K E Wolffe¹, S J Spungin²
¹American Foundation for the Blind, Education, Austin, TX 78704, United States; ²American Foundation for the Blind, Education, New York, United States
In the summer of 1999, the World Blind Union (WBU) Committee on Rehabilitation and Employment committed to the development of a job index that included jobs being performed by individuals with visual impairments throughout the world. The researchers surveyed WBU member organizations and solicited input regarding the numbers and types of jobs being performed by both blind and visually impaired adults. In addition, they asked for information from respondents about perceived barriers and assets to employment. Of the 496 surveys mailed, 102 surveys were returned. Surveys were mailed to 153 countries and 75 countries responded, an overall response rate of 21% and a country response rate of 49%. Responses were sorted according to economic status and geographic region which was determined using the World Bank definition for developing countries.
Briefly, the results indicate that there is still reason for concern about the lack of diversity in the jobs being performed by blind and partially sighted people throughout the world. Although there is greater diversity in the range of jobs being performed by people with visual impairments in developed countries, blind and visually impaired people still do not have access to the variety of careers available to their sighted peers. Of perhaps even greater import is the survey's documentation of barriers and assets to employment. Barriers identified in this study include lack of education, resources, employer awareness, and necessary technologies; poverty; discrimination; inadequate legislative support and so forth. These are issues that require ongoing efforts on the part of advocates for people with visual impairments. On the positive side, the assets identified in this study including increased advocacy, individual work and character qualities, improved educational opportunities, and access to assistive technology bode well for the future employment of blind and visually impaired people.
Return to the ISLRR.ORG Home Page
