SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Submitted via IRC for Bytram
Blind people have increased opportunities, but employers' perceptions are still a barrier
More than 7.5 million Americans, or 2.4% of the population, are blind or have low vision. Some people are born with blindness or low vision, but most people acquire vision loss, often at older ages. Researchers estimate that the incidence of blindness and low vision will rise rapidly through 2050 as the population ages.
As researchers who study issues related to blindness and low vision, we are interested in how society, its institutions, businesses and individuals currently perceive members of this population and how these perceptions may influence opportunities, particularly in terms of employment.
[...] The large disparities in employment rates that have historically existed for people who are blind still exist today. The most recent data from the American Community Survey indicates that 44.2% of people who are blind are employed and 10% are unemployed. This compares to an employment rate of 77.2% and unemployment rate of 4.8% for people without disabilities.
Why does employment continue to be a challenge for so many people who are blind? It may be that perceptions about the capabilities of the population have not changed.
[...] Many employers have inaccessible job application sites, and people who are blind have filed lawsuits regarding their inability to use a screen reader to access job-related information on websites. Giving this group of people equal access to learn about and apply for any job of interest is an important first step. Employers should make all digital information related to jobs accessible, including the application process. Accessibility is not difficult, and much support is available for this effort.
In addition, employers and society in general should learn about how people who are blind can perform tasks for which sighted people rely on their vision. This is one of the best ways to change perceptions. Attending your local White Cane Day event is a great opportunity to learn about this population. Events such as this and National Disability Employment Awareness Month are important to increase awareness about the capabilities of people who are blind and the employment challenges they continue to face.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by bradley13 on Wednesday October 16 2019, @06:50PM
Exactly this. Employ blind people in positions where vision is not the primary sense required. I have a couple of blind acquaintances who need to process documents of various kinds on their computers. This is horribly slow, error prone - and not worth any possible salary you would ever pay them. It only sort of works because they collect disability.
For people who are blind from a young age: Why not choose a career path that uses other senses? Telephone work. Interpreter. Musician. Food taster (don't laugh - all the big companies employ people for this). Aroma expert (perfumes, whiskies, whatever). Sure, all of those jobs use vision, but only on a secondary level.
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.