Communication barriers for deaf employees: Needs assessment and problem-solving strategies

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation counseling
• Sociology of disability
• Workforce development

Background:

• Deaf individuals experience higher unemployment and underemployment rates.
• Significant lifetime wage gaps exist between deaf and hearing individuals.
• Communication barriers impede career retention and advancement for deaf employees.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine communication difficulties as a primary barrier to employment for deaf individuals.
• To identify specific barriers faced by deaf employees in the workplace.
• To propose strategies for improving employment outcomes for the deaf workforce.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of employment barriers for deaf individuals.
• Examination of communication challenges related to English proficiency and American Sign Language (ASL) use.
• Assessment of workplace and agency service personnel factors.

Main Results:

• Communication difficulties are a major impediment to deaf employees' job retention and advancement.
• Barriers include individual factors (language use), employment site issues, and agency personnel misunderstandings.
• A lack of understanding of deaf cultural and communication needs exacerbates these barriers.

Conclusions:

• Effective employment support for deaf individuals requires addressing communication and cultural needs.
• An ecological framework model can provide long-term employment support.
• Overcoming these barriers is crucial for utilizing the potential of the deaf workforce.