encouragement, and career guidance provided by mentors. Mentors valued the opportunity to contribute to the growth of young professionals with visual impairments. Implications for practitioners Students with visual impairments find value in specific aspects of mentoring relationships, and mentors are eager to work with students seeking employment. Topics and activities for future mentoring programs should include disclosure, accommodations, blindness skills, and job-search skills. Level of visual impairment and the career field should both be considered when pairing mentors with students with visual impairments preparing for employment.

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Locus of Control in College Students with and Without Visual Impairments, and the Visual Characteristics that Affect It

Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness ◽

10.1177/0145482x20987019 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 115 (1) ◽

pp. 42-54

Author(s):

Javad Abbasi Jondani

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Locus Of Control ◽

Visual Impairment ◽

Educational Level ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Visual Impairments ◽

Well Being ◽

Statistical Population ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Visual Characteristics

Introduction: According to previous research, locus of control (LOC) has a crucial role in an individual’s psychological well-being. The purpose of this study was 3-fold: (1) comparing LOC of college students with and without visual impairments while controlling for gender, educational level, and age; (2) investigating the relationship between LOC and visual characteristics in college students with visual impairments; and (3) predicting LOC of these students using their visual characteristics. Methods: The design of this study was causal-comparative. The statistical population included a sample of college students with and without visual impairments who were enrolled at the University of Isfahan, Iran. Fifteen of the 20 college students with visual impairments were selected through convenience sampling and amongst sighted students, 15 individuals were selected in a way that they were matched with college students with visual impairment regarding gender, educational level, and age. The Rotter Locus of Control Scale was used to measure LOC. Also, visual impairment characteristics and demographic data were collected. The results were analyzed by t-test and stepwise regression analysis. Results: Results indicated no significant difference between LOC of college students with and without visual impairments ( p > .05), and both groups tended to have internal LOC on average. The results indicated that adjustment to visual impairment and the recent status of visual impairment might predict the LOC of a college student who is visually impaired and explained 59.2% of its variance with this sample ( p < .005). Discussion: LOC of college students with visual impairments was similar to their sighted counterparts. The better adjusted the person was to his or her visual impairment and the less worsening the status of visual impairment was, the higher internal LOC he or she had. Implications for practitioners: Families and society can help individuals with visual impairments build their internal LOC, by teaching them how to adjust to their disability and providing them the conditions to increase their independence. At the same time, preparing them for entering university may also help them develop their sense of internal LOC.

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Career Dilemmas among Diné (Navajo) College Graduates: An Exploration of the Dinétah (Navajo Nation) Brain Drain

International Indigenous Policy Journal ◽

10.18584/iipj.2013.4.4.5 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

James McKenzie ◽

Aaron P Jackson ◽

Robert Yazzie ◽

Steven A Smith ◽

Amber K Crotty ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Secondary Education ◽

Brain Drain ◽

Work Experience ◽

College Graduates ◽

Post Secondary Education ◽

Navajo Nation ◽

Post Secondary ◽

Family Culture ◽

Indigenous Nations ◽

College Educated

Like many Indigenous nations, the Navajo Nation has worked to develop its human and economic potential. It has provided scholarships and other supports to enable its members to pursue post-secondary education. However, relatively few of these college-educated members return to the reservation to contribute directly to its development. This phenomenon has been termed a brain drain. This study explored the experiences of 28 college-educated Navajos who, while raised on the reservation, were living off the reservation after completing their post-secondary education. Participants indicated a number of factors that went into their decision to live off the reservation. These included: Ké’: Relationships/Connections to Family, Culture, Homeland, People; Iiná: Lifestyle/Lifeway, Desirable Setting, Learned Work Ethic, Social Atmosphere, Togetherness (Diné) vs. Individualism (Mainstream); Bee ach’į’ na’hwii’ná: Resources and Roadblocks to Making a Life, Infrastructure, Services, The “System”; Bee ajit’9: Opportunity, Prosperity and Personal Improvement, Education, Extracurricular, Job Availability, Work Experience.

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