Meeting the Expectations of the Workplace in the Schoolplace

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a question often asked of children and young adults. To what degree, however, is this question asked of children and young adults who are disabled and particularly those who are visually impaired? The failure to ask this question may reflect limited expectations for employment for this population. Moreover, these limited expectations exist among the general public, parents and families, and employers. THE CHALLENGE Many employers have a limited understanding of the work skills of individuals with visual disabilities. A recent National Industries for the Blind (NIB) study of 400 hiring managers and human resource executives across the United States found that 54% of hiring managers said there were few jobs at their company that employees who are visually impaired would be able to perform (Lynch, 2013). The reality of employment for individuals with visual disabilities is noted in the 2011 statistics reported in the American Community Survey (Erickson, Lee, & von Schrader, 2013), which cites data indicating that under 37% of people with self-reported visual disabilities are working. Only 24%, however, are working full-time year-round. Given the low employment rates for individuals with visual disabilities, schools need to develop programs that emphasize career education and workplace skills. Research has demonstrated a significant relationship between youths who were totally blind or had low vision with paid jobs and those who received training in job skills while they were still in school (Wolffe & Kelly, 2011). The following is a description of one such program at Concordia Learning Center at St. Joseph's School for the Blind (SJSB), in Jersey City, New Jersey. THE WORKPLACE EXPECTATIONS TRAINING PROGRAM The approach A traditional approach to understanding the expectations of the workplace is to focus on future employment. Staff members at SJSB recognize the fact that students already have a job--the job of being students. Expectations for students in their primary workplace, the school, are not unlike expectations for adults in the competitive workplace. These expectations include: being on time; working well with others; being supervised; knowing when and when not to ask for help; communicating effectively; cooperating with colleagues and managers; and respecting others. Students in the Workplace Expectations program also have another job. All are members of the Lunch Delivery program, a project started in 2004 (Miller & Thompson, 2005). Skills include taking an order using appropriate language and manners; using a tape recorder to accurately record the order; using a telephone to clearly communicate the order to the store; verifying that the store recorded the order correctly; and handling money and calculating change when picking up the order. Students receive gratuities from the customers. Students are involved in making decisions about financial compensation. The additional element of compensation makes this a more realistic work experience. Participation in the lunch program requires a variety of skills used in paid employment, including interacting appropriately with customers, accepting responsibility, making decisions, displaying a proper work attitude, engaging in teamwork, and maintaining good health habits. The Workplace Expectations program provides students opportunities to discuss and solve work-related problems that occurred while they were participating in the in the lunch program. The Participants The 2012-2013 school year marked the second iteration of the Workplace Expectations program. The class ran throughout the school year, was held on a biweekly basis, and lasted for one hour. It was conducted as if it were a college class: Students were required to attend on time, bring materials and equipment to take notes, and behave appropriately in the classroom. …