An alternative approach to employment for people with deaf-blindness

American Rehabilitation, Spring, 1989 by Barbara Hausman

* Working in the cafeteria at nearby St. Francis Hospital, Leonard Fergerson's job coach was an instructor from HKNC's communications department. He needed to learn job-related vocabulary in written and sign language modes. He couldn't read the lunch menu, and was thus unable to order for himself. His time skills needed sharpening to enable him to identify "break time." A Center mobility specialist reinforced Mr. Fergerson's indoor cane skills in the congested cafeteria.

* An "enclave" is another alternative approach to the supported employment model. Four HKNC clients are working at Independent Living Aids, Inc., where they label brochures, stuff envelopes, zip code letters, collate, and staple papers. A WEP intern and residence aide serve as job coaches during this experience, which occurs 2 days each week. Supports included mobility training for routes from their worktable to restrooms and breakroom. Prompting, to keep clients on their tasks, is ongoing. An HKNC van transports them about 45 minutes each way.

"The ultimate evaluation of everything we do and provide at HKNC is what happens to, for and with our clients once they return home," states HKNC Director Stephen Barrett. To help implement this concept, the center's placement specialist identifies a client's residential and vocational goals, building on knowledge accumulated during training, with input from the client, state counselor and HKNC's regional representatives and affiliates, if appropriate.

Networking with state counselors, other professionals, government agencies, and civic groups in the client's hometown, as well as HKNC affiliates and regional representatives, the placement specialist searches for local resources: potential employers, residential programs and ancillary services (i.e., interpreters, transportation, continued training in braille or ASL, recreation, home maintenance). Once services and employers are known, a field visit is made to assess the worksite, analyze the job and make any needed modification. "I assist, facilitate and advocate for the client," explains Jeremy Burwell, HKNC senior placement specialist. "It means getting applications started, setting up interview appointments, negotiating systems, stressing the individual's eligibility for services. Once a client is placed, followup services are necessary to ensure successful long-term placement. One of the major areas of concern when seeking job opportunities for people who are deaf-blind is attitudinal barriers. There is a real lack of knowledge by the public and professionals of what a person with deaf-blindness can do. This is still an underserved population, even though many people are working in a host of jobs, from assemblers, clerk-typists and lab assistants to computer programmers, word processor operators, teachers, counselors, mechanics, and engineers," said Mr. Burwell. He cited a few examples of recent job placements:

* Tom "P," in his early 30's, has Usher's syndrome. Originally an electronics assembler, he enrolled at HKNC when his vision began to deteriorate. After skills training, job readiness, counseling, and career exploration, he participated in the center's teacher's aide program and was later hired by Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia as a teacher's aide and sign language instructor.