The Effect of Education on the Occupational Status of Deaf and Hard of Hearing 26-to-64-Year-Olds

Abstract

In the last quarter of the 20th century, federal legislation sought to eliminate disability-based discrimination by requiring reasonable accommodations in school and the workplace. One result of this legislation has been increased access to U.S. colleges and universities by deaf and hard of hearing persons. The present article reviews the literature on employment of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing and reports results of a recent analysis that used the 2010 American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010a). It was found that significant gains in college attendance and graduation occurred during the period, with individuals who attained a college degree realizing increased employment and earnings relative to individuals who had not graduated. It was also found that college graduation helps reduce the gap between the earnings of deaf persons with a college degree and those of comparably educated hearing persons.

Association of Socioeconomic Position With Sensory Impairment Among US Working-Aged Adults

“…38 However, the NHIS does not collect information on SEP indicators and health events at multiple points across the life course of participants, which precludes examination of the potential effect of reverse causation.…”

The employment of individuals with hearing impairment in the KwaZulu-Natal private sector: Current employers’ perceptions and experiences

“…Arguably, modernization has changed the face of the labour market, and this shift has placed increased demands on communication and interpersonal skills (Gustafsson et al 2013). The workforce has seen a shift away from physical labour and emphasis is now placed on employment which involves greater interpersonal communication (Neitzel, Swinburn, Hammer & Eisenberg, 2017), consequently changing the employment status of hearing impaired individuals and potential earning rates (Walter & Dirmyer, 2013). The productivity of companies is based on constant interaction between co-workers which include spontaneous meetings, telephonic interactions or video conferencing.…”

“…Educational levels and severity of hearing loss influence employment and income opportunities in various ways, with the more severe the hearing loss, the less the likelihood of obtaining paid work (Stam, Kostense, Festen & Kramer, 2013;Boutin & Wilson, 2009), whereas higher or tertiary education had a more positive effect on employment (Walter & Dirmyer, 2013;Schley et al, 2011;Rydberg, Gellerstedt & Danermark, 2011). Perkins-Dock et al 2015 (Maja et al, 2011).…”

Educational, employment, and social participation of young adult graduates from the paediatric Southern Cochlear Implant Programme, New Zealand

“…A future study that could include children implanted under the age of 2 may The disproportionate representation of New Zealand European respondents compared to Maori may be due to several reasons such as lack of access to follow up, poor socio-economic status, and lack of culture specific recruitment methods (Ellison-Loschmann and Pearce, 2006 ). 23% had a college degree (Walter and Dirmyer, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c. This data had been compiled from the American community Survey and the data does not indicate the extent of hearing aid or cochlear implant use.…”

“…A trend has been demonstrated in which educational achievement for the hearing impaired has improved but employment rates have actually decreased in comparison to the wider work force (Punch et al, 2004;Walter and Dirmyer, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c. Also of note is that at the same level of educational achievement, the hearing impaired received a lower income than hearing peers.…”